Original M1 Garand?

[cfullgraf]

No, it will provide the year and month of the RECEIVER's manufacture.

Well I’ll agree that after the first rebuild, the serial number on the receiver relates to only when the receiver was made.

But it does indicate when the entire gun was first produced regardless what other era parts were installed in the rifle.

The same problems with dating a rifle occurs with the M1 Carbine.

Parts interchangeability is a good thing for the soldiers and armorers, a nightmare for collectors.

 

[tark]

Sometimes the stock stampings were sanded/steel wooled off over the years . . .

True, but a gun without a cartouche on the stock has little interest to collectors.

There is a picture of the only stock cartouche in the o.p.
It's a letter P in a circle on the underside of the grip.
I assume there should be others?

Yes, there should be a stamp on the left side of the stock, above the trigger guard. This is what a May, 1944 cartouche would look like. Guns that passed all inspections were given this final stamp, plus the ordinance stamp ( crossed cannons) and shipped. Springfield cartouches are marked "S.A." over the initials, Winchesters, "W.R.A."

The circle "P" means the gun passed proof. This was stamped on the underside of the grip for a reason. It was easily visible when the guns were lined up in a rack awaiting final inspection. Any gun that had missed proof could be easily spotted. As a curious aside, the workers at the Winchester plant invariably stamped this mark up high, near the trigger guard. Springfields were just the opposite, and the stamp will be found near the bottom of the pistol grip. Don't know if this was by design or accident.

 

[tazbigdog]

Bought one from CMP. SN dates it to 1943. Refinished CMP stock with up teen coats of BLO. Looks and fire great.

 

[cfullgraf]

I bought a couple CMP field grades over the years. They are good shooters but the USGI stocks were pretty beat up. I saved the original stocks but finished and installed a current replacement stock on each. They now look good. I’m happy.

Also, bought a 308 Win CMP Special grade. I bought a laminated stock for it so that it is easy to differentiate it from 30-06 Garands.

I enjoy things restored to a nice condition. I’m not so concerned that it is perfectly correct. But I understand a restored a Garand is not as valuable as a correct restored Garand or even a truly correct grade Garand.

 

[S.Crockett]

True, but a gun without a cartouche on the stock has little interest to collectors.
As a curious aside, the workers at the Winchester plant invariably stamped this mark up high, near the trigger guard. Springfields were just the opposite, and the stamp will be found near the bottom of the pistol grip. Don't know if this was by design or accident.

Not always. I've seen - and have two - SA WW2 stocks where the Circled 'P' proof stamp is closer to the rear of the trigger guard than to bottom of the grip. The OP's stock needs to have the proper cartouche on the left side to be correct for the serial-numbered receiver. ... Another reason to have Canfield's book, The M1 Garand Rifle, and Scott Duff's book, WWII Garands, as well as his Serial Numbers & Data Sheets booklet. The latter booklet is a good and simple reference tool to help you determine, based Duff's listing of the components of known original Garands from each period, what parts on your M1 are correct in relation to the serial number.