GCA Journal

[Joe W]

Anyone know if the Spring Journal is out yet or when it may be. Thanks

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[Bob Seijas]

I know... we edit every article one at a time until they are right. Then the publisher puts it all together and we read it all again -- we just finished correcting errors in the whole issue today. The publisher will generate a new version with all the corrections made, we will check to make sure, then it will go to our professional proof reader. She will recommend her corrections and I will decide which of them to make and which not to make. For example, we all know U.S. is correct but our style guide is to use simply US to save space and make it easier to read. Similarly, of course it should be 1,800 but if I want the reader to think "eighteen hundred" then we print it 1800 without the comma. We try hard to make it easy and enjoyable reading, so sometimes we ignore the rules a little. It's not meant to be an academic paper.
When that process is finished it goes to the printer and gets mailed. I'm guessing another 10 days.

[Bob Seijas]

Forgot one step: after an article is in what we think is final form, it gets sent to the author for his corrections and approval. Then the whole issue is put together.
Despite being read multiple times by four editors, the authors, and a pro reader, something always slips through. SO frustrating!

[Joe W]

Thanks Bob. I believe it was the Fall of 1987 that I first joined the GCA. I purchased the three back issues I had missed and now have all issues to date. In all those years I think only four or five issues failed to arrive at my mailbox. I am a Florida "snow bird" and on two or three of those occasions I had failed to notify the GCA of my change of address in a timely manner. The other few times Journals went missing were lately and I was beginning to think someone in the P.O. was a Garand enthusiast and may have been temped to take a look. If so I hope he/she became a member and now receives there own Journals.
In all cases, upon notification, the GCA promptly sent me the missing Journals gratis.

Thanks for the great job you and the rest of the Editorial Staff and Board of Directors of the GCA do on our behalf.

[Bob Seijas]

Thanks, Joe... the edit process on this one has taken longer than normal

[tom gray]

Any update as to when it will be out?
Thanks

[Bob Seijas]

The Spring issue is in the mail and should be hitting mail boxes next week... remember that magazines go out according to your local P.O. -- some put them at the bottom of the stack.

[Joe W]

I received my Journal a few days ago. It was delayed some as it was forwarded from my winter home. I must say, it was well worth the wait. I enjoyed all the articles but " Never say Never: A WINCHESTER National Match" alone would have been worth the price of admission. I had heard about this rifle but had never seen pictures of it or a data sheet. Still questions regarding the "duck foot" and the "Heart mark", but more food for thought. The barrel proof marks also seem to indicate possibly a second proof firing as a NM rifle. I have a 1960 NM rifle which also has a 1951 barrel. My barrel shows a P proof forward of the year marking where the barrel necks down. This P is on the barrel under the op rod. A second proof P is stamped right over the month marking and has the punch mark very close to the loop of the P. This punch makes the month impossible to read. These are the only proof marks on my barrel. The barrel also has the 1960 code and the targeting T.
The Winchester looks to have two P proofs both having a punch within the loop of both P's plus the HEART marking. I would expect the two proof P,s but only one punch mark. If the 1951 barrel had never been installed prior to being installed on the Winchester during the 1960 build, why the extra punch mark ??
In any case,, thanks for another great article. Also looking forward to Part two of Rick's "Barn Wood" article.

[Bob Seijas]

Thanks, Joe! I also thought Mike's Tooele piece was especially good, another example of nailing down a topic authoritatively.

The WRA NM seems to confirm the speculation that both the Heart barrel stamp and the Duck Foot are evidence of post-1963 NM modification. This might have been done someplace other than SA, like maybe Rock Island?

[Joe W]

I have a NM in 1963 configuration. WW2 receiver and 77 series barrel. It has the "duck foot" on the stock but no Heart stamp. I like your theory of post 1963 modification. I am thinking that possibly the "duck foot" indicates a stock modification such as re-bedding and the "Heart", a post 63 rifle modification, other than stock. Sure wish someone that worked in the NM program at either SA or RIA would turn up with the answer.
Unfortunately, I have no DCM sales papers or CMP verification with my rifle, so I don't know what year it was originally sold.