Quartet of M1 Manufacturers

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Perplexed

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I finally got around to snapping some pics of the examples I have from each of the M1 Garand manufacturers - International Harvester, Winchester, Springfield Armory, and Harrington & Richardson. I've included one below of the heel stamps:

i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_M1s_20misc_DSC_0120w_zps071e0da0.jpg


The IHC is from early on in their production run (circa 1953); the WRA is a mid-war issue (May 1943); the SA is a late-war issue (Nov 1944); and the HRA is from later on in their production run (circa 1955). The WRA is nearly all correct, including the lock bar rear sight, and the IHC is also nearly all correct, while the HRA is mostly correct and the SA is an arsenal mixmaster. Each is sitting in a stock from the correct manufacturer, so you can compare the size of the back porches (the area of the stock under and behind the heel of the receiver). The HRA has the fattest back porch, and this helps when ID'ing an unknown USGI stock; the WRA has a fat back porch, but this is not a reliable indicator - you need to look at other clues in the stock's lines and characteristics; the IHC has a scalloped area on the right-hand side, and this is somewhat reliable, but the presence of an alphanumeric code stamped in the barrel channel is more definitive; and the SA has a smallish back porch, though again this is not a reliable indicator, especially if the stock has been through the arsenal process where sanding was done.

In case you were wondering, I edited out the second part of each S/N :wink2:
 

OKC_Jim

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Nice looking rifles Perplexed. I'm still looking for an IHC. I'd also like a Beretta and a Breda. And the list goes on and on....
 

Perplexed

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Man, if those are your guns, you suck.

I am jealous.

This is the product of searching and saving up for about five years. I got the HRA only a few weeks ago; even then, it's a meagre collection compared to some I know of. One fellow I'm acquainted with has over 100 M1 Garands!

Nice looking rifles Perplexed. I'm still looking for an IHC. I'd also like a Beretta and a Breda. And the list goes on and on....

Ha, I should have said "U.S. Manufacturers" :wink2: You can easily get into dozens of M1 variations if you've a mind to do so - and have the scratch for it!

I'm sure you're keeping track of the CMP sale of IHC's. Last I heard, that was probably going to happen toward the end of the year or early next?
 

SMS

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Wow. Nice collection. Thanks for the motivation...I'm only halfway there.

I've got a Winchester and an HRA, Had a beat up Blue Sky Springfield but sold it to finance the Winchester.
 

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