Strange tap inside Garand receiver - help

[kruffe]

Hi

I need a little help regarding my newly purchased Garand.

When I disassembled the Garand, I found a strange tab inside the receiver. I seems like a hole has been drilled through the receiver and a split was inserted and afterwards welded in place. Also the bolt has been cut, so it can pass the small tab during reloading.

My Garand is a Springfield Armory, serial range 1154xxx. It seems to be an Arsenal rebuild, since it has electro penciled "RRAD 9/66" on one of the receiver legs. (RRAD = Red River Army Depot, Texas)

I do not know if this change (tab in receiver and cut in bolt) has been made during rebuild or after?

Or the most important question: Why has this change been done? Does it serve any purpose?

I am considering having the tab ground down, so it becomes flush with the receiver (back to "original").

I appreciate any input - thanks!

Here are som pictures of the tab inside the receiver and of the cut in the bolt...

Attachment 48883Attachment 48884Attachment 48885Attachment 48886Attachment 48887Attachment 48888

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

It's not an improvement. There are some receivers that had the machines go right through that spot, there was a hole after. Some seem to have passed inspection too. I'm thinking someone tried to do a scope mount there and found it didn't work, too thin. The end result was to weld this in place and cut the back of the bolt...can't imagine why else you'd do that. I've seen my share and I'm quite sure the military didn't do it. It wouldn't serve any purpose for strength or lockup or...?

[vintage hunter]

Perhaps some sort of temporary demilling operation done to allow it to be brought in or taken out of a certain area without actually rendering the rifle permanently inoperable? But if this is the case why cut a notch in the bolt instead of grinding the stud flush??? The notch appears to have been done long before the stud was welded in judging by the finish match with the rest of the bolt. Did it have a firing pin when you disassembled it?

[Bob Seijas]

Could it be a bubba attempt at full auto? Let the bolt go far enough to slam fire the cartridge but not lock up, making it a simple blow-back?

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Rather than an attempt at "full auto" I suspect just the reverse.

If the rifle is in Europe, it has probably been in some "semi-auto-unfriendly" places.

However, by the simple expedient of a pin to limit bolt travel and the blocking/ "modification" of the gas system, a "straight-pull " operation could be achieved. Voila, a "politically correct" Garand.

[browningautorifle]

slam fire the cartridge

That could never work...it would likely destroy it's self...?

[Bob Seijas]

The groove would seem to be designed to prevent the bolt from turning. Or maybe it limits the forward travel so it won't lock up and fire at all. You couldn't simply replace the bolt, either. Bruce's opinion sounds logical. On the other hand, there are many submachine guns that operate with non-turning bolts that simply cycle by blowback. Of course, they use pistol ammo, I wouldn't want to try it with a 30-06!

[emmagee1917]

The bolt locks far after it has cleared the pin. The bolt does not turn at all when it is over the pin's position. If the bolt was replaced with a regular bolt , it would hit the pin far before it would be open enough to allow loading of an '06 , much less firing either full , semi , or straight pull .
The only purpose I can see would be to be able to install a regular bolt and make the rifle unloadable , perhaps for display or travel , multiple time periods during ownership . The owner could then make it live when he wanted it to be , then back to non-firing afterward.
Chris

[browningautorifle]

That makes sense Chris...at any rate, to answer the original question, I'd make all gone with a fine wheel in a dremel.

[ROCK]

This was also posted on Jouster and there was an answer:

I found a German laser proofmark on the barrel - so I contacted a German gunsmith which is specialized in historic firearms.

He told me the answer instantly.

The modifications are only caused due to the former KWKG (law) regulations in Germany. Before 2003, all military selfloading rifles owned by civilians had to be prepared, so that an original receiver and bolt (or bolthead) would not work in a civilian rifle. By doing this stunt the reciever or bolt would not work in military rifles - and a military bolt would not work in a civilian owned rifle.

http://www.jouster.com/forums/showth...ver-help/page2