Joe, I can't recall seeing a Garandicon with a Birmingham View Mark at the muzzle end of the barrel with a date code earlier than 1960. Maybe there are some, and if so I would love to see them.

Years ago I asked the Birmingham Proof House historian why some rifles were marked near the muzzle instead of under the op rod, and he told me they started doing that in the 60s because it was "easier" than marking them under the op rod.

Did Sam Cummings request that the first batch of Lend Lease Garands be marked under the op rod? I don't know if we will ever know for sure. But I can't recall seeing any of the mid 1950s released Garands with proof marks other than under the op rod, not at the muzzle end.

Like I said, if someone has a rifle with late 50s or early 60s proofs under the op rod, I would love to see them.