Brought my first Garand home today

[boomer656]

I brought this Garand home today. When I field stripped it, everything looked to be in good working order, but I do have a question or two and I did find one "surprise" I'll need your help with.

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The stock, in the area on either side of the trigger housing plate (?) has had some nicely done woodwork. About 3/16" of wood on one side and 1/8" on the other being replaced. The repair is very well done - the joint is tight and the wood match is pretty good. Is work on this area of a stock common? I would also point out that the entire stock has been sanded and refinished at some point.

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My "surprise" came on seeing what was in the inside of the lower hand
guard. It seems this rifle has had 'owners' I didn't expect, but I have no idea who or how, but I suspect some of you may help clear that up.

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I didn't see any other obvious proof or import marks, but I did take pictures of all parts that had any other markings that I saw. The marking on the follower arm looks different than other markings I've seen, and I'm not sure about the Op Rod marking.

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Information

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[Snowman1510]

Are there no import marks? Usually a serial number on the stock like that isn't a typical thing the US military did. As you can see, I suspect this was imported from somewhere?

[boomer656]

Are there no import marks? Usually a serial number on the stock like that isn't a typical thing the US military did. As you can see, I suspect this was imported from somewhere?

Nope, no import marks that I can see. I didn't pull the rear hand guard, but it shouldn't be there anyway. Were any of these brought back before 64? I think that's when the import stamp regulation was put in place.

[AFJon]

Looks like it might be a CMP Danish return.

[boomer656]

Looks like it might be a CMP Danish return.

Thank You. I do believe you are correct.


I just found an older thread (http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=31865) that ID's the HMAK on the label as Danish (HMAK - Haerens Materiel Kommando (Army Materiel Command) as well as other good info.

It's interesting that the CMP didn't remove that label as part of their process - but I'm glad they didn't.

[browningautorifle]

Yes, a Danish return. All the paper tags were left there by importers and the Italian op rod...all the parts show an honest gun that's been maintained by the Danish. The walnut patches are because the trigger group was loose in the stock, things wouldn't lock tight.

[Detroit-1]

Is that a type 11 or 111 lockbar sight?

[Bob Womack]

They truly are like peanuts: you can't eat just one.


Bob

[boomer656]

Is that a type 11 or 111 lockbar sight?

Good question. I don't know enough to do anything other than compare to photos. Scott Duff's book 'The M1 Garand: World War II' has a photo (page 157) that shows a style of long pinion paired with a type II lockbar, and a different style long pinion paired with a type III lockbar. I don't know if the specific lockbars have to be paired with the pinion he has them pictured with. The best I can tell, I have the pinion he has paired with lock bar type III, but the lockbar I have is shaped like his image of lockbar type II.

[Sunray]

"...the wood match is pretty good..." That is just luck. It was totally irrelevant to the weapons tech who did it.
A CMP Danish return wouldn't have import or the Brit 'BNP' stamps. They came directly from the Danish government to the U.S. government.
Any 'VAR' stamped on the barrel? Be a really good thing if there is. Those barrels are match grade barrels.