Greek and other foreign Garands

[bob4wd]

A friend showed me his prized M1 today, which actually looked pretty good, with apristine bore. I wan't about to tell him it wasn't a real collectible and burst his bubble because I noticed that it had an import stamp (Century. Arms, as I recall) on the barrel . What I don't know, however, is where it was imported from. Is there a way to tell?

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[TRICKSTER]

Don't you mean what country it was returned from. By the way, a import mark does not automatically cancel out any collectors value. It may detract from it, but does not cancel it out. A garand in original or near original condition would still be collectible, even if import marked.

[bob4wd]

No, I meant imported. It was sold by some foreign country to a US importer, who then imported it. And I guess you're right, any gun could be considered collectible by somebody, no matter what condition it's in. So I stand corrected. But I do wonder, just what does the chastisement have to do with my original question?

[Joe W]

I bought a number of M1 Garands in 1989 imported by Century Arms St. Albans Vt.. I know that those rifles were from South Korea. Alot of M1's also were imported from South America. No real way to tell by looking at the rifles that I can think of. Over the years many of these imports have either had the import mark removed or the barrel changed out to remove the stigma of an "import".

[daveboy]

Look at the stamp on the receiver heel. Does it say "Springfield Armory", or "Harrington & Richardson", or whichever American company manufactured it? If so, it was built in USA to GI specs and then send to our overseas allies. The rifle may have then been imported back into the USA after 1968 which would require that it be stamped by the importer.

If on the other hand it was not heel-stamped by an original M1 manufacturer, then that would be reason to be concerned.

Bottom line is that just because a rifle has an import mark that does not make it junk. For example: If I lived overseas and owned a highly desirable and collectible rifle and sold it to an American collector it would have to be import stamped if I understand the law correctly.

daveboy

[collector54]

Seems like M 1's are always collectable to someone. I saw one not long ago that had no markings at all on the receiver heel. It was brought in from Afganistan, I was told it was a CIA gun given to the locals to fight the Russians. Probably a good story, but I saw the import papers from Afganistan.

[browningautorifle]

What I don't know, however, is where it was imported from. Is there a way to tell?

Not really, these importers are like used car salesmen. They obtain products from wherever they can and make money off them. They will be aware of arms caches in countries and work off that. Sometimes they made money repeatedly off the same shipments in foreign lands(interarms)by running them around from place to place.

[Rick Cummelin]

No, I meant imported. It was sold by some foreign country to a US importer, who then imported it. And I guess you're right, any gun could be considered collectible by somebody, no matter what condition it's in. So I stand corrected. But I do wonder, just what does the chastisement have to do with my original question?

FWIW, Garands have been "imported" from around the world. Here's a partial list of countries I'm aware of: Korea, Phillipines, China (supposedly captured during Korean war), Yemen, Denmark, and a bunch of countries in South America.

[bob4wd]

I bought a number of M1 Garands in 1989 imported by Century Arms St. Albans Vt.. I know that those rifles were from South Korea. Alot of M1's also were imported from South America. No real way to tell by looking at the rifles that I can think of. Over the years many of these imports have either had the import mark removed or the barrel changed out to remove the stigma of an "import".

This sounds like the most likely source, but without taking it apart, like everybody says, there's no sure way to tell. Too bad, he was kindainterested in finding out at least some of the rifle's history. BTW, it's S.N is under 50,000- how's that for a really early one.

[browningautorifle]

That's pretty low numbered.