'curved' follower arm question

[1-12 INF (M)]

I have a WRA M1 (2.5m) rifle for years, got it back in the DCM one-a-lifetime days. It has a WRA barrel, but post-war sights and wood.

The follower arm has a curved profile. If you were looking at it from the side, it has a smooth curved shape, whereas every other arm I've seen is straight. I've looked through my Duff and Poyer books, and all they talk about is the bevels - but the 'arm' part is always straight.

Anybody have any info on this? Is it original to my rifle?

Thanks.

[Dan Shapiro]

Can you post a picture?

[RCS]

Billy Pyle's GSR (Garand Stand Report) newsletter has published line drawings of the WRA follower arm variations. Drawings were done by Charles Redfield

[latigo 1]

Are you referring to the top edge being curved rather than straight? All follower arms were originally made with a straight top edge. Sometimes an armorer would bend the front of the arm down a little bit in an effort to correct the timing, which resulted in a curved top edge. I have seen several of these on the Danish returns.

[Bodyman]

it is a quick fix for timing problems (that the Danish did seem to embrace with some vigor ...). They were originally made straight but some that turn up today are quite curved. I often wondered if the Danes didn't come up with some kind of little jig to tweak them and keep them from twisting, because if they twisted they'd bind like a fiend and they all seem to operate just fine regardless of the amount of curve introduced.

[Rick B]

In this photo the arrows point towards the earliest of follower rods with the small ledge for Winchester with second from left being next and far right is last. Rick B

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/WRAArmsMarked__2_JPG-1.jpg

[1-12 INF (M)]

Here's a couple of photos, and I think the arm looks like #4 in the example above. I've never shot this rifle, as a different service grade mixmaster was always available, so can't comment as to function. But the CMP released this as a bent part- could it have happened on test firing?

[Bill Hollinger]

Yours has been bent to cure a timing issue. If you look at the above four follower arms that Rick B posted it looks like #1 may have a bend to it also and maybe #3.