RRAD M1 Questions

[Joe W]

I have a LEAD 12/65 rebuild, the stock is clearly a Overton replacement and the wood is burch. The park is a silvery gray and the EP mark was done after refinnishing.

The rifle is a 5.91 and the barrel date is a SA 8/55 T/E=1-M/E=.5 are very low, the only non-correct part is the SA-77 series op-rod, what could be so wrong with a rifle that would need too go to a rebuild depot? I figure a unit armorer could more that handle a op-rod replacement?

I have no codes just the 12/65 and the LEAD?

Phil, in 1965 M1 Garands were no longer in the hands of regular U.S. troops as it had been already replaced by the M14. The rifles that were rebuilt in the 60s were rifles were from government inventory. Some needed very little work, others quite a bit. Read my earlier post in this thread regarding Canfields article on rebuilds.

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[Bill Ricca]

The rifles that were rebuilt in the 60s were rifles were from government inventory.

Not necessarily. Remember the entire country of National Guard and various Reserve units all still had M1's.

[Joe W]

Not necessarily. Remember the entire country of National Guard and various Reserve units all still had M1's.

I knew someone would jump on that statement, that is why I said "regular U.S. troops". I should have been a bit clearer.
Phil had asked why a rifle that only needed a op-rod change would go through an overhaul/rebuild at Letterkenny in 1965. For the most part I would think that rifles going through rebuilds, in large numbers, in 1965 or so, would be those rifles that had been in storage after being replaced in the active duty military by the M14. Some of those rifles may not have been in need of much work and just had a part or two changed or nothing at all.
Phil also asked why a "unit armorer" would not have changed out an op-rod.
I was also trying to point out that, in the case of these rifles, being in storage and not in active service, they would not have had the opportunity to receive any type of repair at the unit level.
True, Reserve and N.G. units used the M1 throughout the 60s and 70's, maybe longer, but these were not the rifles going through large scale overhauls in the mid 1960s. Joe

[Bill Ricca]

OK, now your explanation shows a difference. I was under the impression you were stating that the only rebuilds were stuff in storage. Now I see your clarification. Good point.