Original WW2 M1 rifle

[RCS]

Difficult to say, this SA 2.7 mil with a SA 4-44 bbl came out of an estate sale from a remote area about twenty years ago. My friend bought the few rifles and was able to sell everything except this M1. The left side was without any finish and the bottom of the front handguard was chipped-up and the rear handguard cracked. The stock had dents but nothing broken. Nobody would buy this rifle, the bore was nice but the TE was 4.5. I did a data sheet on this rifle - everything was correct. (examples bolt -12SA heat lot S-A1<>, op rod rev 9 SA uncut, trigger guard milled, hammer -5 SA, safety SA_11, gas cylinder screw single slot. Stock has a very faint SA GAW.

I fired ten clips of mixed 1954 ball and AP, everything worked fine

[Devil Dog]

Two obvious things to look for: Chrome on gas port pads, bright breach, and lock bar sights. One less obvious thing often overlooked is a bright accelerator pin.

[RCS]

This rifle did not have any chrome at the gas port, rear sight had the type 2 lockbar.

[Joe W]

Single slot lock screws can be found on original guns made in mid 1944. I have an original 2.9 with a single slot screw. I think most were changed to the Poppet style because it was necessary to use with grenades and the change was so simple.

Your right about that, in fact, looking at "SA Statement of Expeditures for Fiscal years 1944 and 1945", in Duff's WW2 book, SA manufactured 687,592 solid gas cylinder lock screws vs only 94,693 of the poppet valve type. I see Scott Duff states that it is " probable that SA continued to build new M1 rifles with the solid screw throughout most of the WW2 period."
Guess I should have read this before commenting. I most likly did, but the old retention span is not as it once was. Semper Fi, Joe