The last thing in the world.....

[Bill Hollinger]

.....I want to do is sound ungrateful or disappointed but I should be getting my two barreled receivers Monday. (one thumb for each) S/A #2855613 and S/A #565141. Both are supposed to have correct barrel dates. Do you know how difficult it will be trying to find all the correct parts for the six digit? The type I lockbar will likely kill me! The April of 44 will be much easier but still expensive. I know most of you will say just build them as shooters and be done with it but I wanted to build a correct Garand for my son Jeff for his great scholastic achievements this year. I was kind of hoping both would be post war Garands. I have all the parts and then some to build two correct post war Garands

I think I will go with the April of 44 and build it correct and the March of 42 as a shooter. Any ideas???

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[GPlourde]

Bill, the Type I lockbar is the holy grail of rear sights IMHO. If I remember correctly, there was a six digit in a past GCA magazine with a Type II lockbar. The type I's were quickly replaced due to the short pinion causing the lockbar to come off too easily. The article stated this and was still a 'featured rifle'. So a resto would be difficult at best. My 8280xx has a Type III lockbar and it will stay that way. Good Luck!

[M1Riflenut]

A restoration should be based on a good condition and preferably original finish receiver and barrel. I would wait and see what shape their in and then decide. A type one lockbar is rare but you could use a flushnut until one finds it way to you. One thing people seem to forget when restoring anything,be it guns or cars or whatever,is that it does'nt happen overnight,or in one month or even one year. Some restorations are a never ending search that can last many many years or even a lifetime without ever finding that one last "correct" part.
If the 6 digit is in good enough condition to be worthy of this journey then by all means do it,but just relax and don't rush into it just for the sake of wanting it done "now". Everything you need to restore a 500K SA is available without much difficulty except for the lockbar and a good stock set,however,to quote Jeff, "It's all still out there".
Good luck and happy hunting.

[Bill F]

At the last Reno gun show in the back room, opposite the ammo lines, there was a 6 didget and og barrel with type 2 lockbar. $895, I don’t think it sold.

[M1 Rifleman]

Finding all the "correct" parts needed will give you ulcers instead of trying to cure them!!!

I remember many years ago (before the Internet helped to solve problems such as this) I wanted to "build up" a "correct" Rock-ola M1 Carbine. I hounded several dealers for correctly coded parts. Managed to build-up the Carbine and learned alot in the process.

I quickly discovered that what one individual calls "correct", might be not "correct" to someone else. The term is purely subjective. I acquired several of the research books available at the time and each book contradicted each other. One book would claim that the Hammer, for example, coded BR was correct for the serial number range I was building-up. The other book stated the opposite; that the Hammer, coded BR was used much later than the other book stated. This just drove me crazy. Finally, I decided to "get close" as far as correctly coded parts are concerned. There was no way I could determine what was "correct" and what wasn't, especially for that particular carbine.

The best you can hope for is to "estimate" what might be correct for your Rifles and chances are you won't go wrong.

Good Luck...