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FCPDAVE
11-16-2019, 07:47
Hi,

I thought I'd pass along some things I took note of while starting to tear down HRA 9386XX. It is not untouched like 2 of our M1903 MK1's. The rear hand guard was swapped out for lighter color new wood. The stock has LOTS of dents - not sure if the Honor Guard did that but this is worse than the others. The receiver is black, like the ones in the article here that I just read. The bbl. is SA 6565448 3 66 MD60 P M DOD stamp. There are 2 brass pins inserted in the stock above the trigger, and there is a metal insert in the butt (the small screw hole). There is a large P and a smaller P on the pistol grip, as well as a painted red dot the size of a pencil eraser. There is also a faded red triangle stamp (not impressed) with what looks like 88 inside. There are also remnants of black paint on the butt cap.

The M1's came to our VFW I believe in the 60's from the Army (now TACOM).. Who knows the history of this one. I was always told that US armorers did not repair wood stock parts. I have an Aussie SMLE that has pins like this, and another of the M1's has a hanguard repair. I met a gunsmith who said that he did work for our VFW long ago and he is capable of those repairs. But he didn't varnish them, or worse. I have an '03 torn down to refinish the stock - they put polyurethane on some of the 03's years ago.

They soldier on at the cemeteries, irregardless of the weather - all with leather slings - some brass and some steel hooks. Thanks to Lubriplate, we have not had a misfire in a long time.

End of story,

Dave

togor
11-17-2019, 07:02
Was at a graveside service last weekend for an old vet. Two gentlemen form the local post came out with a pair of M1s with BFAs. In the last of the three volleys I heard only one report. I doubt anyone else noticed, but I remember thinking that one M1 might need a grease job.

twh
11-17-2019, 08:07
Your serial number is off as a six digit starting with a 9 is an SA. An orange triangle on the pistol grip would indicate a stock that went through rebuild at LEAD. US rebuild facilities did use brass pins/screws to repair stocks so not unusual.

lyman
11-17-2019, 09:46
Your serial number is off as a six digit starting with a 9 is an SA. An orange triangle on the pistol grip would indicate a stock that went through rebuild at LEAD. US rebuild facilities did use brass pins/screws to repair stocks so not unusual.

my father was a Small Arms Tech in the USAR,

he took care of the weapons in about 1/3rd the USAR armories in VA, and a pile of ROTC/JROTC/Military Schools,

most of the time a stock was simply replaced, l
sometimes a brass pin and some acraglass was used (the pins came thru military supply channels, the acraglass came thru an account he had set up to draw from, I don't know the details on how)

slightly off topic, but I remember him returning from a trip to a few schools, to replace the stocks on the drill rifles for the school year,

he had a pickup bed of 1903 and 1903A3 stocks, all beat up , cracked etc,
my brother and I had the job of unloading them and breaking them up into kindling wood for the fire,,,,


probably worth a small fortune now, if we had set them aside and repaired them,,,,

Orlando
11-28-2019, 03:37
Arsenals did repair stocks . Take a look at this one. Lock up must have been loose as wood was removed , an piece added glued and nailed in place. Also a section of wood was cut out and replaced at the toe of the stock.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1320/13763146/24794418/414343653.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1320/13763146/24794418/414343654.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1320/13763146/24794418/414343655.jpg
Here is a repair to another stock, section of wood was cut out and replaced in area in front of where trigger housing sets
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1320/13763146/24794418/414343666.jpg

These are amazingly well done stock repairs that would have taken some time to do.

FCPDAVE
12-22-2019, 02:53
Yes, it is A SA. Sorry about the mixup. The H&R was in better shape and I took it back to the post after service. In the mean time, I replaced the WWII and earlier slings with newer repros, though I re-dyed them darker brown. Only comment from the guys was that their gloves are cleaner.