I let a gas trap get away

[GUTS]

This was on an auction last night. I only had the pictures and description to go by and I know that when you are dealing with a rare rifle like this you should probably never buy it without getting to look at it in person so I listened to my inner voice and stopped bidding at $4200. I have the strange feeling it may have been the real thing. If it was, the fellow that bought it for $4300 got quite a deal.

U.S. Springfield M1 Garand semi-auto rifle, .30 cal., 23-1/4 barrel, milit | Proxibid Auctions

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[Bill Hollinger]

Ouch!

[cruiserdan]

Holy Toledo!

It sure looks right. If it's for real it went for about 1/6 what it's worth.

[browningautorifle]

about 1/6 what it's worth.

That's what I was thinking...there must be something we're missing here.

[Tom Doniphon]

Little John's had that gun on one of their tables at the Reno gun show a couple of weeks ago. It's obviously not original. A guy at the show told me that the serial number, 1969, was easy to remember. And he remembers a few years ago that the rifle was an M1D.

[Bob Womack]

Och! That'll make you feel better right quickly.

Bob

[browningautorifle]

So, one of those replacement front ends and a few original parts. Just what you want to get hosed for...I could have had a low number or two here but they were completely overhauled. It made me wonder what would the point be?

[RCS]

Jim, They have made non-firing gas trap front ends in Rahway NJ for years without a detailed set of photos it is nothing. Average restorted or correct as they say on CMP gas trap would run around $20,000 to $25,000 and that would be a later serial number. An original gas trap barrel is valued around $10,000 maybe more if early, an original numbered
SA SPG stock is over $3000 if you can find one. The solid buttplates by SA run in the $700 to $900 price range, s/n 1969 when original would have used the very early solid buttplate.
A nice set of springs and follower rod is around $4000 now.
I think $4300 is going to buy you a lot of fake repro parts

[cruiserdan]

Jim, They have made non-firing gas trap front ends in Rahway NJ for years without a detailed set of photos it is nothing. Average restorted or correct as they say on CMP gas trap would run around $20,000 to $25,000 and that would be a later serial number. An original gas trap barrel is valued around $10,000 maybe more if early, an original numbered
SA SPG stock is over $3000 if you can find one. The solid buttplates by SA run in the $700 to $900 price range, s/n 1969 when original would have used the very early solid buttplate.
A nice set of springs and follower rod is around $4000 now.
I think $4300 is going to buy you a lot of fake repro parts

Well said.

Consider a restoration that may have a correct receiver, numbered butt plate, rear sight, bolt, internals, op-rod, stock hardware and trigger group. Add to that a Barnett or Ratworx shootable front end with functioning repro springs and that rifle is probably worth more than 4,000 bucks...No?

I'm not suggesting that the rifle that just sold meets those specifications, I'm just thinking out loud.

[RCS]

Sometimes a collector will use fake parts until the original is found - other times they will act dumb when asked if a certain part is original or not especially if the rifle is for sale or on auction. Photos show three items in each photo - only one is original. It can be quite difficult to pick the original part and even more difficult when assembled on the rifle.

You have to be really careful when buying a gas trapAttachment 45424Attachment 45425Attachment 45426Attachment 45427