brand new (sort of) M1D **PIC HEAVY**
See, now I can never be President ...
NSA knows I look at these porn sites like this and they will dredge up years of me checking out the gambs in these pictures ... :D
Seriously, very sweet rifle. Congrats, and thanks for posting the pics.
I think the latest we have seen with TE markings is 7 or 8 of '69, so other than a few trophy rifles after this, these are the end of the very last major rebuild program for the Garand. Sure some people consider them to be 'just' rebuilds, but if you want you can consider these Toelle rebuilt M1D's to be the very end of a lineage that began in the early 30's. The history of these TE rebuilt D's is equally compelling in that it was driven by the unrest in the nation at the time and the fear that the National Guard was going to be needed to counter any widespread rioting, so these were built up and spread out at NG armories all over the country in readiness for such an event!
As for markings, by 1969 much of the useable wood was by that point, ... gone. Here is the wrist of a 5-69 TE rebuilt M1D and if you look closely you can actually see a 4th proof P there, meaning that stock had been on three other rifles before it landed on that M1D. Yes, it is a whittled down toothpick of a stock ... and cool as all getout.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...C014FJPG-1.jpg
Reproduction cheek pads can be had for 20 or 30 bucks. That's the way I'd go if I was going to assemble it and shoot it.
Personally, if funds allowed, I'd save that one just as you found it. Instead I'd build one out of parts to shoot (or find one that someone else already built), ... and then I'd shoot the snots out of it. But that is just me.
Doesn't matter, either way enjoy it - that is a nice one. Congrats again. :beerchug:
