This is a discussion on a piece of history arrived within the Defensive Rifles & Shotgun Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; I'm not the type to post "yay for me, I've got a new gun" messages, but this once, I am so moved.
My father-in-law in ...
I'm not the type to post "yay for me, I've got a new gun" messages, but this once, I am so moved.
My father-in-law in South Dakota just moved into assisted living at age 86, and had to clear out his house. He had a few long guns in his cabinet which I was aware of, but the one I had my eyes on was a clean M1 Garand. I made him an offer some months ago, but he always dodged giving me a direct answer. Last week he asked how to send it to me, and I gave him the particulars of the FFL I use for transfers. It arrived yesterday.
Briefly, dad-in-law's story is the type Tom Brokaw wrote about in The Greatest Generation. He enlisted in the Army, served in the 96th Infantry Division (the "Deadeyes"), and survived the invasions of Leyte and Okinawa. He received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for the latter action. After the war he went back to the business of raising a family and starting two businesses over the years, and served as mayor of Watertown and subsequently as a representative in the South Dakota State Legislature. At 86 he still remains active in his real estate business.
While the M1 he sent me wasn't his actual service rifle, the fact that this veteran and public servant owned it attaches a huge amount of sentiment to the gun for me. Today he called and said "there will be no monetary exchange between us." I was floored, and honored.
So now a U.S. Rifle, Cal. 30 M1, Springfield Armory is part of Smitty's armory. It will be well-cared for, but it won't be a safe queen. My first goal after checking it out is to make Rifleman with it at an Appleseed event - maybe even with fixed bayonet!
Hiram25
You can educate ignorance, you can't fix stupid
Retired DE Trooper, SA XD40 SC, S&W 2" Airweight
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Retired USAF E-8. Avatar is OldVet from days long gone - 1978. Oh, to be young again... Paranoia strikes deep, into your heart it will creep. It starts when you're always afraid... "For What It's Worth" Buffalo Springfield
Beautiful weapon. I'm a history buff, I still need a Garand to add to my WW2 rifle collection. Glad that it, and the history that goes with it, can stay in your family.
Happy to oblige! Wish I had a more photogenic location, but I used what I had available.
I spent a happy couple of hours doing a field strip to learn more about the gun and investigate its overall condition. Mind you, I'm not Garand-savvy but I have a fair sense of what's new, what's worn, and what's worn out. First off, the stock must be a replacement, as it lacks any arsenal markings and the finish doesn't have the oily/waxy content of the upper handguards. Opening the gun up, the trigger assembly looks almost completely free of wear, although there is petrified lube on a lot of parts. Part numbers are all Springfield, which makes me think these are not replacement parts, but the jury is out until I research it all thoroughly. Then there's the bore... which I approached with some apprehension. A few patches, some Hoppe's No. 9, a little brushing... well, see for yourself. Be still, my heart. I'm a lucky, lucky guy.
Whoo hoo! That is fine! It still has the original WWII lock bar rear sight and a proper forged trigger guard. The gas plug and the stock look like replacements. Hard to tell in the photo but the stock looks like birch. No matter, it's glorious! I'm not Garand-savvy either. I have some books on the shelf but can't memorize all that detail.
Whoo hoo! That is fine! It still has the original WWII lock bar rear sight and a proper forged trigger guard. The gas plug and the stock look like replacements. Hard to tell in the photo but the stock looks like birch. No matter, it's glorious! I'm not Garand-savvy either. I have some books on the shelf but can't memorize all that detail.
Did you happen to note the barrel date?
The stock is for sure a replacement, and I think birch seems about right by hardness and grain. I wasn't smart enough to note the barrel markings when I had the gun apart. Where is it marked?
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Retired USAF E-8. Avatar is OldVet from days long gone - 1978. Oh, to be young again...
Originally Posted by bmcgilvray
