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M1 Garand / M1A / M-14 Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="Perplexed" data-source="post: 1668995" data-attributes="member: 7157"><p>OK - just remember, you asked <img src="/images/smilies/wink2.gif" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":wink2:" title="Wink2 :wink2:" data-shortname=":wink2:" /></p><p></p><p>This was a Field Grade M1 that I got from the CMP in January 2011; at that time, the CMP had just put up for sale a number of FG WRA's with original WRA barrels, something of a rarity these days. I got lucky with a 1.33M rifle (born May 1943) with a WRA barrel measuring 1.25 at the muzzle and 2 at the throat, which are excellent numbers for a WW2 barrel. The rifle originally came with a power-washed and very dry stock with only a pair of very faint proof cartouches remaining. When I field-stripped the rifle, I realized the stock, which would normally be nearly worthless, had a date code stamped into the barrel channel, which meant it was a rare International Harvester M1 stock. So that was another bit of good luck, and I put several coats of pure tung oil (cut with citrus solvent) on the stock to stabilize it, and put it away in case I ever find an early IHC M1 in need of correct wood. A few months later, I acquired a WRA/GHD stock, correct for the mid-war WRA rifles, and installed it on the rifle along with better-quality handguards with correct WRA metal. Here's a close-up of the WRA/GHD cartouche; you can also see an RA-P cartouche below and to the left, indicating this stock had been through the Raritan, NJ arsenal some time after WW2 but before 1963, when the arsenal was closed:</p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0399w.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Note the two different areas of coloration on the heel of the receiver; this meant that the factory lead-dipped the heel of this receiver, which made the rear of the receiver more durable to better withstand the slamming of the bolt and op rod during firing. It took me most of the year to collect the rest of the correct WRA parts: trigger housing, trigger, safety, short-fork follower rod, follower and guide, bolt, firing pin, clip latch, front sight, gas cylinder, single-slot gas plug, etc. The rifle came with a mix of SA parts, though the hammer and trigger guard were already WRA. Here are a few shots of the parts (note the rough milling marks characteristic of WRA):</p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0550w.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0549w.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0546w.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>It took me even longer to put together a correct WRA rear sight assembly, including a Type II lock bar:</p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0559w.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>My biggest score was finding an uncut WRA op rod correct for this rifle. I was lucky to get it while the seller was setting up for the Wanenmacher show; while I was hashing out a trade with the seller, someone else came by and offered to pay cash for the op rod. Sorry Charlie! Note the circled WRA proof on the barrel.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0555w.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>It was a fun project, but I don't know if I'd do that again. Maybe with a late-war SA M1, but certainly not with a WRA rifle. Too frustrating and expensive, and better suited to someone far more anal than me <img src="/images/smilies/tongue.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":P" title="Stick Out Tongue :P" data-shortname=":P" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Perplexed, post: 1668995, member: 7157"] OK - just remember, you asked :wink2: This was a Field Grade M1 that I got from the CMP in January 2011; at that time, the CMP had just put up for sale a number of FG WRA's with original WRA barrels, something of a rarity these days. I got lucky with a 1.33M rifle (born May 1943) with a WRA barrel measuring 1.25 at the muzzle and 2 at the throat, which are excellent numbers for a WW2 barrel. The rifle originally came with a power-washed and very dry stock with only a pair of very faint proof cartouches remaining. When I field-stripped the rifle, I realized the stock, which would normally be nearly worthless, had a date code stamped into the barrel channel, which meant it was a rare International Harvester M1 stock. So that was another bit of good luck, and I put several coats of pure tung oil (cut with citrus solvent) on the stock to stabilize it, and put it away in case I ever find an early IHC M1 in need of correct wood. A few months later, I acquired a WRA/GHD stock, correct for the mid-war WRA rifles, and installed it on the rifle along with better-quality handguards with correct WRA metal. Here's a close-up of the WRA/GHD cartouche; you can also see an RA-P cartouche below and to the left, indicating this stock had been through the Raritan, NJ arsenal some time after WW2 but before 1963, when the arsenal was closed: [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0399w.jpg[/IMG] Note the two different areas of coloration on the heel of the receiver; this meant that the factory lead-dipped the heel of this receiver, which made the rear of the receiver more durable to better withstand the slamming of the bolt and op rod during firing. It took me most of the year to collect the rest of the correct WRA parts: trigger housing, trigger, safety, short-fork follower rod, follower and guide, bolt, firing pin, clip latch, front sight, gas cylinder, single-slot gas plug, etc. The rifle came with a mix of SA parts, though the hammer and trigger guard were already WRA. Here are a few shots of the parts (note the rough milling marks characteristic of WRA): [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0550w.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0549w.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0546w.jpg[/IMG] It took me even longer to put together a correct WRA rear sight assembly, including a Type II lock bar: [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0559w.jpg[/IMG] My biggest score was finding an uncut WRA op rod correct for this rifle. I was lucky to get it while the seller was setting up for the Wanenmacher show; while I was hashing out a trade with the seller, someone else came by and offered to pay cash for the op rod. Sorry Charlie! Note the circled WRA proof on the barrel. [IMG]https://www.okshooters.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/i738.photobucket.com_albums_xx29_Perplexed0_M1s_WRA_20M1_20Garand_DSC_0555w.jpg[/IMG] It was a fun project, but I don't know if I'd do that again. Maybe with a late-war SA M1, but certainly not with a WRA rifle. Too frustrating and expensive, and better suited to someone far more anal than me :P [/QUOTE]
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