13-352 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Harrington & Richardson M1 receiver only. It is marked "RIFLE U.S. CALIBER .30 M1/HARRINGTON & RICHARDSON, INC./MARCH 1953/APPV'D SPRINGFIELD ARMORY/10TH MONTH FROM CONTRACT DATE" and has been nickel plated. It is a test piece manufactured by H&R and approved by the U.S. Springfield Armory for production. It was likely stored in a pattern room for many years and is an excellent piece of M1 Garand and U.S. martial arms history. Harrington & Richardson received its first contract in April 1952 and began delivery in early 1953 through early 1956. They produced 428,600 rifles. Due to the well established firearms production history, H&R had little problem producing quality rifle, and their Garands are generally considered well finished

Very fine as made in tool room for pattern and chrome plated. 95% plus of the chrome plating remains. There is some light oxidation and residue in the recesses and minor marks and scratches throughout.

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Conventional electrolytic nickel plating is decorative, functional, and somewhat corrosion resistant but it tarnishes and it is not as hard as chromium.

Electroless nickel plating (actually autocatalytic nickel plating) is a glassy nickel-phosphorous coating that is very corrosion resistant and quite hard, and often used on rough-service applications like down-hole applications.

Chrome plating may be either a thick layer of chrome (generally known as hard chrome) that offers exceptional hardness, wear-resistance, and oil-holding capability, but limited corrosion resistance; or it may be nickel-chrome (nickel plating followed by a flash of chrome for tarnish resistance and extra corrosion resistance, as is employed on truck bumpers and automotive brightwork).

For interior stuff, where the elements are not too rough on it, the choice between nickel plating vs. nickel & chrome plating can probably be based on the look of it. Nickel is very slightly yellowish and chrome is very slightly bluish, so nickel is warmer looking and chrome is bling-y-er.

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[Bob Seijas]

Sounds like an auction house description?

[Mark in Rochester]

Yes auction

[Mark in Rochester]

[Bob Seijas]

... what do you do with it except put it on a shelf? It reminds me of a Winchester receiver for sale at a CT gun show at a fancy price many years ago -- no serial, just an X scratched in the heel, and various odd machine cuts. The speculation was a WRA experiment in fitting a box magazine to an M1. There was no chance you could complete it into a rifle that had any significance, it was just an oddity, so I passed on it.

[Bob Womack]

The local military museum has an entire rifle that is nickel plated that was a presentation piece given to some general or another. It is beautiful, but obviously meant to go under a mantel, on an "I love me" wall, or in a display case.

Bob

[Bob Seijas]

Winchester made quite a few of them for Ordnance bigwigs and Congressmen. They were quick to say they were made from rejected parts and that the chrome plating changed the dimensions, so they would not function. They made a wall hanger and a table model on a stand.

[Bob Seijas]

Check out the wood on the table model! Figured stocks were not uncommon but hand guards were. Attachment 67638Attachment 67639