National Match DCM Original?

Hello all! I hope the experts and collectors here can help identify the provenance of an M-1 National match I hope to purchase. It is serial 2,796,989 and the barrel is T / Swiss Cross / LMR / P / 06535448 / 2 53 / A 8 / P / II P / Crossed Cannons. That barrel area has been partially polished white.The NM is engraved on the barrel, but stamped on the gas cyl. bottom, op rod, rear sight and M is on the gas cyl. spacer. Stock looks like GI walnut but no markings at all, and is glass bedded with reddish brown glass, not yellow. Excellent condition throughout and very sharp bore. Trigger pull crisp, about 4 lbs. All other parts are SA. Did this gun come from the DCM in 1959 originally? Was it glass bedded later on or the entire stock was maybe added later by the owner? What is SRS and will that help me identify the rifle? Hope you all can help before I send the $25 to the CMP for a serial number search!

see Bob's post below for help

link here Garand National Match barrel symbols - Military Surplus Collectors Forums

SRS = springfield research service - they may have some docmentation on your rifle - I think the hit rate is below 5%

U.S.MARTIAL ARMS Springfield Research Newsletter - Services

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Originally Posted by CJS57

Hello all! I hope the experts and collectors here can help identify the provenance of an M-1 National match I hope to purchase. It is serial 2,796,989 and the barrel is T / Swiss Cross / LMR / P / 06535448 / 2 53 / A 8 / P / II P / Crossed Cannons. That barrel area has been partially polished white.The NM is engraved on the barrel, but stamped on the gas cyl. bottom, op rod, rear sight and M is on the gas cyl. spacer. Stock looks like GI walnut but no markings at all, and is glass bedded with reddish brown glass, not yellow. Excellent condition throughout and very sharp bore. Trigger pull crisp, about 4 lbs. All other parts are SA. Did this gun come from the DCM in 1959 originally? Was it glass bedded later on or the entire stock was maybe added later by the owner? What is SRS and will that help me identify the rifle? Hope you all can help before I send the $25 to the CMP for a serial number search!

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Aftermarket accurized, perhaps a military team bulit rifle, perhaps civilian built. That's not the work of Springfield Armory. NM parts were available years ago as surplus. CMP won't have any NM records on team built rifles.

Thanks so far! About the barreled action. The barrel has the Swiss Cross like1959 completely assembled NM rifles had. Did "Parts" barrels, sold as a bare barrel by itself, have this Swiss cross on them? What about the "T" and upside down "P" proofs? Did those proofs come on parts barrels?

I recommend you wait for a posting from Bob Seijas. He knows NM rifles and has forgot more about them than 99.9% of those who have interest.

Bob will be able to tell you exactly what you have.

Looks like a USAR Team Rifle to me. We had footlockers full of NM parts and could make up nice rifles during a weekend drill.

Looks like a Type 1 that was updated by a team. The barrel cross would indicate built or rebuilt at SA in 1959. Is the front handguard screwed to the lower band? That would be another Air Force practice, like the polished barrel. It could also be a take-off barrel cannibalized from a different rifle. It didn't leave SA the way it is.

Thanks Bob! Lets see if I have this right. So we know the stock is Not SA because of the brown glass bedding, but it could be Air Force. We know the barreled action could have started out as a complete 1959 NM rifle but the barreled action was further modified later on (polishing), likely by an Airforce team. So........I am thinking it is worth a letter to CMP to see if they have a listing on this serial number. Am I reading this Right ?

The rifle does have an odd hole on the bottom of the stock behind the front sling swivel (see picture). Is this the Air Force Modidfication? Also, I can't get the gas cylinger off! Screw is too tight. Where do I hold the receiver in a vise, side flats?

Polished underside of Barrel is pure USAF.

You don't need to remove the front handguard to see if it is attached to the middle band. Just remove the rifle from the stock and look at the rear face of the band. You will see the screw heads if it is attached. If the lock screw is realy tight, and you want to hold it at the receiver, you should hold (vise) the receiver the same way a receiver wrench holds it....top and bottom at the ring. It may be a lot easier to just grab the gas cylinder and barrel together in a padded vise. Use a high quality 1/4" drive socket extension on the nut.