Lend Lease Garands - What is the history/process of their arrival back to the States?

[Ms15710]

Hello,

I recently picked up a Lend-Lease M1 Garand as part of my burgeoning collection, and it was my original understanding that these rifles were "bench-mark rifles" in the sense that they are the closest you can get to receiving an all original, undocumented M1 Garand due to their time in the U.K.

Between the '50s and '80s, they eventually made their way back to the United States, and they were initially frowned upon for their ugly paint and import markings.

When I received my Garand, I had it analyzed by a friend who told me that many of the Lend-Lease Garands that came back to the U.S in crates and were "assembly-lined" where they were sanded down, parts removed and inspected, paint worn away, etc. Once that was all done, they were quickly sold off.

He believed mine was legitimate and told me not to worry, but are Lend-Lease Garands not as "authentic" as I originally understood. Were many of them re-assembled and parts possibly interchanged upon arrival to the U.S?

Please let me know if I'm wrong, as this is the general understanding that I have of these rifles. I'm eager to learn more.

Thank you to any and all who reply!

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