5.8 mil Springfield..Greek?

First..it is like new in some respects. Magnificent bore and crown, consistent parked finish on all parts, bolt is darker finish.. Walnut wood, minor dings with DAS cartouche, (P) an X stamped under pistol grip and a crisp 4 digit rack number on right side butt stock..is that a Greek clue? Internals show little if any wear. The barrel is 3-55 Springfield which is correct for this 5.8 mil receiver....I know the 5.8 mils were common in the Greek returns. The op rod is WRA and the FCG is HRA, bolt is SA. I didn't write down the drawing numbers. Were the mixed parts done at the CMP? What might this Garand be worth?

It's almost impossible to answer this question w/o pics, and results of chamber and bore gauges.

Charlie

I will go to the shop and take some pics. I have several Garands and the bore and crown on this one is the best example I have seen if a visual observation means anything....the feed area and chamber are in the white. I have done some searches on the Greek returns and it seems as if there were some 5.8 mill Springfields that were in like new condition. Let me dismiss the "what is it worth" question. What clues might indicate a Greek return?

A lot of the Greek returns are re-parkerized and look black. If your chamber is in the white-I'll bet your rifle isn't a Greek return. Looking forward to seeing the pics! Also, it is worth more with all SA parts, if it was mine I would try to swap the Win. and HRA parts to make it matching. Have you had a chance to shoot it yet?

Charlie

Nothing will tell if it is a Greek return in "as new" condition. Many late SA and HRA just sat in rifle crates somewhere in Greece. All the Greeks did was fill them with grease and store them in ten rifle wooden crates. The stocks usually have some dings from inside the crates, but the wood is "as new" otherwise. If you can look closely at the bore by the muzzle, you can see machining marks still present.

They are "as new" "crate queens" as they left SA or HRA with some scars from being moved around, stored, and then shipped back to US Army/CMP.
You are lucky if you have one of these examples. There is really nothing Greek about them. They were just deployed in Greece for an extended tour. They are 100% USGI.

My guess is that during an inspection/greasing party, the Greeks mixed parts on these new rifles. Remember, basically parts are parts. They were storing them, did not care about future collectors, and just wanted to get that duty over with ASAP! Many of these as new rifles had trigger groups and op-rods switched, some bolts.

Makes sense to field strip a pile, fill with grease, re-assemble, store in crate! The way they were filled with grease, these rifles would have had to go thru a major cleaning and inspection process before being issued. They were not packed for open and use issue.

your description is spot on for my HRA Greek SG I recvd in 2006 from CMP. mostly 'correct' HRA save for a few SA parts in the trig group and a beautiful SA stock with great cartouches. looks like it was never used at all and it lived in a container since 1953.

If you didn't get this thru CMP yourself, it's probably easy to contact them to see if it was sold thru them and they can verify if it was a Greek return.

than's mine in the pic to the left.

Here are some specs: The machining marks are on the crown..the lands go all the way to the edge. SN#5869401 on receiver, barrel is SA over stamped with larger S, F6535448 4-55 MD 50. Bolt is 6528287-SA A 10, FCG is 6528290-HRA N, hammer is 5546008 HRA, OP rod is 6535382-HRA, right leg is F6528291 T1, windage knob is DRC, gas plug is X slot O stamped. Stock has Defense Eagle cartouche, (P), X and 1 stamped on pistol grip, rack or inventory number 8793 crisp edges on right side butt stock. Wood is all walnut with minor dings. The park is consistent on all parts..the bolt is darker. The chamber and feed area in the white. The action is real greasy but not the barrel or exterior of the receiver. The previous owner did not fire this rifle and indicated this to the shop when he brought it in. This Garand is in excellent condition..with the exception of the minor dings on the wood. Thanks for the feedback...I will probably snag this one.

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Originally Posted by Traveler

your description is spot on for my HRA Greek SG I recvd in 2006 from CMP. mostly 'correct' HRA save for a few SA parts in the trig group and a beautiful SA stock with great cartouches. looks like it was never used at all and it lived in a container since 1953.

If you didn't get this thru CMP yourself, it's probably easy to contact them to see if it was sold thru them and they can verify if it was a Greek return.

than's mine in the pic to the left.

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A large quantity of the post-war rifles we sorted last Saturday at the CMP (as part of the GCA Convention) were near new, but had the wrong stocks & trigger groups on them. The uppers were all correct though.

I attribute this mis-matching to the fact that the Greeks had to remove the trigger groups and stocks to grease the rifles for storage, and LIKELY were not careful to, or required to, put the original stocks & trigger groups back on the rifles prior to crating. Why would they bother? First, these parts are interchangeable. Second, they were storing them away and were not likely to ever have to use them again. Reminds me of the many stories about US GI "cleaning parties."

Great feed back from everyone. I think it is a Greek that came in a few years ago. Someone might want the HRA Op rod and trigger assembly in exchange for the SA parts I would need. Be nice if the park matched.