Odd looking M1 on GB

[mike113]

Why would somebody go to these lengths to turn a $500 rifle into a $800 one? Just like I never figured out why somebody would spend $100's of dollars to turn a M1A magazine worth $15 into a $25 fake. What is the point? No profit from where I sit... or am I just ignorant?

I saw an auction site recently where they were selling 1911a1's clearly faked, I know just a little about world war two 1911's and I spotted them without a problem. I was wondering the same thing. How or why would somebody risk years in prison face federal charges just to make a quick buck like that?

[Bill Hollinger]

The seller has not contacted me. I think he doen't want to have to answer to anything such as this.

[Chief]

mike113,
They do it because they are criminals.
regards,
Chief

[ROCK]

I still say it looks like a commercial receiver. In the pictures, all the shadows are in the right places so I can't tell for sure. The stock looks like it has some Winchester characteristics.

[Capt Quahog]

I dunno . . . Looks like a black re-parked tomato stake, But that's probably in the eye of the beholder. Just picked up my third WW2 vintage M1 Garand at a show from a private person walking around. Have a system now. I pack five (5) Ben Franklin hundreds in the top right jacket pocket. Lot of people need money these days and cash really talks. The dealers offer these guys $300 for the rifle . . . Five-hundred seems to be the number for a decent original finish CMP Service Grade in a simple one to one deal. Still . . . somebody has the reparked one of the auction up to $800.

???

[1-12 INF (M)]

After looking this all over, I don't think it's photoshopped, nor was it stamped at SA in 1943, nor is the SN correct for a SA Inc. product.

It's been created or fabricated somehow, with unknown intent....but it sure doesn't look good. Needless to say, it's not getting 800 of my dollars.

What bums me out is the poor sucker that buys that rifle will probably sooner or later figure out what he has - and another beginner gets soured on our pastime.

Reminds me of a welded receiver rifle in a local shop a not long ago. The op rod track was pretty wavy and you could see the grind marks over the welds. The heel was blasted almost smooth, but you could still barely make out the SA markings and the SN. It was parked a dark flat black, and had a new Boyd's set of dentless, spiffy oiled-up walnut. Went back the next week, and sure enuff, it was sold. Shine sells.

[rekkert]

I got this answer from the seller to this question I asked:

Can you send a better photo of the serial number area? The numbers
> spacing seem odd and more aftermarket....

sellers reply:

This receiver was imported by Federal Ordnance from the Philippines in the
early 1990's. You can look on the front leg of the receiver and see the
receiver code indicating it was made at the U.S. Armory in Springfield.
The numbers are indeed a different font then traditionally found. The
receiver may have been restamped by Federal Ordinance. Rest assured is a
U.S. Military forged receiver,not a cast receiver.

I didn't get any new photos...

[JimL]

Yeah an image of under the wood line would be interesting.

I just looked at that thing again and cannot find any mill marks on the receiver.

It is what it is, and I don't know what that is!

jiml

[Bill Hollinger]

I sent the seller a request for close-up photos of the receiver serial number/heal area.

Rek, I got the same thing from the seller.

"This receiver was imported by Federal Ordnance from the Philippines in the
early 1990's. You can look on the front leg of the receiver and see the
receiver code indicating it was made at the U.S. Armory in Springfield.
The numbers are indeed a different font then traditionally found. The
receiver may have been restamped by Federal Ordinance. Rest assured is a
U.S. Military forged receiver,not a cast receiver."

I replied with:

"Thanks Ira but that is not what I asked of you. Thank you anyway."

Stay away from this M1!!!

[1-12 INF (M)]

"You can look on the front leg..."

....but you're not gonna the chance. Take it from me, and rest assured, this isn't cast or welded." Some shooter might get that HRA bolt in the cheekbone someday.

The seller's added this reply to the posting. Probably not a nice surprise for Mr. High Bidder (a guy with 1 feedback on GB). At least this seller does have a return policy.