M1 ID Help

I have done a ton of research on this rifle and I think I have a fairly good grasp of it's history. I would love to hear any further thoughts and advice on IDing thins rifle.

It is a Springfield Armory, serial number 479XXX. This indicates manufacture in 2/42. The barrel markings are where is gets really cool. The barrel date mark is S-A-1-42 and is stamped upside down. This is where it got really weird for me because the rest looked nothing like I had ever seen on an M1. It goes like this...

X BNP with crown Z .30/06 2.494' 18 TONS PER [] " some strange X marking with something in the left, right, and bottom parts of the X


After doing some crazy Google-Fu this indicates that it was exported from Britain back to the US at some point. Based on the condition and the date of manufacture I am led to believe that this is a Lend-Lease rifle. This rifle did not come with a front handguard as the previous owners father removed it to make it look sporterized /cry The stacking swivel was also remover. I did find a replacement front handguard that matched the stock and am checking online for a stacking swivel. Since it came without the original handguard I have no way of checking for the red paint that is supposed to be there. That said I have been told that many owners removed the paint as it was rather ugly.

The stock seems to be original and has the cartouches [SAGHS], Crossed Cannons, and (P) which are appropriate from that time period. I also found this site Springfield Armory WWII Production that help me identify all my parts as being from the correct time period for this gun.

That's about all I know or have been able to deduce. That said she has a cherry bore and functions great. I can't wait to take her to the range.

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...9&d=1308727638
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...0&d=1308727672
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...1&d=1308727683
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...2&d=1308727695
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...3&d=1308727706
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...4&d=1308727716
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...5&d=1308727728

Hello, Did you look under m1 Lend/Lease program. Might help

Looks good. I have one of those around here somewhere. Yours has the front sight seal in place and that was the first thing to go. This can be researched and may well be worth your doing. More and detailed pics if you please...

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Originally Posted by topaz

Hello, Did you look under m1 Lend/Lease program. Might help

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Where can I find this?

---------- Post added at 09:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 AM ----------

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Looks good. I have one of those around here somewhere. Yours has the front sight seal in place and that was the first thing to go. This can be researched and may well be worth your doing. More and detailed pics if you please...

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Still trying to figure out how to do that with my camera. Every time I take a close up of marking it comes out blurry. What pics would you like to see? I'll do my best.

When you do pics the more the better. Dissassemble and macro all the small details. If you read the Garand forum, you may see. If you look into my posts started by me, my rifle is detailed. The pics I took are standard and some take many more. All the small markings matter in this. Check your camera for macro. that's what you need to do the close ups. Just practice and it will come. Use a neutral background and natural lighting if possible. I have a feeling what we will find is yours is like several members here have, and all will be as issued. The piling swivel can be replaced and you were lucky to get a upper handguard that matches. Don't worry about the red band, mine never had it since I owned it (1975 or 76).

Very nice looking rifle . Lots of people will cringe at the thought of taking it out , but I tip my hat to you , sir , it's what they were made for. Just treat her gently , invest in a hard case to transport her , and , for God's sake , don't remove the front sight seal , it adds several hundreds to your rifle's value . By the looks and discription , there is a good chance it was lend/lease .
Chris

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Originally Posted by topaz

Hello, Did you look under m1 Lend/Lease program. Might help

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Original example of a 1942 production U.S. Springfield Armory M1 Garand Rifle. This rifle is part of a small number of M1 Rifles supplied to the British Army in 1942 under the Lend Lease Program. Some M1 Rifles were issued to British Commando units and were carried thru the entire war. Most of the rifles remained unissued and were returned to the U.S. and resold commercially in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The British identified at least some of the Lend Lease M1 rifles as 'non-standard caliber' by painting a red band on the handguard. British proofmarks were stamped on the barrels when the rifles were exported from Great Britain. The British Lend Lease M1 Garands are some of the very few pre-war or early WWII production M1 rifles found in original, unaltered condition. The rifle has a gray-green parkerized finish and walnut stock, handguard and forearm. The lower portion of the handguard is painted with a two-inch wide red band (this band was usually removed by early owners and is rarely found on Lend Lease M1 rifles). The rifle has the early production features that include: (1) 'Type 1" rear sights, (2) milled trigger guard, (3) un-cut "SA-3" operating rod, (3) milled, grooved, forearm band and (4) front sight seal. The rear sight screws and buttplate screws are blued. The hammer spring housing, operating rod catch and face of the barrel chamber are bight. The right side of the barrel chamber is marked: "S-A--42" over stamped with British export proofs. The steel lot code "REP 25A" is stamped on the right side of the lower receiver.

Here are some of the close ups.

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...9&d=1308769383
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...8&d=1308769190
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...9&d=1308769209
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...0&d=1308769221
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...1&d=1308769236
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...3&d=1308769259
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...4&d=1308769271
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...5&d=1308769282
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...6&d=1308769291
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...7&d=1308769305
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...8&d=1308769328

---------- Post added at 01:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:07 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by emmagee1917

Very nice looking rifle . Lots of people will cringe at the thought of taking it out , but I tip my hat to you , sir , it's what they were made for. Just treat her gently , invest in a hard case to transport her , and , for God's sake , don't remove the front sight seal , it adds several hundreds to your rifle's value . By the looks and description, there is a good chance it was lend/lease .
Chris

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I refuse to own a gun I can't or won't shoot. Granted, she'll only see the range once or twice a year and spend most of the time on the wall but she'll be taken care of.

Those are lovely pictures! You ought to post them in the photo gallery!

Exellent set of photos. That wasn't hard was it? Yes, I shoot mine too. I have a later issue (3340115) that I rebarrelled to 7.62 and it gets most of the work. The early one(328219) just shoots so nicely and hits correctly at 25, 100 or 200 yards. It's perfect at whatever range. Some I had weren't quite as good. I also shot my first deer with it in about 1980.

I got a canvas sling with her and was wondering if this would be correct for the time the gun was produced or would a leather sling be more appropriate?

The canvas didn't come out until late. The leather 1907 sling would be period correct. You should be able to find one marked for that time frame. also a WW1 marked sling would be correct because these rifles were so early. If you intend to handle this rifle a fair amount then you might consider a repro sling. They are available from places like Turner Saddlery and others. Brownell's sell new slings and you don't have to worry about breaking them if you use them for shooting.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

The canvas didn't come out until late. The leather 1907 sling would be period correct. You should be able to find one marked for that time frame. also a WW1 marked sling would be correct because these rifles were so early. If you intend to handle this rifle a fair amount then you might consider a repro sling. They are available from places like Turner Saddlery and others. Brownell's sell new slings and you don't have to worry about breaking them if you use them for shooting.

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Cool, sounds like I need a leather one. There's a good looking repro on ebay with a '42 stamp on it. An original would be cool but they're going to cost I'm sure.

Yes, they're expensive enough you don't want to use them. OK for display. You want one for collection purpose but the Ebay repo is good for day to day use.

Well, unexpectedly I've had an offer to buy her. I was offered 2K + a Correct Grade HRA M1. The only reason I'm even considering it is due to the fact I'd end up shooting the thing and it is a fairly rare breed of M1. Any thoughts and advice would be fantastic!

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Originally Posted by IcmThrawn

Well, unexpectedly I've had an offer to buy her. I was offered 2K + a Correct Grade HRA M1. The only reason I'm even considering it is due to the fact I'd end up shooting the thing and it is a fairly rare breed of M1. Any thoughts and advice would be fantastic!

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IcmThrawn,

Here's my advice... Once you sell that rifle, it is gone forever. You may never see or be able to buy another one like it in your lifetime. Now, I agree, you have a very generous offer to consider, but I would keep it, that rifle will only appreciate in value, and someday... you may have a family member (son or daughter, nephew or niece) that will appreicate it as much as you do, and you can pass it on to them. Just my .02 cents. Good luck, and it is a beautiful rifle. You just don't see many of that vintage in that kind of shape. Karl

I tend to agree. Even though I'm in Canada and our market is completely different, I'm keeping 328219 SA due to it's rarity and I got 3340115 SA and rebarrelled it to 7.62 so I could shoot the pi** out of it. You could buy a shooter cheap enough and just admire the other one.

Very nice and it is worth ever bit of $3,000 maybe more. Rick B