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I have a HRA that is papered from the CMP. All the parts are HRA with an LMR barrel, except a 65 SA Trigger group. Two questions:
The original buyer from the CMP heard that it wasn't uncommon for HRA to leave with a Springfield trigger group. Is that true? Most of what I've read doesn't seem to agree with that.
Would you go ahead and buy the correct tigger group to make the rifle correct?
It wasn't uncommon during the time the CMP was selling the Greek Air Force returns to find otherwise correct original SA & HRA rifles with swapped trigger groups. There were different theories as to how that happened including swapped during cleaning or disassembly and even that it was done by the CMP to make correct grade rifles into service grade rifles that were easier to sell. HRA did use some SA small parts during early production including op rods and even barrels in later production but I haven't heard of anyone substantiating the use of complete trigger groups.
Thank you. That makes sense. I purchased an HRA trigger group to make it correct. The SA one works great, so I will probably just keep using it and leave the other in case I ever decide to sell it, even though I doubt I will.
In the Fall 2010 GCA Journal Rick Cummelin and John Bondurant wrote a great article on anomalies found on CMP rifles, including some found brand new in the factory boxes. The article included these notes:
A GCA member purchased one of the brand new rifles during the convention last October, but when he discovered the rifle had an IHC/DRC windage knob, he wanted the knob replaced—ON A BRAND NEW RIFLE! This is the mentality we are hoping to change with this article.
Another story from the CMP is that several years ago, they shipped out 50 very early HRA Collector Grade rifles, all containing many SA parts given to HRA to speed up their initial production. Even though this early HRA variation is widely known and documented, ALL 50 RIFLES WERE RETURNED TO THE CMP to have those SA parts changed to HRA parts. What a shame, as those 50 rifles are no longer original and are no longer correct, but the buyers are happy.
Well, thanks for making my mind spin in circles...haha
It is serial #5586649. From what I can tell, by 1955 HRA was pretty self sufficient, with the exception that LMR provided barrels to them. Everything is exactly correct except the trigger group.
I trust your opinion Bob. Would you leave it as it came from the CMP?
You're right, it's a tough question... the rifle could have been part of the regular parts interchangeability tests. However, you will always have to explain how it COULD be original versus the more likely explanation. I would make the change, but I would for sure label the original and keep it. You never know what gets discovered in the future.
I repeat one of my favorite very old stories of Tom Mulligan who found an original Gas Trap in the 20,000 range that was totally right "except the op rod had no part number." Tom found the "right" numbered rod and replaced it. We were talking by phone one night and I told him we had just discovered that SA dropped the part number in the low 20K serial range, and that unnumbered rod was correct for his rifle.
OMG, he howled, I put that rod in my parts box for sale and have taken it to several shows... hold on! He ran down to the cellar and it was still there. He clapped it back on. So I'm always reluctant to be hasty in these things.
That's a great story!