Garand 19SA bolt - when was it introduced?

[Ms15710]

Hi all,

This is my first post, and I'm not expecting to garner much attraction here. That being said, I do have a question.

I have an M1 Garand that I purchased a while back with the serial number 2769xxx with a barrel date of 5-44. The original owner had it for about forty years or so as part of a much larger collection of various firearms, and upon his passing, much of the collection went to another collector whom I purchased the Garand from. I was told that there was cosmoline in the chamber, but the collector I purchased it from cleaned out most of it.

The rifle's breech is "in the white" and the bore is bright, measuring 1+ TE and 1+ ME. The rifle has all drawing numbers appropriate for an early/mid-44-era rifle except for the bolt which is 19SA A-4<>. As I've read, this is supposed to be -12SA.

I have both Scott Duff and Bruce Canfield's books, and according to both, the -19SA bolt was not introduced until January 1945. However, in Chapter 6 or 7 of Scott Duff's book, a chart reveals that the drawing number -19SA was introduced around the middle of April 1944. All of the mid-'44 rifles I've come across have had -12SA bolts. Is this an error?

The finish across the rifle has a uniform, olive green-gray finish, but the bolt has me slightly perplexed. I am hoping experts could clear this up for a burgeoning M1 collector.

Thank you to any and all who reply!

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