welded reciever, is all hope lost?

[E.Hall 43 m1]

I visited the SGK gun show this weekend and showed my garand to Gus Fisher. The gun is malfunctioning, a local gun smith checked my headspace and it was 1.969, 0.19 over his field gauge! One of Guses work associates checked the reciever # and the drawing number. After examining several small irregularities in the metal (very hard to see) they told me I had a receiver that had been cut up and rewelded. My heart sank.. where do I go from here? Sell the gun, make it some other poor saps problem? (had a bunch of offers at the show)... can it be re-barreled? I feel the best coarse of action, if I were to fix the gun, Legit reciever, new barrel, any input? besides the obvious," know what you're buying before you buy it!" Had I a few inexpensive gauges, and some GD common sense I would have walked the other way on this one. - Eric

Information

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[Phil McGrath]

If the rest of the parts are in good condition I would find a good receiver and start over, or I have seen a few pics of guys that had made junk CAI cast recievers into cool lamps with a painted ammo can for the base.

[browningautorifle]

I wouldn't do anything with that receiver.

[Orlando]

CMP has good USGI Garand receivers for $200.00

[Kirk]

Is it possible to return the rifle to the seller? How was it represented? If the seller represented the rifle to you in such as way that you belived it was unaltered, I'd ask for my money back. If that is not possible, then get a receiver from the CMP & make that one a paperweight.

[ROCK]

You may also have a barrel that was an 03A3 barrel that was sleeved into the stub of the chamber end of a demilled M1 barrel. I would replace the barrel and receiver.

Maybe there's someone who you could donate it to that would like to do an overload destruction test on a Youtube video. At least we could learn something about M1 receiver strength while giving that receiver it's final send off.

[Bob Seijas]

I got hooked with a welded WRA back in the 1980s, it's a bad feeling. What to do with it is a matter of conscience. Most people try to pass it on, but I was lucky in being able to turn it in to the Rock Island exchange program before I had to wrestle with the problem. Even if you sell it cheap with the disclosure that it is welded, the buyer will probably mark it up and resell it as legit.

[ROCK]

Even if you sell it cheap with the disclosure that it is welded, the buyer will probably mark it up and resell it as legit.

I have one now. I thought the same about reselling with a disclosure but this one was welded short and the safety bridge doesn't retract the firing pin properly. I will keep it as a wall hanger for now.

[xroads]

return it if possible and get your money back. this gun is a liability issue for the seller and now, you, as well. i have replaced two of these receivers so far, and both had sleeved 03a3 barrels on them. they also both had cast trigger housings as well. if the seller won't take the piece back, consider going to small claims court, where your chances are very good at having a judge grant you your money back. if this is not a possiblity, consider a CMP receiver and a new cmp barrel. essentially you will have a rifle you can shoot safely, and you will have learned a valuable lesson.

[E.Hall 43 m1]

so how can i tell if it has a 03a3 barrel? I might as well learn something, the guns coming apart anyway.