NM Garand

[GrinerBros]

I Bought a Garand at agun show, the seller said it was a NMGarand and it had NM sights and the prie ws good so I bit and paid upfor it. I looked it up and the 1-55 SA barrel sho enough indicates it could br a NM rifle but I am unable to find the NM marking anywhere on the brrel.

Where did they stamp the NM at?

[John L. Lucci]

I Bought a Garand at agun show, the seller said it was a NMGarand and it had NM sights and the prie ws good so I bit and paid upfor it. I looked it up and the 1-55 SA barrel sho enough indicates it could br a NM rifle but I am unable to find the NM marking anywhere on the brrel.

Where did they stamp the NM at?

If it's SA National Match the barrel will have a star mark on it; however, it could be match prepped by other parties in which case "Who knows?" If it's an SA provenance and paperwork are everything.

[Jay Johnson]

If it's a NM barrel there should be a "NM" stamped on the left side of the barrel towards the muzzle between the gas cylinder mounting rings, there might also be a star next to the NM stamp but not all of them had the star.

What is the serial number of the rifle?

Lastly, for a fee CMP will check their records to verify if your M1 was originally shipped as a national match Garand, but give us some more information, maybe a picture or two, and forum members will assist you in determining the likelihood, or not, that your Garand is an authentic national match rifle. From there you should have an idea if it's a NM Garand, or not, and can then decide if you want to spend the money to have CMP verify it.

Hope that helps.




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[Ted Brown]

It's not uncommon for gun show sellers to pass off Garands as National Match if any one part has a NM marking, op rod, sights, etc. Do check with the CMP.

[GrinerBros]

The SN is 58005XX with a barrel dated 1-55 which fits right in the dates in Duffs book that NMrifles were made at SA.

I looked hard but could not see a NM or star on the left side of the front part of the barrel so I guess it is not a SA NM Rifle.

When I bought it I knew it wasn't a full blown M1 match rifle as I shot HPR with one for years. But is was a all correct SA garand with match sights at an excellent price.

Thanks for the information on the placement of the NM.

[jjrothWA]

On the front top barrel between the front handguard and GC should be "NM" ,

The bolt MAY have the last four of receiver SN, and the barrel, when OP rod is "full back" has a special
drawing number stamped for the NM barrel.

It should have "NM" on the receiver heel???

Other will correct me. [as I have been known to be wrong!]

[Johnny P]

The star was found on the early NM barrels, which at that time were stamped with the NM, on the left hand side of the barrel about mid way between the gas cylinder rings. Then the barrels had the NM applied with a pantagraph (engraving) machine as it was thought that stamping the NM set up stresses in the barrel.

[Col. Colt]

The real ones I've owned in the past did not have "NM" on the Reciever heel - I don't think that is correct. Both had "NM" on the left side of the barrel as already described, one, if I recall right this was a 6M reciever - had the star on the barrel. CC

[Johnny P]

A 6 million serial number range NM is more than likely a Type I, and still has the original barrel if marked with the star. When production halted around the 6.1 million range, Springfield started using receivers on hand as well as salvaged receivers. The only NM part on the original rifles was the barrel, but the other NM parts were added to the rebuilt rifles.

[2111]

Bottom line - if it is not stamped NM on the left side of the barrel, between the rings of the gas cylinder, it is NOT a National Match rifle as built by Springfield Armory.
The star just to the right of the NM marking is found on those rifles that were subject to the new accuracy requirements implemented for rifles built for the 1957 National Matches. During 1958 the new accuracy requirements became standard and the "star" stamp was discontinued. As said, these were originally "Type 1" rifles. At a later date the rifle could go through an upgrade and if it retained its original barrel, in addition to the STAR, you should also find the "year code" for 1959, 60, 61 or 62 stamped on the barrel, in the date area.

[StockDoc]

Didn't some of the first Type 1 NM not have the NM engraved on the barrel, thought I read that somewhere and are extremely rare due to upgrading to the next types

[Herschel]

In a copyrighted booklet about the NM M1 Rifle the late Major Dick Culver stated that the first 800 NM rifles were manufactured in 1953 and were marked with a rather thin NM on the left side of the barrel about 2" from the muzzle. He also said that no other parts were marked with the magic "NM". Further in the document he says that by 1956 the NM was no longer stamped 2" from the muzzle but was stamped on the left side of the barrel about midway between the front rear rings of the gas cylinder, still on the left side of the barrel.

[StockDoc]

In a copyrighted booklet about the NM M1 Rifle the late Major Dick Culver stated that the first 800 NM rifles were manufactured in 1953 and were marked with a rather thin NM on the left side of the barrel about 2" from the muzzle. He also said that no other parts were marked with the magic "NM". Further in the document he says that by 1956 the NM was no longer stamped 2" from the muzzle but was stamped on the left side of the barrel about midway between the front rear rings of the gas cylinder, still on the left side of the barrel.

Thanks, that makes sense. I think I found were I went astray, Harrisons book, say that the barrels "were not Stamp but inscribed" , the were not stamped, stuck in my mind, not the complete phrase.

[2111]

Thanks, that makes sense. I think I found were I went astray, Harrisons book, say that the barrels "were not Stamp but inscribed" , the were not stamped, stuck in my mind, not the complete phrase.

If you measure back 2 " from the muzzle you will see it would be quite difficult to stamp the NM in that location. Remember that when the NM marking is stamped/engraved on the barrel the rifle is fully assembled with gas cylinder in place. As I understand it initially the barrel was "stamped" NM. It is believed that SA felt that there was a chance that the bore was being compressed by stamping and switched to " engraving" the NM marking. Stamped early (through 1956 - early 1957), engraved after that for the duration. However, it looks like SA put the NM on the 7791035 NM barrels, used on the final version of the NM rifle, when they made the barrel. It appears that the NM is cast in the barrel and is under the Parkerizing.
As far as the first 800 NM rifles built for 1953 I have no idea what the NM stamping looked like. I never saw one nor have I seen a photo of one. They only lasted during the 1953 season and all 800 were rebuilt for 1954 and possibly again in subsequent years. As it really was not until 1956 that NM rifles became available to civilians for purchase, under strict rules, I don't see many, if any, being around anymore.

[PhillipM]

I would think an NM Garand from that period that was actually used as a match rifle and shot hard could very well have had the barrel replaced.