My Garands.

My first Garand! it is a collectors nightmare, I bought it to use it for competition shooting at the range. It's a rebuilt, based on a Springfield receiver, Serial # 369728, made in October 1941, with a NOS stock barrel from the fifties. The rifle has been proofed in Germany, complete with new fugly German proof marks! A tack driver but not really a collectors dream!

http://www.milsurps.com/images/impor...IMG_5510-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_5508-1.jpg

http://www.milsurps.com/images/impor...IMG_5514-1.jpg

Then I started adding some paraphernalia, old WWII stuff is still abundant in my neck of the woods...

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_5523-1.jpg

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Nice looking group. Enjoy

Later 42rocker

I like the early receivers, you have the matching toys too for the early one.

It was a mistake to get all the accessories, because it kind of kickstarted my passion for US WWII small arms and militaria! This is an M1 Garand I found on the attic of an old farm house, where it had been hidden for seventy years. This is just how I found it, before I cleaned it up! I had only removed a layer of dust to take the pics, it was a little bit rusty but all in all in not too bad a condition!

This is another Springfield, the serial number puts the production date somewhere in the beginning of June 1943.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...jfnlka74-1.jpg

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Nice found!
Thanks for sharing, I hope the bore isn't rusty or pitted!

Second looks like a bringback, be careful about the excess oil running down, it doesn't take long to over saturate the wood and eventually it gets mushy... I take it you haven't shot this one by the rear sight setting?

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Second looks like a bringback, be careful about the excess oil running down, it doesn't take long to over saturate the wood and eventually it gets mushy... I take it you haven't shot this one by the rear sight setting?

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It's not a bringback, I live across the big pond, on the southern shoulder of the "Bulge" battlefield. After the war it was picked up by a farmer who had been hiding it in an old wardrobe on his attics for more then 70 years.

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Originally Posted by donki1967

Nice found!
Thanks for sharing, I hope the bore isn't rusty or pitted!

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The bore is not too bad, but I don't shoot my original WWII vintage guns anyhow, for that I have the refurbished and reproofed ones.

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

on the southern shoulder of the "Bulge" battlefield

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I saw the reference to the Bulge and didn't look at info sniper for once...thought it must have been another reference... That would change the whole pic in my head to a guy finding it a while after it was dropped...and it being kept in hiding. Nice...very nice piece.

We have written up several M1s found by farmers after battles and kept all these years. The next GCA Journal features one such recovered from a paratrooper killed on D-Day. It's the subject of a book called "Uncle Matty Comes Home."

Another Garand "salvaged" from a farmers attic. The pics were taken after I had cleaned it up. According to Bruce Canfield's excellent book it was made in july 1942, same date on the barrel. It seems to be an all original parts, the stacking swivel is missing which somehow seems to be the norm for the battlefield leftovers.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_0121-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

the stacking swivel is missing which somehow seems to be the norm

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Many returns would have them replaced, yours will be as issued for the greatest part. Two of yours the same show exactly what you say. They didn't fall off, they were removed. Some nice early parts on the early rifle...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Many returns would have them replaced, yours will be as issued for the greatest part. Two of yours the same show exactly what you say. They didn't fall off, they were removed. Some nice early parts on the early rifle...

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I should have formulated differently, but English is not my native language, so.....

It is very evident that the stacking swivel were deliberately taken of by the GIs. According to many US combat infantrymen from WWII, I spoke to over the years, there were several reasons, some said that it was mainly because the stacking swivel could snatch up stuff, like low hanging wires or twigs and branches while going through a hedgerow or a stand of young trees. Others stated that they were afraid that the swivel wold rattle during a stealthy advance or a patrol. Anyhow, I guess that in the field the stacking swivel was as useful as teats on a hog.

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

I should have formulated differently, but English is not my native language,

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No, there's nothing wrong with the way you speak, it's just that in time past I thought these had fallen off by shooting but more and more the evidence is like you say. Yours will be largely untouched by rebuild and restore so they're time capsules.

Another Garand from Springfield Armory, this one with the M7 grenade launcher and the M15 sight attached. It’s in an acceptable condition but unfortunately the stock cartouche is very faint, hard to see on the pic, but it’s still there.

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

It’s in an acceptable condition

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All your rifles are super because of where they were found, we all wish we could find these grails...

What great pieces of history you have there!like time capsules.great rifles!

Two more Garands.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5kxpnpyk-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7vt26goc-1.jpg

First one is a Winchester, it took me ages before I was able to find one!!!!! Unfortunately the stock is a Springfield one. But what the heck! Production date is early January 1942.

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There is a poppet-valve gas cylinder lock screw installed, to allow a grenade launcher to be mounted. In the stock there was an early type single-slot gas cylinder gas screw, together with an early zinc oiler and a combination tool with shell extractor.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...jp7uj9nl-1.jpg

Great rifles!neat find in the buttstock,in mine I only found a note from the 1950's saying "post 297 St Francis".even though I don't know what it means,it will always stay inside the buttstock of my rifle where I found it.thanks for sharing your great finds!

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

First one is a Winchester

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This Winchester is one of the educational series isn't it? 500,000 educational series?

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

In the stock there was an early type single-slot gas cylinder gas screw,

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That was typical as the men were issued the grenade launcher and a gas cylinder lock screw relief valve...nice find.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

This Winchester is one of the educational series isn't it? 500,000 educational series?



That was typical as the men were issued the grenade launcher and a gas cylinder lock screw relief valve...nice find.

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No, there were only 500 Educational Order Winchesters, serial number 100,001 to 100,501 were the educational order for WRA to develop the necessary production skills and to determine a fair market price for the M1.

This one was made in January 1942.

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Originally Posted by theholeinthedonut

No, there were only 500 Educational Order Winchesters

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Thought I might be a bit over the top in numbers. Still very early and shows it.