It's stories like these that really raise the hair on the back of my neck. It makes me think of the young men that died because SA wanted to retain control of small arms design and production.
I think back on the debacle that was the rifle trials that led to the adoption of the M14icon. The T48 was clearly the better design.
Then there is the M16 travesty that led to many men dying in Vietnam because SA didn't want the M14 replaced.
And then there is the after war rifle trials between the M1903 and the M1917.
Springfield Armory's war cry "Not designed here by us, not adopted or built by us".
So, how much truth was there in the low numbered 1903 problem or was it SA trying to live longer in a low money environment.
I have a low numbered RIA that was a OK National Guard target rifle. It was sold at auction in the 50s and the owner used it for hunting deer every year. And such dangerous rifles were rebuilt and used in WWII.
Sorry about my rant, didn't mean to detract from the main topic of the Japaneseicon Garand.
BEAR