ALL #'s MATCH except Gas Plug which NONE do !. FYI : Look up 1943 Birch Stocks as well as Cherry, as Walnut was in Short supply so consideration was given for using alternative WOODS . The Sight currently is on MY Shooter but will go Back on it as soon as I refurbish the stripped pinion on MY other one . Note the hand guard is Walnut ,for whatever reason those #6 Rifles were NEVER ISSUED !.
Whether You or anyone else chooses to believe it , is your prerogative but that Rifle and it's mates were NEVER sold through DCM or CMP
I acquired that in early 70 ,upon My departure from US Army ,as MY platoon Sgt. was reassigned to Armory duty ,so as to finish out his 20 .
It was a Present
Actually M1 Garand Birch stocks were being produced in 1957 .
The two most common types of wood used for caliber .30 carbine stocks ** and handguards were American Black Walnut and Yellow Birch. American Black Walnut had a long history of being the wood preferred by America's gun manufacturers and was used by all of the carbine prime contractors and subcontractors. Birch had initially been considered but wasn't approved until a perceived shortage of Walnut in 1943 led to the approval of Yellow Birch and Black Cherry for gunstocks. : Yes I know the difference between a Carbine and a Garand but FACT remains Gov. considered alternative Woods for fear of a shortage ,so who's to say WHAT happened in a NON ISSUE build . I WASN'T there in 43 , nor was I in Alabama at the Armory .
Directly from USGI Dept. of the Army Technical manual .
The first time the M1 was available for sale to civilians, by the Army, was an announcement in the “American Rifleman” for October of 1955, though they may have been available and the 1954 National Matches. However, they were not available to the “general public” as you were required to be “NRA members who are enrolled with the Director of Civilian Marksmanship.” I do not believe that the DCM ever sold to the ‘general public’ as the purpose of these DCM sales was to advance the cause of civilian marksmanship. It was not intended to supply the collector or the gunsmith for ‘bubbering’ into a sporting rifle. . At that time and up into the 1970’s I believe that one was allowed to purchase “one in a lifetime”; though later it was determined that M1’s did wear out and competitors would be allowed to either exchange their present M1 or purchase another one. (Someone who knows the details please help me out here.) The last M1 that I purchased through the DCM was a “service grade” M1 and while the first letter was addressed to the DCM all subsequent correspondence was through the Department of the Army. I was required to submit my NRA membership card, High Power Competition classification card as well as Target proficiency , and my membership card in a DCM affiliated club. To the best of my knowledge, the M1 (unlike the M1903, M03A3, M1917, M1 carbine) was never declared “surplus” while the DCM controlled the sales and distributions. Leastwise NOT while I was a member .
I've purchased a # of Garand's over the years including #1,M1C and #2 ,M1D's* DCM ARSENAL REBUILDS and not a single Rifle has had Matching #'s !.
During WWII most, but not all, stocks & handguards had manufacturer markings. After WWII many stocks & handguards did not have a manufacturers mark.
Now someone some where was able to get a # of M1's during the 50's-60's and began selling them either mail order or through gun shops . NRA members cried out about that ,as we were forced to WAIT for our purchases . So Don't know what came about with that .
Has anyone else purchased an M1 via DCM or CMP ?. IF so do your #'s match ? and do You have Birch stocks ?.
Because ALL of mine came with Walnut and in the condition one would expect . * With the exception of ONE a Winchester M1D which was Beautiful .
MY shooting Garand is also an SA Receiver but with a WRA bolt and is most certainly a DCM purchase .
