"Big Five!" most collectable M-1s

I'm not familiar with "Big Five" sporting goods stores. When I originally saw the recent post about "Big 5 Garands", I figured it was about the five most desirable M-1s to collect, sort of like big game hunters' terminology. Granted #1 would perhaps be the Gas Trap or even the Japanese Navy Grand copies, but I left those out because they are not available in collectable numbers. So, here are my nominees:

1). M-1 C or D sniper rifles
2). NM rifle, Type I or Type II
3). SA WW-II with SA GAW stock
4). Winchester
5). SA 6 million

What do you say?

Gas Trap
SA 1million John Garands rifle
Win Ed order
USMC M1C Kollmorgen
Not sure of #5
Maybe JFKs?

To bring this in the more modest range of us non-millionaires, my big 5 would be - original or nice restorations (Not the reparked and restamped hump jobs, but 'correct' parts matched to finish and wear):

M1C
Pre-WWII SA
WRA
National Match
M1D

Next 5 would include WWII SA, IHC, HRA and Post-WWII SA...and a Breda.

It took many years to restore this gas trap (41xxx serial range) with correct non repro parts. I do not think this kind of restoration is possible today.

My favorite rifles are the 1940 and the Winchester 1941 rifles

Gas trap ----- don't got!
Prewar SA --- got
Winchester -- got
IHC --------- don't got!
S/A GAW ---- got

I'm getting there!

Can not just say Winchesters, too many variations from the Education Order three digits, the 1941's , the 1.2 variations, the 2.4's and the Win-13's

photos: left is WRA 111xxx with WRA RS stock

right is WRA 128xxx with WRA WB stock

both rifles are without the anneal color

Only 5? :confused:
Thats a tough call and leaves many very desirable ones out,but.....

Original gas trap
Original pre war SA
Original pre war WRA
6.10 mil SA
6 mil HRA

The beginning and the end.
And no, I don't have any of these.
Original ones that is.....

(please please can I add 20 more?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RCS

It took many years to restore this gas trap (41xxx serial range) with correct non repro parts. I do not think this kind of restoration is possible today.

My favorite rifles are the 1940 and the Winchester 1941 rifles

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Great looking gas trap.Congratulations on having the foresight to do the restoration when you did. I was collecting / shooting Garands at the time it would have been possible but to dumb to think ahead I guess.:bash:

My noinations, and of course it's just a personal choice, would be:

USMC M1C Sniper
Type 1 National Match
Type 2 National Match
Winchester
original SA 4.2 mil

No way can I stop at five.

IHC Arrowhead
6 mil SA and on and on and on

After I got one from each of the 4 makers, I started with the idea of a SA in each number range - 1m, 2m, etc. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but restoring these was getting pretty expensive.

Then, I found I just couldn't pass up a plugged receiver/'52 barrel combo. I was going to pull the plugs and mount an M1C bracket on it, but I think I'll save up and leave this SA-52 rifle as a example of a plugged receiver in the collection and save up for a good M1C.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 1-12 INF (M)

After I got one from each of the 4 makers...

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Six makers. You forgot Beretta and Breda. :)

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7/ixtrbr-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../34h9lki-1.jpg