Need some help Re: Garand

[thatJeffguy]

I've been looking for the PERFECT shooter Garand for a while, today I walk into my favorite gun store and my buddy brings one out that they just got.

I dropped a ought six round in the muzzle, damn thing stuck out OVER an eighth of an inch, almost a QUARTER of an inch! Throat "looks good", but obviously that'd be better known if I had an erosion tester.

The s/n is

222284xx

The bolt has engraved upon it

"d28287128A RE 56"

The trigger group

"6528290-SA"


Anyone know anything about that thar stuff?


The trigger group looked REALLY nice inside. Looks like it's already had the trigger job performed on it, feels nice, good clean crisp break, not much Cosmoline, no rust at all.

AM VERY EXCITE! :-)

[mikepro8]

Those numbers mean little as far as the function of the rifle is concerned. they are draw/heat lot numbers. Nothing more. THey can tell you who manufactured them and when, but that is probably not important to you as a shooter, it appeals more to the collector. Trigger group SA = Springfield Armory. I think you also have too many numbers in your SN... there were only about 6.5 million made, not 22 million like your SN.

As to the "trigger job," I doubt it has had any work. ALL garands have a crisp, clean break - it was the way they were manufactured; all M1's had a two stage trigger.

How much do they want for it?

[phillyd2]

The serial number should have 7 digits max. Assuming that the first few numbers are correct it should be from around 1943. If you are happy with the cost and condition buy it. I assume you already know about CMP for price comparison.

[bortle]

Is there an import mark on the barrel? If there is I would pass. Also check for a welded receiver. I would pass on that too. Depends on the price, CMP's are $495 for a rack grade $595 for service grade. You can check their website or go to the north store and look at lots and lots of them. It's not that hard to get approved to purchase from them.

[thatJeffguy]

Where would I see an import stamp, and how can I tell if the receiver is welded?

Also, yea, one to many "2"s in the s/n, looks like it was made in November 1943.


As for the CMP, I was going to drive out there with Flash, but that's a long 12 hour (round trip) drive. I also don't want to wait up to 60 days to get my rifle from them.

[Xringshooter]

If you are approved to buy a gun from the CMP, you go to the North Store, look through all of the ones that are on hand, pick out the one you want, they put your name on it, you submit your paperwork, they call you up to pay for it, the guys at the counter give it to you when you show the "PAID" receipt, you take it home.

That said, the ones at the North Store are hit or miss. Sometimes they have a great batch sometimes not. To get the best of a rack, field or service grade it is best to order one. May take a bit longer to get but you usually get a really good rifle, normally better than what it says it is.

[thatJeffguy]

I just can't wait 30-60 days. I'm inpatient


I'd say that this rifle is about the best one I've seen, especially for the price. It's just a bit over $800, so it's $200 more than the CMP one but with no waiting and no 12 hour RT drive. Pics to come when shes mine.

[7998]

Good luck , and we're waiting on the pics.
I can't wait to get mine

[bortle]

An import mark would be at the muzzle end of the barrel. (Blue Sky) As far a welds, some company (I can't remember who) bought a bunch of receivers that had been cut in half for junk price. They took a front half and a back half and welded them back together. Milled and ground the welds down, install barrel, stick it in a stock and shazam...got a rifle. If you take the receiver/barrel out of the stock you can see better if it was welded. They actually did a pretty good job of it. Whats the barrel date? '43 or '44 would be nice but I doubt it. Most have been re-barreled at least once. Check to see if the receiver is locked in tight to the stock, Is the gas cylinder tight on the barrel? Back sight work properly and stay in position if you push down on it? Lots of little things to look for to try and drive down the price. Don't shoot regular 30-06 hunting ammo in it. You'll bend the op-rod. Some Korean ammo is corrosive. CMP is the best place for ammo Greek HXP is good. Good Luck

[bigdog02]

Yup do some more recon!
Look at the end of the barrel right before the front sight, somewhere on there (if it is an import) there will be a 1 line name and town and state.
Bluesky was a big importer, mine was imported by Arlington Ordnance (which was the predecessor to Bluesky).
With that good of a barrel - I am going to guess NOT an import. The Koreans (where Bluesky and Arlington Ord imported from) were all about cleaning their weapons and typically did it A LOT and wore out the muzzles in a hurry with steel rods and such.

Blueskys were not the welded receiver ones - I can't remember the name of the importer but they would import them with cut up receivers and then reweld different receivers together. It was not Arlington or Bluesky though.

A lot of guys tend to look down on the imports as not being as good or having as much history, but I am thoroughly pleased with mine.
1942 Springfield with mostly 40s parts, 1950 barrel.
AAK on the stock (meaning it was rearsenaled at Augusta Arsenal which closed in 1955).
My guess (and hope) is that it was made in 1942, sent to europe/pacific, served there, sent back to the states at the end of the war, rearsenalled at augusta, sent to south korea and then kept there.