New M1 owner

[boatbod]

Greetings all,

I picked up my first M1 at a local show this past weekend. Its somewhat of a franken-gun in as much as it has obviously been reparked and rebarelled in .308, but after a little digging around I'm cautiously optimistic that I didn't get taken for a ride. [Obviously a CMP gun would have been cheaper, but sometimes you see something in the rack and just can't help yourself!]

The receiver is an SA in the 3811xxx serial range, which I believe dates around June 1945. Receiver drawing number is D 6528291 35 and one of the lugs is very lightly stamped Federal Ordinance, Inc. which I think must be an import mark. There is no sign of rewelding.

I have not yet detail stripped and checked for other marks, but most of the visible major components seem to be stamped SA. When I receive copies of the reference books I ordered I will spend some time figuring out exactly what's what.

Attachment 28156

/boatbod

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

Well, it looks good from here. But we can't see much. If you took pics of the drawing numbers on all the parts, we could help you id everything now...I have one in 7.62. No regrets there. SA 3,340,115, so it's not that far from yours.

[boatbod]

Thanks.

Unfortunately the picture is not the best and I will hopefully get a chance to break out the good camera and do a little teardown this weekend.

[gulliver62]

As far as I know Federal Ordinance was an importer that reworked rifles for the US market. I don't know if they would go so far as to rebarrel and repark.
Check for markings to see if it might be a GI barrel. There were GI barrels from the contracts floating around in the 60's and 70's.
You have a milled trigger guard which is nice and 'might' indicate an older trigger group. Check for markings on the stock.

[boatbod]

Here are a few more photos. Transcriptions of the markings as follows:

Bolt: 6528287-SA Z-4-B
Trigger group housing: 6528290-SA
Hammer: SA 5546008
Op Rod: 6535382 SA
Receiver: D 28291 35 Z 2 B 11 (SA S/N 3817560)
Barrel: 1 10 7 62 MM 7 89 1 SHORT CHAMBER
Stock: unmarked
Attachment 28161Attachment 28160Attachment 28159Attachment 28162Attachment 28163

[browningautorifle]

All later parts, made up on a 7.62 barrel. The receiver seems to be summer of 1945 so the parts came much later. Doesn't matter, if it works well shoot it!

[boatbod]

All later parts, made up on a 7.62 barrel. The receiver seems to be summer of 1945 so the parts came much later. Doesn't matter, if it works well shoot it!

Thanks for the analysis!

I'm not particularly surprised to learn the parts are all late mfr since the seller said up front that it was a "new" rifle. Confirming that the receiver is original and not modern copy (or a dreaded reweld) is a nice bonus considering I purchased it from a private seller at a show rather than through CMP. The poor guy had recently undergone rotator cuff surgery and his doc wouldn't let him shoot centerfire any more.

As yet I haven't shot the gun, chiefly due to lack of opportunity to get to the range. It's probably lucky really, since the poor thing is bone dry with not a smear of grease to be seen anywhere.

[browningautorifle]

The info exists here to clean lube and oil. Check it out and give'er.

[gulliver62]

'New' rifle but using USGI parts which is nice. No commercial stuff. Should be a great shooter. The 7.62 Garands are a blast.

[Phil McGrath]

Fed-Ord is not known for there quality rifles most are reguarded as a hairs breath away from scrap lots of rust and pitting on the reciever and the barrels were toasted, worn out smooth bores , back in the day the only way to get a Garand was thru the DCM(later CMP) and that could take as long as a year, my once in a lifetime M1 took 11mos too get it was luck of the draw for condition.

Back too your rifle, it apears too me that the person that owned it before you had seen the silk purse in a pigs ear, giving it a living rebuild using 65 series revision parts and a nice Heavy Dougles barrel that was short chambered, final head space was set by a gunsmith for the perfict fit. Firing bullets from 125gs up too 175grs are no problem with the 1/10 twist rate barrel M1's in 7.62/.308 are outstanding rifles.

From the look of the rifles condition and its very nice barrel it apears the previous owner wanted more accuracy than a std M1 was going too provide, a few extras from you like NM sights and some glass bedding too finnish it off, and your M1 in 7.62 is ready for across the course matches(200/300/600yds). The caliber change from 30.06 too 7.62/.308 makes the rifle ineligable for Garand Matches, if you shoot in local Garand Matches there more flexable. I don't know what you paid for the rifle pictured but I don't think you could had put together a CMP rifle for the same money.

Whats the future hold for your rifle??