Newby Garand Owner

I had this rifle on layaway for a couple weeks and recently picked it up. I snapped a couple photos real quick, sorry for the picture quality. I had planned to take a family trip to CMP South (22 hours each way) but found this one locally and decided to get it instead for now. I am currently looking for a new stock set am interested either in the Dupage or the James River ones. I would be interested in hearing other's opinions on each if you got 'em. The rifle is all SA parts but of course not to the receiver period. Its got a SA '53 barrel which is decent. If anyone knows- who do you take your Garand to in the Denver area to have work done? Thanks for any input.

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I would wait for more opinions before changing things on it, is it a four digit serial number?

I guess I should have said a little more- the stock is unmarked, unmatched and seems to be a dry mystery wood. It also has a medium size chip just behind the back of the receiver. All in all, not a very good stock. My plans were just to get a new production stock and call it good. And the new stock will probably have to wait a while.

And yes, its a four digit receiver. :wave:

Dean's Guitar Restorations offers some really nice stocks and excellent service.

Bob

Any chance of getting a closer pic of the stock? Are the internal parts, like the op-rod SA marked? I'm personally happy with CMP stock sets. However, with a serial number under 5K, if it were my rifle, I would be looking for a nice USGI stock set! According to google, your receiver was made Aug-Sept., 1938.

Charlie

Nice score! I'd definitely keep it in a USGI stock.

Charlie59- I am unable to locate the bits to transfer photos of the stock at moment.

To the comments about getting a USGI stock, I would be interested in what version people thought I should try for. I am guessing most would suggest a Post War stock to better be in tune with the rebuild? I looked a little and an authentic SA SPG stock is not an option for me.

But all the parts I have seen so far are SA. I am slowly trying to figure out what date range all the parts are. Here's what I have seen so far:

Front Right Leg of Receiver: D26291 (with a 7 above)
Op Rod: 7790722 SA
Bolt: D28287-12SA
Trigger Group: 6528290-SA
Safety: SA-11
Hammer: G46008-8 SA
Barrel: SA D6535448 7 53 198C (followed by orndinance cannon stamp and an upside down P)

Thanks

...for what its worth,I had a CMP ggarand with a VAR barrel that came with a Dane stock that was (as they say) barely good enough for a tomato stake..:lol:..back in 2005 I purchased a Dupage stock(well before CMP started sellin theirs"....everyting 'dropped in' very nicely...the only thing that bothered me was that it was 'thicker' in profile and would require sanding to get it closer to an original profile unless you didnt mind it a bit on the "thick" side...;):wave:

Attachment 15718Attachment 15719Attachment 15720Attachment 15721The SA SPG stocks that went through rebuild had the buttplate area modified to use the trapdoor buttplate. Sometimes the two holes were also modified to the same diameter.

Du Page might still have some old SPG modified stocks, you would have to ask ?

I think your on the right track as far as just putting a serviceable stock on it. Restoring it is not an option unless you have real deep pockets. Other than the stock, I would leave the rest of the parts on it and enjoy it for what it is. Also, you can also look at that receiver and think about what it was and where it may have been it it's early life.