Lend Lease Garands - What is the history/process of their arrival back to the States?

[Bob Seijas]

We did provide equipment to others besides Britain, but only the very early stuff was technically "Lend Lease," a program designed to get around US neutrality. After we entered the war, that wasn't a problem anymore and we sent allies "Military Assistance." What we call "Lend Lease" Garands are only those unique rifles in new condition imported by Interarms.

... young arms dealer named Sam Cummings. Because the British government would not sell surplus weaponry to foreign dealers, in 1957 Cummings bought the moribund arms firm of Cogswell & Harrison that owned a large facility in Manchester. Through that firm he was able to purchase surplus M1s. He first imported M1 rifles in 1958 and began to sell them in February 1959 from his company Ye Old Hunter in Virginia. Mail order price was $79.95 for standard and $89.95 for “near-mint.” He also sold some to other dealers, notably Klein’s in Chicago and department stores like Sears, Roebuck and Montgomery Ward. A competitor of Interarmco, Winfield Arms in Los Angeles, also purchased M1s from overseas during the same time period as they advertised them for sale at $97.50. The total number of M1 rifles imported in the late 1950s through early 1960s is unknown.