CMP Field Grade: SA 10/1941

Picked out this one in person at CMP South on the start of our cross country trip. Bad news; the place is mostly empty. About 50 Welded M1s at $350, a handful of M1s in .308, a dozen each of M1C and D; $1500 and $2500, and 19 SA field grades is mostly rough shape. Two sold while I was there; one to me. I broached the subject of a Winchester...they seemed to get that question a lot...only one old gentleman behind the counter who was about to retire.

I found a diamond in the rough; you didn't expect me to leave empty handed did you?

SN 358427, October '41, in the correct GHS/SA stock; GHS visible, SA not really. Wood is a little beat, but a nice color and the forearm play is minimal. All parts are SA WWII except a couple, and most date from 41-42.

Barrel: 11/1946 3 ME 4 TE. I passed on a 978K with a 4/43 barrel, but the barrel was 3/6.
*Hammer: SA-3
*Safety: SA-9
*Bolt: SA-9
*Trigger housing: SA-13
*Safety: SA-9
*Follower: SA-12
*Post war SA op rod
*WRA milled TG
*HRA op rod cage
*WRA rear peep sight

Now for the stock cleaning.

T

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Well worth the money, you did well. However, any correct parts were either put there by CMP armorers or totally by accident in rebuild. The 1946 barrel says that.

Nice catch though...very nice.

Now that rifle's got character. Real nice find.

All cleaned up and greased. Field stripped and cleaned bolt and action; was in much better shape internally than my other field grade M1 save gas cylinder is a little tight. Swapped in a spare gas screw with 50% finish. Added in the PKW44 sling, plastic oiler, M3A1 tool, and grease tub from the old M1. I kept the '45' rack number on the stock, kinda cool. Ready to go to the range.

T

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e2f1f6d3-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...67164766-1.jpg

Nice!!!

Range report. Best of my three Garands out of the box. Bore shot clean, although not mirror bright at 3+/4. 76 degrees, drizzle, blustery, 100% humidity. 100 yards, seated, no sling, 1978 HXP.

Started at 7 clicks up and hit at 2:00, sixes and sevens as seen on the left target. Walked the shots to center in 2+ clips. I overlaid the second target (right) over the first, and shot the remaining 3+ clips; finishing with rear sight at three clicks up and four left. I might bring it up one, but as my string is up and down, it's me (breathing).

T

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...abf40e50-1.jpg

Try prone with a sandbag if you want better...if you transpose your shots from the vertical to center, you'll see what it's actually capable of. Still, nice rifle and I'd love to have that one too.

I was at the North store mid July and what you described for the South store is basically what they had at the North with the exception of the rack grades. Only a half dozen or so and they were in the 6 bills range.

Very nice. :thup:

In 2004 I went to the NorthStore and scored a USGI Service Grade M1. S/N is 204194.
Per Scott Duff, that S/N corresponds to early March of 1941. Barrel is dated "S.A. 9 44."

Otherwise the stock looks pretty much like yours, except mine's got the number "142" scrawled in white paint across the upper handguard.

FWIW, at least out to 200yds, mine has shown itself to be quite accurate with the CMP Aussie ball '06 ammo I bought back then.

:cool: