IHC with British Proofs

[GA-Dave]

There is an IHC on GB with a photo showing British proof marks on the barrel. It's too late for a lend lease gun. Any ideas how it went to the UK and came back to the states.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/647764340

[musketjon]

It's anyone's guess as to how it got there. ANY firearm in British posession has to be proofed and stamped as such. It probably got back to the states through some exporter/importer.
Jon

[gwp]

Interarms stored military weapons in Manchester, England and because they passed thru England they were proofed per English law.

From: http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Interarms/interarms.html

Interarms was a giant in the business of surplus firearms in the heyday. In addition to the main offices in Virginia and Manchester, England, they had at times offices in Panama and Buenos Ares. Their house brands were Whitworth Rifle Company and Farquharson Rifle Company, both based in Manchester. The US distributor company was Hunters Lodge in Alexandria, Virginia. The Alexandria, Virginia complex had ten warehouses holding mostly high quality sporting rifles and pistols that were sold to American dealers and wholesalers. The British warehouse stocked primarily military weapons, which accounted for 70% of Interarms sales.

[Sunray]

"...ANY firearm in British posession has to be..." It's any milsurp firearm sold through England required proofing. Not just stuff used by them. The BNP proof stamps have nothing whatever to do with Lend/Lease either.
That S/N is 1953. The Korean War was over in July of 1953. Highly unlikely to be there before the end.
"...Date correct IHC parts..." Most likely made that way by a previous civilian owner with too much time and money. Doesn't make the rifle worth $2789.00. This dealer doesn't appear to know much about M1's or Brit proofing. And the "Korean War US Army Marines" is marketing.

[musketjon]

Sunray,
Thanks for correcting me. I guess I had a senior moment and left out the key word.
Jon

[Chris W.]

Sure could have happened the ways talked about above. But I think it's more likely someone here screwed a Brit proofed barrel onto a IHC here and put it together. Is it a LMR barrel ?? We have sure seen this before. Guess I'd be looking for the proof marks on the receiver as well as the barrel.
Chris

[SPEEDGUNNER]

It has an LMR barrel, which would be correct for an IHC. It must have found its way to Europe (England) somehow during the 50's and then returned to the states, most likely through Interarms.

[rkohut]

There is an IHC on GB with a photo showing British proof marks on the barrel.

The IHC I have has the British proof on the receiver.

[al in oregon]

I have an IHC with brit proofs, also

[EdG]

According to my info, E B over 5 in the circle would indicate that the rifle was proofed in 1979 - the E being the code for the year, the B being the code for Birmingham proof house, and the five being the inspector's designation code.
I would suspect that the barrel is original to the rifle.

Over the years, I have seen quite a few IHC Garands with British proofs. Wished I had kept records of those observations.

From 1975 to 1984, inclusive, Birmingham used the circle. Prior to 1975 and after 1984, Birmingham used the symbol variously described as crossed swords, scepters, sabers, pennants, or flags.

The crown over BNP can be seen in pic 28. It can be seen more clearly by blowing up the pic.

I could not see any proofs on the bolt, but they may be there.