Please HELP National Match Garand Mess. Hope I Didnt Lose on This One. HELP

[t120tr6r]

hey all, Iwant to answer some questions asn best I can. SA said this was indeed a NM rifle when they received it, and that is why NM was restamped on the new barrel. This rifle was defenitley sent to Nelson Custom Guns in Ga. and the word "HOOK" is written in white chalk? inside the stock along with the last 3 digits of the rifles s/n. Barrel is a Douglas but later Nelson used his own barrels this is why your barrel is marked GN. mine is marked SA. Who is this Hook fellow who wrote his name in my stock? Thanks all and take care.

[Joe W]

SA said this was indeed a NM rifle when they received it, and that is why NM was restamped on the new barrel.

That's kind of like stamping a SA/GHS cartouche on a post war stock because the "original" stock on the rifle was a SA/GHS. Just my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the rifle, just the SA Inc. practice of inscribing "NM" on the barrel.

[t120tr6r]

Eieter SAI or Mr. Nelson also marked barrels "UM" for Ultra Match. Barrel markings are in the same spot as NM on mine. Aparently the Ultra Match was a higher level rifle. I am still reasearching and learning so please bear with me. Thanks.

[Bill Hollinger]

And on my AR is SUM (Super Ultra Match)

Joe, I have to agree with you on how the rifle barrel has been stamped. In addition, if it was indeed an original National Match M1 rifle, SAI destroyed any and all value by having it "redone".

Don't get me wrong, it is still a valuable rifle being built by Nelson but not like if it were in it's original NM configuration. $1400.00 to $1600.00 IMHO however photos are a must!

[tdeon221]

Hook Boutin, a legenary Service Rifle armorer. He's still building rifles in I believe Arkansas even though he must be in his 70's-80s. Think he call's his shop Old Corps Armory. The street price to build a NM Garand is anywhere from 2500-3500 dollars for a ground up build. If you intend to shoot it as a serious competition rifle ( If it's been reworked by SAI it's a shooter so shoot it) take it to a gunsmith who specializes in Service Rifles and have it gone through. They'll gauge everything, rebed, recut crown if required, check trigger for sear engagement, unitize the handguards,etc... If your barrel is good it won't be very expensive and the rifle will shoot to the level of the barrel for accuracy as I don't know how hard you hold or how many rounds are on the barrel. Isaac McCaskell (Cassatt Gunsmithing) in South Carolina, Fulton Armory in MD, Dean's Gun Restorations TN, Match Service Works Ronnie Morris TN, to name a few. Those smiths you can ship to, some of the older guys are only taking work if you can drop it off. Doc McCoy passed away and Clint Fowler just retired. So my opinion is your ahead at $600 and even if you put another $400 into it (if the barrel is good. Good=MOA or better at 600yds) your still ahead for a NM competition rifle, not a collectable rifle. It isn't a low number Winchester with Keystone springs and all or Gas Trap. Hope this helps.

Tom

[Mark in Rochester]

Old Corps Weaponry

Licensee Name: Beaver, Roland
1127 Hwy 64 E
Bald Knob, AR 72010


Gerald "Hook" Boutin's - Hook. He's still at the same location in Bremen, GA and can be found in the white pages online as Gerald Boutin.(as of 4-6-11)
Boutin, Gerald J.

[tdeon221]

OOP's thanks for the correction, got Hook and Roland turned around in my head. Insert Roland where Hook is and the high level of esteem within the competition community is the same for both.

Tom

[HILLBILLY-06]

It is glass bedded with the old brown material used years ago. This is done so well you can read the receiver numbers in the bedding. Obviously a professional job.

If that glass bedding is still in great shape, and that rifle shoots as good as you say, you should refrain from taking the action out of that stock anymore than absolutely nessessarry. You don't want a good glass job worn down be field stripping, and isn't needed on a National Match rifle/competition shooter. Also when you do clean it good, just remember to rotate that rifle upside down in your cleaning cradle too. Those harsh chemicals are bad on Glass bedded rifles and can soften it up if you get it all down in there. So let that stuff run out the upsidedown action. That's the best advice I can give for a NM rifle thats glass bedded. You shouldn't have any trouble with it it if you just don't keep taking it out. Plus if you meet any competition shooters at the range, and show them up with that good shooter, you may have offers on it yet, so don't be discouraged just from a collecting point of view. Accuracy Matters to some a lot more when they turn thier scores in to the NRA after a match.

[oneshot onekill]

OK, So from what I understand an "Original" NM Garand could be built on a WWII Receiver. I read in a recent Rifleman Article: "Type 2 National Match rifles can, conceivably, have receivers predating World War II to the latest receivers made (6.1 million serial-number range)." To me that means it could have been a NM rifle when SAI got it. Is that correct?
My issue is with the bedding description. It sounds like the bedding runs down inside the stock alongside the receiver. Is that correct for a Garand? I know it's correct for an M1A... But a Garand? It's my understanding that the bedding on "original" NM stocks was only in thin slots that are where the receiver rests on top, and where the trigger housing rests on the bottom. These stocks were "tight" fitting and had very even and tight grain to begin with. (I happen to have one). Or is that incorrect?... I'm still learning about Garands. Thanks.

[Ben Hartley]

...Who was it who said the only interesting rifles are accurate rifles?

Townsend Whelan.