I'm out of control - another Garand! This time a Dane!

[levallois]

Well, I went to the gunshow to sell a M1917 Eddystone as I had two and don't need two. I sold the rifle and started to see Garands everywhere. From the guy selling about 10 Rack Grade Springfields for $650 each - what a bunch of rat-traps they were too. To very nice IHCs for $1000+ and a very nice nearly all matching Winchester for $1750 (way more money than I had on me or wanted to spend). Then I see her, a Springfield receiver with a VAR barrel and walnut stock. I couldn't put it down and when I did someone else picked in up. After seeing about 8 people pick it up, I picked it again for the last time; I paid $850 - more than I wanted to spend but she's a beaut! I got stopped twice carrying her out by interested buyers. The specifics are as follows:

Receiver 37877XX - April 1945?
Barrel - VAR with a crown, D6535448 1-57 276, DK with a crown, a "M" and KOA in an oval
Bolt 12SA
Rear sight DRC and NHC
Trigger Housing D2829 BMG
Hammer 2SA
Safety SA
Op Rod 6535382 SA
Stock - I think the stock had US inspector's marks but they are too faint to read, There is also the serial number stamped on the bottom edge of the butt

I read somewhere that the VAR barrels are good ones? It's got a TE of 2.5 and MW of 2. I don't know if I got a good deal or not but I think that I can live with it either way.

Overall -



Barrel markings -



Stock markings - I can't see anything. I'm imagining the ghost image of an ordnance wheel to the right of the markings box about 3/4-inch but I could be dreaming. Maybe someone on the forum can recognize something familiar?



Thanks for looking!

John

Information

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[Claven2]

Looks like maybe an EMcF cartouche?

[levallois]

Thanks for the reply, Claven2. I don't see it but my eyes ain't what they once were.

Also, I just found very faintly the large numbers "4762" on top of the bolt. This doesn't match the serial number, dang it!

[Bob Seijas]

Could use the full serial for the M1C database, Standard rifles help limit the C serial blocks. No plugs on the left side, right?

[levallois]

Bob,

It didn't even occur to me that this rifle was in the M1C block of serial numbers. There are no plugs on the left side - que lastima - that would have been something. Serial 3787712.

John

[Roadawg]

Nice looking what appears to be a Danish return from CMP, check with them to see if that's where it came from, that would add provenance to know it wasn't a "kit gun". I had a CMP WRA Danish return for about 10 years but finally sold it as only the receiver was WRA all else was SA, so it didn't really fit my collecting wants. Mine sold for about what you paid only it was auctioned on Gunbroker. Nice find. Bob B.

[levallois]

Thanks Bob - apparently I don't know my woods and this stock has been labeled "beech" in another forum because it has a few of the "fish scales" or "maggots" in the wood. It is not nearly as spotted as some that I've seen but it does look different in that respect from my other walnut stocks. I guess it makes sense since it is a Danish return. I'll have to check with CMP about the provenance.

[Roadawg]

Fairly common on the Danish vintage Garands. Don't know if any of them would have had the USGI cartouches though. My WRA Dane did as it was walnut with a SA GAW cartouche. My "correct" Danish-Italian Garand has the beech stock also. If you had a bolt with numbers matching the receiver serial number you might want to by a lottery ticket as that would have been a rare find. According to some sources the bolts were stored seperately from the rifles, so I'm told. I've seen several different ways they were marked, stamped, electropenciled freehand, and electropenciled very nicely usuing some kind of device to make sure they were large uniform and very legible digits. A nice addition to your collection for sure! Bob B.

[levallois]

Yes, my bolt is stamped (I'm guessing) since I can't feel the numbers like I would expect if they were etched in the metal. The 4-digit number does not match the last , first, or middle 4-digits of the receiver.

[sniper188]

The Danes were great guns. VAR barrel is excellent to shoot with. They took good care of them and didn't mess them up like the other countries did. WRA had their parts contract for a while and some rebuilds were loaded with WW 2 parts. We bought them for the WRA parts since they were top dollar at the time. The later rebuilds had the Italian parts & wood. Interesting guns. I think the sold for $350-$400
at the time at CMP.