Questions from a newbie!

Hi guys, Tim here from NZ. Just joined the site. Been collecting Garand stuff for a few years here in New Zealand.
I've got a couple of questions for the good folks on this site,

1. Just bought a Garand barrel, marked 2-S-A-1-43, drawing number D35449-16-R-109B. It is a two groove. I've had a gunsmith and a NZ army armourer check it out (for the 1903 barrel in a Garand barrel stub issue) -both confirmed it was one piece. What would the US value be?

2. Just bought a lockbar for my rear sight on a 41 dated Garand. The lockbar thread is way bigger (slides over in fact) the pinion. Did the longer pinion eventually adopted have a larger diameter?

Cheers -Tim

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...342be255-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...31b4c568-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...6da1a01f-1.jpg

Tim, Your last photo of the barrel shows part of the Springfield Model 1903A3 front sight base, the barrel crown also was not the way the barrel was produced. Check the breech area and also about six inches from the end of the barrel forward, that is the area where the turned-down 1903A3 barrel was inserted into the rear section of the M1 barrel.

On the lock bar rear sight, the first type used a short pinion threaded at 6-40 NF and the second longer pinion used the larger diameter 8-36 NF thread on a longer pinion.

On the sleeved 1903A3 barrel: some shooters have had good luck while others have had them come loose

Thanks RCS, here is another shot of the underside of the barrel.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...3a824e91-1.jpg

I've had a look at some 1903 barrel ends and can see what you mean about the sight base. Definitely a 1903 barrel! The stub to barrel fit is superb though, barely a line visible and no colour difference between the two metals when I buffed them up. No visible difference at the chamber either. Well a piece of sheister work has made it all the way to NZ! Classic.

Useful photos, though! Once it's known that the sleeve is not all internal it's fairly easy to spot the join line at the transition in diameters.

Also, most of these "two groove" M1 barrels were made-up during the 1970's when the scrap demil M1 rifle barrel stubs were available and two groove 1903A3 barrels were not expensive to buy. Some people were also using the demil receiver halfs to assemble a receiver too, Some of these people did excellent work while others did a poor job. It is very possible to find a M1 rifle with both the receiver and barrel (two groove) put together from demil parts. Once in awhile you just might find a four groove 1903 barrel that was used in a scrap M1 barrel stub too.
The two groove was tested for the M1 during the war and I understand was satisfactory but was never used, you might find a Marlin barrel someday that has more than four grooves too

"gunsmith and NZ army armourer check it out -both confirmed it was one piece"

Sounds like you need to find different experts down there :) BTW, I love NZ Sauvignon Blanc, especially Babich and Dog Point. You guys OWN that grape.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bob seijas

"gunsmith and NZ army armourer check it out -both confirmed it was one piece"

Sounds like you need to find different experts down there :) BTW, I love NZ Sauvignon Blanc, especially Babich and Dog Point. You guys OWN that grape.

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I reckon. Not many Garand skills down this way. I fully researched the barrel before buying it. It's interesting even just one year on seeing how much more info is on the net regarding these barrels. I only found one set of pics last time, and the barrel joint line was a lot more visible in those and did not say anything about the muzzle or chamber ends.