A 1944 Winchester M1 for Critical Review

[jmoore]

Finally made the last payment on this M1 (with a surprise US$400 discount at the end. Happy but not sure why! Seemed impolite or unwise to inquire....) and made some quick photos.


Would like input as to it's particulars as in 30 years of messing about with Garands this is the first Winchester I've taken home. Did immediately swap out the reproduction gas cylinder lock screw and, provisionally, the rather dark bolt which showed minor corrosion in the finish but no signs of having rounds through it. The other bolt needs some cosmoline to age on it to match the rest, but that ought only take a few years. S/N 2.36 mil range.


















Would have pulled the rear handguard but the pin's staked in place on both sides! Hated to disturb it for some reason.


Plenty more photos in this album linked below. Will do a pullapart of the trigger housing group directly. Always seem short on time. Thanks for your inputs!


http://s20.photobucket.com/user/dave...?sort=3&page=2

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Nice rifle, very clean. My only Winchester didn't even come close... Can't get into the photobucket pics though. Says they're private.

[Rick B]

Either the bolt is Dulite and supposed to be on this rifle or it was swapped for shipping at one time with others and they took all the bolts out. Stake marks look very legit and glad you did not take it out. Rick B

[browningautorifle]

And you intend to leave the original cosmoline on it...?

[jmoore]

Nice rifle, very clean. My only Winchester didn't even come close... Can't get into the photobucket pics though. Says they're private.

Oops! Thought that had been set at "Public"! Sorry. Haven't been online since 0515 (6 July) or so. Should be OK now. Three page of photos within. May have time to display some in dribs and drabs. Just don't get nears as much on line time as I used to.


Front sight is a bit mangled, however there's a fairly nice one in the parts box that I found. May swap it, or not.


Is there any way to ID triggers? everything else in the trigger housing looks OK. Can see a "1" on the left side of the safety when the trigger guard is pulled down so it should be a WRA-1 unit.

---------- Post added at 12:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 AM ----------

And you intend to leave the original cosmoline on it...?

Would take a serious soak in the vapor degreaser to touch most of it! And then it would look weird. I did apply some Super lube to the op rod and bolt in the high wear areas. Way dry in those areas it was. But it's clear and won't ever darken. Also have some '60s/'70 vintage Plastilube that is a nice brown color. Lubriplate just isn't my favorite.

[jmoore]

Some excerpts from the P'bucket album so far:



























No "A" or "CM" on the clip latch, but it looks fairly more roughly milled than the usual Springfield unit.

[jmoore]

And you intend to leave the original cosmoline on it...?

Still thinking so, even after a brief "group photo shoot" with a friend's Winchester/Underwood M1 Carbine:




















Note how grey the finish is about the heel. It's not finish wear so much as where the cosmoline's gone! Looks very close in appearance to the Carbine in person, not so much in the photos. Never would cloud up decently until it was about too late for good pictures.


Good range session last Friday as well. Almost TOO good for what needs to be treated nicely.



First time to shoot a rifle standing since February, what with the torn up shoulder and all.
Was not displeased with the rifle at all, but the operator needs work.

[Beginner]

That's a lovely M1! Yours is quite close in serialnr to mine, 2.35M range. If you are interested in more details/comparsion part by part check my ancient thread for pics: Took some pictures of my Winchester M1

Again, nice rifle!!

[jmoore]

Both the rifle and carbine are roughly January 1944 build dates. The Manhattan Project Model 12? Don't have a source for build dates for those..

[browningautorifle]

Still thinking so,

Well, that's up to you. I was just thinking if it was me and it's as tough on there as you say, I'd use a bit of acetone and it would probably come off...volatile mineral spirits... I just like the metal clean. The cosmoline doesn't hurt anything though, as long as it's not thick and buttery still.