March 1941 SA M1

[Nick Adams]

Got this M1 at the North Store at Camp Perry back in 2004.

U.S.G.I. Service Grade M1 Garand - Ser. # 2041XX.


I'd been in the store a while looking through the racks of M1s marked "Field Grade" and "U.S.G.I. Service Grade." There were only about 6 or 7 of the SGs left and the TEs/MEs were gauging in the 3s & 4s. So I went over to the counter and spoke to the nice gray-haired gent holding court there named "George," who'd previously advised me on a 1903A3 I'd bought about 2 weeks earlier. I'm sure he didn't remember me, but I knew he was acknowledged as the the North Store's "Garand expert." He's deceased now but if you never met him and you go to the NS today, you'll see a framed picture of him hanging right above the counter where you pay for your rifle, ammo and other CMP items.

Anyway, I told George I looking for a SG that was a nice shooter, but the few rifles left on that rack were gauging higher than I thought they should for a SG. He went over to the rack with the gauges, looked at two or three M1s, then came back over and said, "they've been picked through. Let me take a look in the back."

He was gone for about 25-minutes, so I figured he'd either forgotten about me or, more likely, got grabbed to do something else, so I was about to ask another employee if they might be bringing out any more SGs to the rack, when George suddenly reappeared with an M1. I remember making a sour face on seeing the mismatched stock that looked fit for kindling, as if it'd been kept under a half-track since the Chosin Resevoir. I started to say something, but George was quick to point out the WWII serial number and then, drawing back the op rod, the 9/44 SA barrel, which later gauged a TE of 1 and a ME of 1.

George dropped out the trigger group and pulled the stock off and said, "look at this." He pointed to various areas of the action and to certain parts. "There's no wear on the parkerizing." Basically, he explained, SA re-barreled it in 1944 and then put it away, "otherwise you'd see more wear." He put the barreled receiver back in the stock, inserted the trigger group, locked it up, and handed it back to me.

I looked down the barrel with my bore light and found it pretty dirty, but later it cleaned up shiny and revealed excellent rifling. Frankly, the bore, once cleaned up, turned out to be pristine. Since then, it's proven to be a great shooter at my local club, and it would no doubt be even better with a better marksman behind it. Although I own other M1s, this one's been my rifle for shooting the John C. Garand Match several times since 2004.

Have no idea about the significance of the number "164" that's painted on the stock and on the top of the rear handguard. Every now and then I've thought about re-stocking it to something prettier, and I've got a shooting bud who's urging me to ditch the upper handguards for one of those "scout-mounts" so I can scope it and go hog-hunting with him. But in the last 10 years I've come to like the old-school, plain-jane look, so I've left this M1 the way it came to me.

Some other features of my mid-March 1941 SA M1G:

* Op rod says "NM" on top; # is 7790722-SA;
* All parts of the trigger group are SA - e.g., housing = 12-SA; hammer = 3-SA; safety = 9-SA;
* Bolt = 19-SA;
*Follower = 12-SA.

In fact, I haven't found any parts that aren't SA.
So, here's a shout-out for George from the North Store - thank you, buddy, and R.I.P.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Nice rifle. I'd probably be tempted to put used walnut on for handguards, but the six digit number was a good catch. I have a soft spot for those. Plus...I have one from Oct 41...

[Nick Adams]

Nice rifle. I'd probably be tempted to put used walnut on for handguards, but the six digit number was a good catch. I have a soft spot for those. Plus...I have one from Oct 41...

Thanks, Jim.

You know it is tempting to do that. But I have several M1s and two of them already sport really nice wood.

One is an early "Blue Sky" Korean re-import from the early '90s that I handed over to Clint Mckee @ Perry one year to have him fix up into Nat'l Match specs. The receiver dates to June of 1942, but the barrel was shot out for starters and other operational parts were iffy, so he re-barreled it with a FA Nat'l Match med-weight barrel (Douglas' in those days) and replaced the bad stuff with in-spec parts as well as a new op rod spring. At the same time I gave him 3 pieces of super-nice dark walnut to drop it when it was finished. All I can tell you is that it's a looker.

The other is more recent. When I shot the Matches this past July, the North Store had a rack full of HRA "Special Receivers" with new .308 Criterion barrels and stocked with new wood. The receiver on the one I picked out dates to March 1955 and it's a beauty. Shoots nice too. My nephew is getting into H.P. shooting and eventually he'll shoot his way into this one. Plus, in my view, the flexibility of having one or two M1s chambered in .308 is a positive as far as surplus ammo goes.

[browningautorifle]

I have one that I shoot lots in .308. It's a 3 Mil and has most of the correct parts except the stock has a DAS marking and I think it was from an H&R at one time. I did the re-barrel myself and all is well. The other's a nice LL 328219 SA that's just the way it came back. Everything from the front sight seal to the round firing pin. It sits in the safe. I suppose I should get a shooter in .30 cal, but I have an FN sporter in that caliber...so...

[SA M1Dom]

great catch on the 6 digit. I wouldn't be able to live with the wood though. I would be trolling ebay while driving home. LOL

[Nick Adams]

great catch on the 6 digit. I wouldn't be able to live with the wood though. I would be trolling ebay while driving home. LOL

Thanks, Dom.

Well, as mentioned, I've got a shootin' buddy who been nagging me for several years to re-stock this M1 and add a forward scout-mount and scout scope so we can go kill pigs together. Nothing against that venture, but I've got other rifles I can do that with.

It's just something about how the thing all came to me as a "unit" that makes me want to keep it "as is."

Now as far as pretty wood, well, the CMP HRA "Special Receiver" M1 (WWII ser. number and .308 Criterion tube) that I got during the Nat'l Matches in July is about as nice a looker as you'll see in a Garand.

[SA M1Dom]

I can certainly understand that Nick. I hope she's a great shooter. Enjoy!

[Joe W]

Nice rifle Nick. I am with you. As you have others and you have kept it intact for 10 years already, keep this one as it came to you. You stated " Have no idea about the significance of the number "164" that's painted on the stock and on the top of the rear handguard." I would say they are RACK NUMBERS. Most likely the number on bottom could not be seen in the type of rack being used, so ,for better visibility, the number was also placed on the rear handguard,

[Nick Adams]

Nice rifle Nick. I am with you. As you have others and you have kept it intact for 10 years already, keep this one as it came to you. You stated " Have no idea about the significance of the number "164" that's painted on the stock and on the top of the rear handguard." I would say they are RACK NUMBERS. Most likely the number on bottom could not be seen in the type of rack being used, so ,for better visibility, the number was also placed on the rear handguard,

Thanks, Joe.
A few more pics for those interested.

Top, rear handguard.


Cheek side profile.


NM op rod!

[Bob Womack]

It all tells a story. Sometimes "mojo" beats perfection.

Bob