WHAT IS THE CORRECT BOLT LOT NUMBER FOR AN SA GARAND MADE 5/44? ALSO SHOULD THE FINISH OF THE BOLT MATCH THE FINISH OF THE RECEIVER OR SHOULD IT BE A DIFFERENT SHADE OF FINISH? THANKS IN ADVANCE.
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WHAT IS THE CORRECT BOLT LOT NUMBER FOR AN SA GARAND MADE 5/44? ALSO SHOULD THE FINISH OF THE BOLT MATCH THE FINISH OF THE RECEIVER OR SHOULD IT BE A DIFFERENT SHADE OF FINISH? THANKS IN ADVANCE.
I have an original April 1944 rifle with a S-A 4-44 barrel the bolt is rev 12 heat lot code S-A1<> and almost the same color as the receiver (which is lighter than say 1941 or 1942 receiver colors. You can not pinpoint a certain heat lot code to these rifles as there are about four or five heat lot codes used during this time period. I will say that maybe 50% of the rifles where you can find good data sheets will show S-A1<> or S-B7<> heat lot codesAttachment 81627Attachment 81628Attachment 81629Attachment 81630
D28287-12SA with a variety of heat lots.
A rifle with all exact matching color parkerizing is often a sign that it has been refinished.
It kinda varies with time periods... some eras are characterized by uniform Park (like early and late SA), while others show variation, especially in bolts and op rods. A darker bolt in a 1944 SA is probably OK.
ARE THE GARAND BOLTS LIKE THE BARRELS AS FAR AS POSSIBLY BEING OFF DATE BY UP TO 3 MONTHS? MORE SPECIFICALY CAN A BOLT WITH A LOT NUMBER THAT DATES 2 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE RECIEVER BE ORIGINAL AS ISSUED?
GBEAR1, I think as long as your have a -12 SA bolt with the diamond <> at the end of the heat lot code (example S-A1<>) you should be alright
what bolt or bolts were you going to use ?
I will be assembling a March 1944 M1 Rifle from parts. Will NEVER try to pass it off as an original rifle, but should be worth the value of it's components, which are pretty nice. I have been using: USRifleCAL30M1.com
and a few other resources for parts ID specific to March 1944. My rifle will have a February 1944 barrel, with a ME of about 1.9, Type II Lock Bar rear sight, a -12 Bolt of similar color and appropriate heat code, -12 trigger group and a -9 Op rod. Also acquired a pretty nice GAW stamped stock which checked good with one of the knowledgeable forum members.
If not mentioned here, it has in other threads.......the Armory was on a First-In/Last-Out assembly inventory. Meaning that the first or earlier parts dumped into the bins, were the last parts to be used, as the bins would be replinished as new parts became available. We were fighting a war, not assembling rifle for "collectors", so it is quite and usually possible for a later rifle to have early parts and certain drawing numbers, heat lot codes, etc overlapped during assembly. And then, OMG, mass rebuilds in theatre, then at the armories. Build your rifle the way YOU want it to appear using available resources, but if you do so, you are Honor bound not to pass it off as "original". Good luck. Have fun!.
not to pass it off as "original"
Yep... but the next owner says "might have some parts restored" and the guy after him says "totally original, I got it from a Vet who landed on D-Day." That's just the way it is and has always been.
Well, as long as we do our duty. Can't control what happens beyond that. Also, buy the gun, not the story. But some people base a price off of a "story" knowing that they don;t have documentation,
yet will not come off of their price. Kinda like the the old farmer with a rare car sitting under a tree in the back 40, having several people wanted to buy it, but he won't budge. So, it'll sit there and rust away and the farmer with have a worthless hunk of rust that he could have received decent money for. Folks are that way.
The other one that cracks me up is, "I can't sell it for that, I have more than that in it." You learn in the stock market that what you paid is totally irrelevant to value.
Too much we hear that or "It was in a collection for 40 years"... A statement that's about impossible to prove yet needs no evidence, alluding to originality. I put it down and walk on.Quote:
Originally Posted by bob seijas
I built up a Winchester Garand for an older vet several years back who said he always wanted a Garand since he used one in WW2. Two days later I get a call from a friend who had a table at a gun show. He said "get over he quick, I just bought an M1 from an old Marine who used it on Iwo and brought it home in his duffle. Got it for $1200." So I went to the show and he handed me the rifle. I began to laugh. He said "what's so funny?" I said I "built" that rifle two days ago in my basement...but I bet all the parts were used by Marines in the Pacific in WW2!
A Shame that you went to all that trouble fro the guy and he sold the rifle you had just built for him....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Milwroad
It's all in how you tell the story.
I inherited my father's Webly revolver and it is in immaculate condition.
My father jumped into Normandy as a member of Co. C, 1st Bn, 506th PIR.
So I could sell that Webly with a 101st Airborne/Normandy connection.
Big $$$$$$$$.
Both stories are true but my father bought the Webly in 1972.
It's all in how you tell the story.
BEAR