Type 1 NM MAYBE

[Bob Seijas]

They look like service team barrels, but I have seen 1952 barrels on legit SA NMs. When they ran out of barrels in 1958 and were desperate, they used anything that was tight enough until all those great 1954s were discovered at Schenectady.

[Joe W]

Mark, Note that the seller states "never on a gun". As Bob said, it is a service team barrel. These barrels are to NM specs but, if you define a N.M. rifle as one built as such, by SA, then this is not a "National Match" barrel. These barrels were used by the various military teams in building match conditioned rifles and also as replacement barrels. Many legit National Match rifles went to the Army Marksmanship Unit. When they required a new barrel, and this could be at the completion of the shooting season, these barrels replaced the original NM barrel which was marked NM on the front of the barrel, between the rings of the gas cylinder. Military teams fired a lot of rounds both in practice and at various matches, including the National Matches at Camp Perry. The ammo was free. Many barrels such as these saw service at the National Matches but most collectors just don't see them as "N.M. barrels". I also believe these barrels were available to civilians through the DCM .
The '1952" barrels that Bob mentions as being seen on legit SA N.M. rifles would be marked NM on the front of the barrel.

[Bob Seijas]

"barrels were used by the various military teams in building match conditioned rifles and also as replacement barrels. Many legit National Match rifles went to the Army Marksmanship Unit"

Funny story about that: SA was running out of barrels and asked Ordnance to find them 5,000 LMRs. Ord was able to locate 5,000 and sent them to SA... but when they got them the found that the Army Marksmanship Unit had gotten there first and picked out all the tight ones SA was furious and said they wanted 5,000 that had not been picked over, but Ordnance said there were no more to be found. They asked SA if they wanted to take the remaining LMRs and fill out the 5,000 with SA barrels in the system. SA said NO. Luckily for them, Ord found 50,000 barrels stored at Schenectady, all SA from 1952 to 1955. SA immediately sent an inspection team to check them over, and the inspector called them on the phone as soon as he had gaged them... there were 20,000 1954s that were very high quality. SA wasted no time, telephoned Ordnance the same day and claimed them before AMTU and the Marines could horn in