3GM-K Cartouche

One thing I was hoping to find was the meaning of the 3GM-K Cartouche on the M1917's. I'm still pouring over research so I hope I maybe caught something and haven't seen it yet.

But I do see some things that might trigger something that someone else knows that might figure this out.

For the most part, all rebuilds and storage of the M1917 in the docs is with Armories we all know. I didn't find any surprises there.

But I do find a few things that might be a clue to the 3GM-k.

While some say that GM might have rebuilt them, I haven't found any mention of that. The only time they were ever outsourced by Army Ordnance to have a commercial company rebuild them was by the Wright Engineering Company in Lisbon Ohio. They had a contract to rebuild 56,000 M1917's that started after Sept 1944 and continued to May 1945.

Other than this one commercial company, the only other way I can see as a possibility is M1917's were in the hands of the Navy and also the Zone of the Interior and the Office of Strategic Affairs.

For the Navy the main rebuild depots were Norfolk and Oakland, so I don't see a tie in to the 3GM-k with them.

I don't know enough about the Zone of Interior or Office of Strategic Affairs to see if there would be a correlation.

I would guess the most likely solution is the Wright Engineering Company in Ohio, but I can't figure it out.

I'm hoping someone viewing this, might see something here that I don't see.

This is one thing I wouldn't mind figuring out.

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

---------- Post added at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:39 PM ----------

Googling Wright Engineering Ohio I saw a few things.

"The Wright Company buildings changed hands several times. The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company bought the buildings during World War I and named them Plant 3."

"General Motors acquired Dayton-Wright in September of 1919, but GM didn’t stay in the airplane business. In 1922, GM began to sell a steering wheel invented by Dayton-Wright engineer Harvey D. Geyer, a former Wright Company employee. Geyer’s steering wheel used a new manufacturing process to produce a superior wheel. The product was so successful that GM formed a new division around it—the Inland Manufacturing Division. The division started in the original Wright Company buildings but quickly expanded."

It really might be this Wright Engineering was owned by GM and this plant, was plant 3...

K would be the individual inspector.

There wasn't anyone else mentioned by the Army who rebuilt the M1917 during WWII other than Wright Engineering. The only thing I don't know, is they name the city as Lisbon. That is a couple hrs from Dayton. Which was the only Wright Engineering I could find on google. Maybe it was a headquarters?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...xa0vylsh-1.jpg

Steve-- I was thinking along the same lines. Having been in DoD procurement and security for over 33 years. The 3GM-K looks more like an office code that you see in the beginning of a military letter than a marking on the stock. Have you run across any of the Field Service or contact documents for Wright Engineering? Assignement of inspector's to Wright Engineering or government contract specialist. It seems logical that 3MG-K is a mystery and Wright Engineering is the only rebuild program for M1917 where we have no idea what the rebuild markings are. Additionally, the 3MG-K does not appear on any other weapon rebuilt for the government.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fjruple

Additionally, the 3MG-K does not appear on any other weapon rebuilt for the government.

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Im afraid that’s incorrect. I’ve read numerous forum posts about this stamp on 1903s and A3s.
Here’s some pics of a 1903 with the stamp:
http://www.horsesoldier.com/products/world-war-i-and-world-war-ii/equipment/26852

No Unfortunately I haven't seen too much on Wright other than the mention above.

I'm going to try to go to Columbus and research that Wright Engineering. They have a section at a Archives there that is focused entirely on the Columbus Ordnance District. I've talked to the curator there before on this as some other searches I've researched have lead me there. That was a huge distribution center for the war as it was in a central location and had access to railroads all across the country.

If that Wright Engineering did have a Plant 3, that was owned by GM. I do think that is interesting to say the least.

I did go thru more M1917 records last night looking for any clues to the 3GM-k. I'm not seeing anything commercial with the M1917 other than Wright.

I see some vauge mentions that Fort George G. Meade had some in stock. But other than this location, I don't see any places other than normal depots during WWII that had them. At least for the Army.

At wars end all the M1917's are being turned in or transferred to the main depots. In July 1945, these are the Armories that were getting them or had them in storage. Otherwise it appears no other Army Depots had the M1917 other than these places. By 1948 the M1917's seem to be all sold, scrapped, or donated and mentions of them in the Docs stop.

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

Someone made a comment on the other forum and to be honest, the more you roll it around in your head, the more it sounds plausible.

General George G. Meade

=

3GM

-k is the inspector.


It really sort of sound plausible. Fort George G. Meade Depot did have M1917's. Plus all the other rifles you see that cartouche on. They did do some repairs on rifles.

Other than the normal depots of SA, RIA, etc. Fort George G. Meade is the one that stuck out in my mind going thru the docs as different.

To add to this, I did see one more new Depot I missed during the war. Just in case it means something to someone, I will post it.

Belle Meade ASF Depot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rcathey

Im afraid that’s incorrect. I’ve read numerous forum posts about this stamp on 1903s and A3s.
Here’s some pics of a 1903 with the stamp:
MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE MADE BY REMINGTON IN 1942 — Horse Soldier

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I stand corrected!! Thanks for the heads up. That does put a different spin on the 3GM-K code.

I know its an old thread — but a lot of us are old timers and this discussion isn’t complete. Why, may you ask? Because I just picked up a M1917 with the 3GM-K stamp right over the AA stamp.

Attachment 123829

Quote:

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General George G. Meade

=

3GM

-k is the inspector.

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I do like this theory — what more can be done to investigate it?