Silly Bubba! That's a Garand! (cut and paste from CGN, for those who haven't seen it)

[Oddbawl]

Well my Bubba'd Garand showed the other day. Of course after the initial gasp and gag, a tear down immediately followed. Interesting finds indeed. Summer '41 production. Bolt, uncut op rod, hammer, trigger group, gas cylinder and lock bar sight original and complete. Not one part is incorrect except the barrel. It's a '51 SA. I'm starting to wonder if this was an arsenal rebuild. If it was, an armourer paid meticulous attention to replacing stuff with original correct parts... highly unlikely in a time when no one gave a damn. The barrel throws me off, coulda been done anywhere, who knows though.
Now the fun stuff. Bubbs did me the favour of eliminating all the pesky fore end wood, and then smoothing the stock nicely at the nose, exposing the fine operating rod for all to see.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...awl/fullon.jpg

Then, bubba carved a fine pistol grip in the stock, actually doing a fine job of it if it wasn't a travesty of course.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...ubbastock2.jpg

I have to say my absolute favorite part is the rear sight. Only a true virtuoso of the Bubba craft can appreciate this:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...awl/sight1.jpg

Yep, that's some kind of v notch sight crammed in there. My heart skipped a beat at this point, it looks like Bubbs welded that sucker in.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...awl/sight2.jpg
Upon closer prodding, luckily Bubba didn't have a welder in his WMD arsenal, it's solder, and not very good soldering at that. A quick hit with a torch and it popped off, no marks on the base. Whew, dodged that Bubba!

Of course, once you remove that peskily perfect peep sight and install something more craptacular, you musn't leave that fine front sight alone, heavens no! Lop off those front ears and put a blob of brazing brass on the blade! Top 'er off with a fine thick coat of high gloss black paint all over the gas cylinder and you've got "the Finest Battle Implement Ever Devised" only better. Way better! Effing sweet!
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...frontsight.jpg

All in all, I'm not dissapointed. I need a new stock (update: I had an unissued, unfinished Beretta French walnut stock destined for a Breda I have, but methinks it may go on this one now...), front sight, and a rear sight cover. I'm a big fan of the NM rear aperatures, so I may try to snag one of them. The barrel looks passable, but it needs a good cleaning. The op rod runs freely, no binding issues at all, even though the action was as dry as a popcorn ****. -you can't say **** here? ****! ****! HA! Oh yeah, it mic'd in well within spec too. Just the kind of project I was looking for. Mild surface rust over quite a few bits, no pitting though. A good cleaning is in order.
So, the eternal question... Repark or not to Repark?

Information

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[Claven2]

Repark. for sure. It's a restoration anyhow, so it might as well look right

[Oddbawl]

That's what I like to hear! I've already convinced myself that it's the thing to do. I wouldn't be happy with it otherwise. I'm waiting on a call back from the Vulcan refinishing guy in Windsor.

[Claven2]

For the record, never park an unmessed with original Garand, even a Danish rebuild, if it's still "as surplused". But in this case, bubba has not been kind, so a restoration is definitely needed and a repark is just another step in that process

Should look nice with a SILE made Italian Beretta M1 stock

The european made walnut stocks often look prettier than the American Black Walnut stocks do.

[tiriaq]

I'd be inclined to see if a correct US stock set couldn't be obtained, prior to doing any refinishing. If the rifle was not previously refinished, an unrefinished M-1 with a replaced US stock set might be more desirable than a recently refinished one in an Italian stock. I do not know the level at which a barrel would have been replaced in service.

[Oddbawl]

hmmm... interesting. Correct stocks are mondo spendy though...

[tiriaq]

Yes, that's true. But look at what is happening to M-1 prices. Realistically, if the rifle is restocked with correct US wood, and the other minor bits replaced, you've got a pretty good representative WW2 pattern M-1. Let's face it, with correct wood, it would be pretty hard to determine that it had been restocked, by inspection. Restocked with the Italian wood, and reparked, it would be an attractive perfectly good shooter. Either would be easy to sell. I wouldn't be in a rush to do anything that is irreversible. Replace the metal bits, and assemble it in your stock, but keep your eye open for US wood.

[Claven2]

If it's a Danish M1, dimes to dollars it's refinished at some point already

Maybe show pics? Your links are busted.

[Oddbawl]

How do you post pics? I'll try the links again:









I don't think this has ever been through an arsenal rebuild, all the parts match except the barrel, I would think it would be a bista otherwise, furthermore, I would think the op rod would be modded. No import marks, or anything out of the ordinary. Are there any places in particular I should look for import or ownership marks? I've been all over it and saw nothing.
I contacted the seller to find out some history. He assured me he didn't do the hacking, and I believe him, so he's off the hook. He says he got it from the local crazy old poacher before he died. Apparently he was from the States and was a WWII vet. He thought he might have brought it with him from there years ago, and seemed to think he was the first owner. (aside fron Uncle Sam) He went on to mention he thought the old man got it in the army, but I don't believe that, I doubt they had a bring back thing going on. Buy the rifle, not the story... but a the originality of it could possibly be explained if it came across the border with someone years ago. Anybody could've slapped the barrel on. Dunno really.

[Stevo]

Fixed your links and here's a handy pic posting tutorial.(click here)