New "O-66" Garand

[Calfed]

I've been interested in rebuilt marked Garands and glommed this one today...

http://i.imgur.com/XRBzPYZ.jpg?1
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Only have these auction pics and this description

U.S. Garand M1 semi-automatic rifle by Springfield Armory., .30 cal., SA barrel dated 11-65, military finish, wood stock, serial #4219605, in overall very good condition showing significant original military finish, good bore, crisp action and markings. The smooth wood military stock has the “P” proof on the pistol grip. The butt stock features sling swivels and a checkered metal butt plate with trap.

Better pics when it arrives

[cplnorton]

That is really neat. I have been tracking Marine Garands for a long time and that is the first 1965 dated barrel I've seen on one. Most seem to either have the original barrel, or have a replacement from the early 50's. But that is really neat, probably swapped during it's last rebuild.

The stock looks like a overton, which is very common on the 0-6X rebuilds. When you get it, if you could photograph that P on the stock, I would be appreciative. That is something I've sort of been studying, as cartouches on Marine rifles are not Common. But I know some P proof marks were used late, and I've been trying to keep a log of them.

But very nice rifle it looks good to me!

[Calfed]

CPL, I'd be happy to post pics of the stock cartouches when it arrives.

[cplnorton]

Thank you sir! That is a very nice rifle, I might have bid on it myself if I saw it. :)

[Griff Murphey]

it is interesting to me that the Marines would still have been rebuilding M-1s that late. I have a marine friend on our deer lease who was using the M-1 on Gitmo perimeter guard in 1962-63 before going to Vietnam. When I was in high school in 1966 I saw the 4th USMC recon bn march in the Fiesta Flambeau parade in San Antonio and they all had M-14s. I shot every month at Camp Bullis in the monthlies and the 4th Recon shooters pretty much all shot nm M-14s. Col. Bill Dickman (ran the reserve sniper school) and John Stanfield (sniper platoon sergeant worked for MP RR) sometimes shot marine match conditioned M-1s that were issue guns, in original '06 caliber, I do not think they were straight NMs they looked a lot like Air Force guns with shiny stocks.

But why a GI issue one? Where was this work done? Pardon my ignorance. If the reserves had M-14s as early as 1966 this seems odd to me.

Based on a talk I had with a USMC P5M Marlin (60's flying boat patrol bomber) who brought in a 1941 sniper 03 to show me, at his base in Japan in the early 60's they put out 03's and M-1s on tables in the O club and let the officers buy them for a song and take them home.

[cplnorton]

They were rebuilt at Albany and Barstow during the 0-6X program. The Marines had switched to the M14 and they started to get them around 1960, but the M1 was still in use in some training situations. I've had some Marines tell me they still saw them as late as 64-65 in Infantry school. Where else they were used at this time, I don't know. I'm sure some were around Reserve Units as well.

But the 0-6X program was mostly about checking/rebuilding and putting them into long term storage. That is why so many are found in new condition today. It also seems at least some were sent to the Navy as they have been found as Navy Trophy rifles from Crane.

We don't have the documents on the 0-6X program yet. It's almost too new and not a lot hasn't been released at the Archives, or if it has, we haven't found it.

[SemperFi, 0321]

An old Staff Sgt friend of mine was stationed at Marine Barracks, Morocco in 1965-67 and they still had M-1's and BAR's. He said his BAR belt was so ratty it barely held together around his waist.
He never really used the M-14, as he was issued an M-16 in VN in '68-69 while serving with 3/27-1/5.
I shot M-1 rifle at Marine Barracks, Bremerton WA in 1969 as a young Naval Sea Cadet, the Marines took us out to the rifle range for a day of shooting, then went thru Navy boot camp (Sea Cadets) for 2 weeks and shot M-1's at Miramar? rifle range, I think those were 7.62 conversions.

[Griff Murphey]

Thanks for the info! The range at Miramar was on old Camp Elliott. I believe that was where Navy boots fired back in the day when all sailors shot the rifle in boot camp. A bunch of gunners mates hung out there in a cinder block building and I used to shoot in the naval district matches there in 75-76.

[Shooter5]

Somewhat unrelated but Garands have a way of hanging around in unexpected places; family member trained with an M1 at the Air Force Academy when he attended beginning in 1986 as a freshmen.
1986. Just a few years ago as an instructor at a training unit, the "foreign weapons locker" used to familiarize troops with AKs etc also had two Garands.

[Calfed]

Somewhat unrelated but Garands have a way of hanging around in unexpected places; family member trained with an M1 at the Air Force Academy when he attended beginning in 1986 as a freshmen.
1986. Just a few years ago as an instructor at a training unit, the "foreign weapons locker" used to familiarize troops with AKs etc also had two Garands.

You've got that right...My wife and I visited Athens 2 years ago and visited the old Royal Palace.

Ceremonial Guards were armed!

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2015/05/Sq2LmkTjpg1-1.jpghttp://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2015/05/EE3o2Skjpg1-1.jpg

[Calfed]

it is interesting to me that the Marines would still have been rebuilding M-1s that late.

Not just the Marines.

Collectors of rebuilt marked Garands look for "TE" (Toole Army Depot), "LE" (Letterkenny) and "RRAD" (Red River) marked Garands. Most are scribed with dates between 1964 and 1967 on the receiver leg. The mid 60's seems to have been a period of great activity when it came to overhauling Garands.

[Garden Valley]

They were rebuilt at Albany and Barstow during the 0-6X program. The Marines had switched to the M14 and they started to get them around 1960, but the M1 was still in use in some training situations. I've had some Marines tell me they still saw them as late as 64-65 in Infantry school. Where else they were used at this time, I don't know. I'm sure some were around Reserve Units as well.

But the 0-6X program was mostly about checking/rebuilding and putting them into long term storage. That is why so many are found in new condition today. It also seems at least some were sent to the Navy as they have been found as Navy Trophy rifles from Crane.

We don't have the documents on the 0-6X program yet. It's almost too new and not a lot hasn't been released at the Archives, or if it has, we haven't found it.

The M1 was used at ITR well beyond the adoption of the M14. The ammo magazines at Pendleton were full of .30 cal ammo so it was decided to use the M1 in ITR and use all the .30 cal ammo. I went through ITR in late 1966 and carried an IHC M1. I shot a lot of mid-1950's headstamped .30 cal AP ammo. When the rifles were issued to us they passed out a few Dummy cartridges (why I don't know because they were not in clips) and they were all FA 1930's manufacture. No training was provided on field stripping the M1 (though I already knew how) and we were instructed not to attempt disassembly and not to clean it. It was issued to us dirty and we turned them in dirty. When a rifle malfunctioned an instructor on the firing line had a quart can of PS oil and he solved the malfunction by pouring oil into the action. Hard to believe but this is the truth.

As a side note, the use of M1's at ITR was so extensive that a web adapter was fabricated at Pendleton to enable the use of M1956 canteen covers with the M1 ten-pocket cartridge belt. Those adapters are rare items today.

[Garden Valley]

Interesting. The 27th Marines were sent to Vietnam in about March 1968 and came back in September 1968. The only catch was that if you were in 27th Marines and still had ample time left on your enlistment you were transferred out to another unit in Vietnam and a shortimer was transferred in to take your place. No one skated on that deal. We got quite a few Marines in 1/9 who were transferred from 27th Marines units. Obviously your friend was one of these lucky guys.

[SemperFi, 0321]

Well my friend, I'm also a member of 1/9, even though I was a few yrs behind you.
106 Plt and S-2 Scout H&S Co. 1/9 1973-74. Camp Schwab, Okinawa. What company were you with, when?
My SSgt buddy was from Camp Lejeune when I was with 2nd Recon Bn. He came back from Morocco and immediately volunteered for VN, and ended up in M 3/27, spent time in the DMZ fights I guess, then down to An Hoa/AZ Territory with 1/5 when 3/27 was disbanded. Another friend was 1/26 at Khe Sahn and then also 5th Marines, and extended for 1st Recon.

[Garden Valley]

Well my friend, I'm also a member of 1/9, even though I was a few yrs behind you.
106 Plt and S-2 Scout H&S Co. 1/9 1973-74. Camp Schwab, Okinawa. What company were you with, when?
My SSgt buddy was from Camp Lejeune when I was with 2nd Recon Bn. He came back from Morocco and immediately volunteered for VN, and ended up in M 3/27, spent time in the DMZ fights I guess, then down to An Hoa/AZ Territory with 1/5 when 3/27 was disbanded. Another friend was 1/26 at Khe Sahn and then also 5th Marines, and extended for 1st Recon.

I was in Bravo and H&S 1/9, Nov '67 thru Dec 68. We were at Khe Sanh for the entire siege, out at the rock quarry. 3/27 wasn't disbanded, it was just sent back to Pendleton after all the personnel swaps. After the 26th Marines was formed at Margarita in 1966 they were sent to Vietnam. The 27th Marines was then formed at Margarita, the 28th Marines at San Mateo, and the 13th Marines at Las Pulgas. 1/27 was in Hawaii and constituted the 1st Marine Brigade, having replaced the 4th Marines (typical that a battalion replaced a regiment). 2/27 and 3/27 remained at Margarita. Oddly enough, I was in 2/27 before I went to Vietnam and when I returned I was sent back to 2/27. By 1969, the 27th and 28th Marines really were primarily a place to assign those Marines who had already served a tour in Vietnam and who were short timers. There weren't all that great a number of Marines in those units at that time who had not already been to Vietnam. Semper Fi!

[SemperFi, 0321]

My buddy from C 1/26 was on the NE end of the runway at Khe Sanh, since he was the FNG they put him on the airfield unhooking parachutes from the bundles as the fork lift hauled them away. He did one tour of 9 months, then WIA with Recon on the DMZ, and another tour in '69, never had an M-16. He said he spent both tours carrying an M-14. Just got off the phone with him a few minutes ago.
And I missed the whole shebang.

[Calfed]

The O-66 Garand arrived at my FFL today to begin it's 10 day "cooling off" period. I got a chance to look it over and it looks good. There is a boxed "P" cartouche on the pistol grip of the stock. The stock and metal are in excellent shape...literally no dents, dings or scratches on the stock and the same on the metal. There are no rub marks anywhere, even in the op rod groove on the receiver. Stock looks like an Overton replacement with a very dark finish..

The barrel is an 11-65 SA, with a sharp, shiny bore that gauges about .5 on the CMP muzzle gauge.

Could be wrong about this, but almost looks like it has not been used since it was rebuilt.

More and better pics after I've "cooled off" for 10 days...

[Calfed]

I picked up the "O-66" Garand today, since the 10-day "cooling off period has elapsed.

It is in great shape. It almost looks like it was overhauled and then went into storage. The stock, bore, and parkerizing are in near perfect condition. There are a few very light rub marks on the stock and very few dents or dings.

The bore is "1-" on the CMP muzzle gauge and the lands and grooves are shiny and sharp.

Everything feels tight and I'm looking forward to shooting this one.

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