Help ID'ing Garand

[ScottNH]

I need some help ID'ing a Garand belonging to a friend of mine. The story I got was "my uncle got it from the widow of one of his Marine buddies. His buddy bought it from Springfield Armory in the '52-'54 timeframe. Never been shot."

Obviously, the entire story is suspect, due to...well, everything about it. I asked for more detail, and they sent me this picture of the receiver heel:

http://i64.tinypic.com/erizkg.jpg

Now I'm even more confused. The lettering seems to be much lower quality than any Garand I have (or have seen), with uneven depth and formation, and the 7M+ serial number seems to be well after SA ceased production.

Any ideas what I'm looking at here? Is there some late batch of M1's SA produced and then marked poorly with electro-pencil? Is this a legit SA Garand? If so, any idea of production year?

I want to help this guy out, but I'm afraid I'm going to have bad news. The last part of the note I got was "It's been appraised at $7000." I think he's in for disappointment.

Thanks for the help.

[gunny]

Stay far,far away from that one.

Gunny

[nf1e]

Run, do not walk away. That is not a GI M1, but a poor repro with a cast receiver by Springfield Armory Inc. not the SA govt producer. It was produced more than 25 years after the story you were told. There were no 7 mil USGI M1s. I think if you were to take a zero off the appraised value, would be closer to the truth.

Semper Fi
Art

[Dan Shapiro]

As noted, you're looking at an "M1" manufactured by "Springfield Armory, INC". Yes, a private business, not THE Springfield Armory owned by the US Government.

I would imagine the 'correct' story is that this IS THE TYPE OF RIFLE the Marine buddy carried. He certainly didn't buy it in early 1950's as Springfield Armory, INC did not yet exist.

Here's one of them for sale.....the price is almost $2k, which is ridiculous. You can buy an original for less than 1/2 that price.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/springfield-rifles-m1-garand/springfield-armory-m-1-garand-30-06-24.cfm?gun_id=100775585

[ScottNH]

Thanks for all the info. As far as I know, the rifle isn't for sale, and my marriage won't survive another Garand, anyway. My friend just wanted some insight into his Uncle's "story."

As everyone has stated, I've come to learn this is at best a SAI commercially-produced rifle on a cast receiver (possibly made by Lithgow, although the info is conflicting on this.)

I say "at best," because although I haven't seen any other pictures of the rifle, I think there's also a chance this is a Century gun that someone scrubbed and added their own "Springfield Armory" markings to. I base this on the lack of a "TM" circle after the "Springfield Armory" and the unbelievably crappy markings on the receiver, compared to other SAI Garands I've seen. This gun looks almost hand-engraved. I've asked for more pictures, including better ones of the stock, the barrel, etc.

When I heard the story, and saw the pictures, I was immediately suspicious, for obvious reasons. Now I feel I can give my buddy some straight info about what the gun is, and certainly what it isn't.

[Sunray]

Stock's too big too.
I think SA Inc. M1 receivers were cast in Brazil. Not Australia. No that it matters. Cast receivers aren't horrible. Just not military. No sales out of the real Springfield Armory ever either. Certainly not in 1952 to '54. There was a war on until 1953.
As mentioned, real Springfield S/N are in this range. 1 - 6020771 only.

[Dan Shapiro]

IIRC, Springfield Armory (the real one) found during their post-WWII rebuild of M1's, that starting with a 'fat' stock was actually good. Can recall seeing pictures of the rebuild process when they sanded stocks. Lost many for continued service as the sanded stocks were judged to0 thin for reuse. This carried over, years later to M14 production. My M14 stock in Basic was fat. So was the on of the rifle I was issued in Germany. Only one that fit flush with the butt plate was the fiberglass stock on the rifle I was issued in Vietnam. Years later, when I purchased an M1A (fat wood stock), the first thing I did was purchase a fiberglass stock from Orion 7. Odd thing: with the wood stock, come-up for 200 yards was 8 clicks. With the fiberglass stock it was just 2 clicks.

[tatonka]

I believe if you call Customer Service at Springfield Armory Inc. in Geneseo, IL. Give them the serial no. they should be able to tell you

the history of that rifle. Good shooters, they are cast receivers with GI and repro parts, they started their SN's with a 7 so there would be no

confusion as to there originality. As Sunray mentioned, there are no GI Serial Numbers starting with a 7. Hope this helps. :icon_salut:

[M1Riflenut]

Stock's too big too.
I think SA Inc. M1 receivers were cast in Brazil. Not Australia. No that it matters. Cast receivers aren't horrible. Just not military. No sales out of the real Springfield Armory ever either. Certainly not in 1952 to '54. There was a war on until 1953.
As mentioned, real Springfield S/N are in this range. 1 - 6020771 only.

The highest recorded serial number to date, USGI, is 6100499. A few years back CMP also sold 6100497 which one of the members here owns.

[Griff Murphey]

Saw an SA Inc. "D-Day commemorative" M-1 blow up with HXP ball from CMP.

[musketjon]

there are no GI Serial Numbers starting with a 7.
Really???
Let's see:
7
70
700
7000
70000
700000
Looks to me like there are are a whole bunch starting with a 7.
Jon

[Litt'le Lee]

maybe he meant 7 mil