M1 Garand National Match Type 2

[rcathey]

Hello all,

Picked this up recently. Is there any way to verify these based on serial number like you can an M1C or M1D?

Looks pretty legit to me but a verification would be nice.

Anyway, here's some pics for perusal!

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Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

Very nice rifle...

[Bob Seijas]

There are no specific NM serial blocks, initially they were selected from rifles that shot well in the standard accuracy tests. A NM candidate could be picked and the rifles on each side rejected. Later, almost any receiver that gauged OK was used, as they were all rebuilds.

From what little can be seen, it doesn't look like an SA NM, but could be a match rifle assembled by a service shop.

[rcathey]

From what little can be seen, it doesn't look like an SA NM, but could be a match rifle assembled by a service shop.

Well that's a bummer, haha.
Any details in particular you don't like?
The bedding looked a little sloppy to me...didn't know if that was atypical or not.

[Cosine26]

I am not an expert, but the fact that the barrel has "NM" inscribed on the barrel between the cylinder rings on the left side, seems to indicate that the rifle is a 1963 NM. This mark was, as I understand it, added by SA when the complete rifle has been functioned and accuracy tested to meet NM spec. The replacement barrels that I have seen and most of the "built" rifles have NM on the breech but not on the front of the barrel. I believe that it may be 1963, if NM, because it has the NM2A mark on the rear sight base. My NM M1, that I purchased in 1962, had the NM2 sight base mark, but I believe that the NM2A marks was added in 1963
FWIW

[Bob Seijas]

I'm not seeing the right marks in the barrel date area and the bedding is not SA. All those otherAttachment 100710Attachment 100711 NM parts were readily available from the DCM by mail.

[rcathey]

Ah, yes, that looks much more like I would have expected the bedding to look.

Your opinion is super valuable and I appreciate you contributing. No big deal if it's not real. I took a bit of a gamble but with all the NM "upgrades" I won't lose my shirt, I think.

I'm in it for about $1,600. I might find someone to give me that eventually haha. It is accurized, after all...that's worth something.

By the way, I do have another pic of some barrel markings:
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One other note, the stock is DOD stamped:
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[Bob Seijas]

That's helpful... the cross is the annual mark for 1959 so that was probably the original assembly. It was later upgraded by somebody as new accuracy measures were annually approved by NBPRP. It doesn't appear that it was done at SA, so my guess is the shooter himself. It could have been a service team, but the other common service shop techniques like polished barrel underside, wood screws to fasten the front handguard to the lower band are not there. It probably shoots great.

[rcathey]

Well that about sums it up then. Thanks again for weighing in.
I mailed off for a CMP serial number check a few days ago. Maybe that'll say something interesting.
I've updated my auction listing for this accordingly. I certainly don't want to try to pass it for something it isn't!

[Bob Seijas]

I always found this photo super-illustrative of what went on at SA. Note that the Greek Cross suggests 1959 as the original assembly, just like the rifle in this thread. As new things were allowed each year, like bedding in 1960 and the hooded sight in 1962, rifles still in inventory got those upgrades. You couldn't issue one competitor a new rifle with all the latest tricks, and another competitor an older one without them. Each time the rifle got upgraded, it got marked with the code symbol for that year. This one got rebuilt twice, so the barrel sports a complete history of it, most cool.
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