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Posted: 4/1/2007 10:24:24 AM EDT
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Just received my CMP Garand and have some questions about the marking on the various parts. I know that the receiver is a Springfield made between 1955-1957 (S/N 5937XXX). Other parts with markings: Safety is stamped "HRA" on the right side. Trigger Housing is stamped "6258290-HRA N" on the left side. Hammer is stamped "5546008 IHC" down the front. Stock is stamped "P" inside circle on bottom of pistol grip and also an eagle with three stars inside a box with rounded corners under the rear of the receiver on the left. From what I have found this would be the correct stock for this era rifle. No way to tell if original though. it is in good shape but several small dings. Operating rod is stamped "D85882 9 SA". Barrel is stamped "LMR D6535448 1 53 A6 P M" followed by an Ordnance Branch stamp. Bolt is stamped "D28287-12SA over S-B1CO". The "O" at the end isn't really an "O". It is a diamond. And finally the Receiver is stamped "Z11A over F 6528291". This is located on the right side under the rail that the operating rod slides in, normally obscured by the stock. Overall the fit and finish is very nice on this rifle. Minimal wear on metal finish and only in places you would expect it, I estimate 90-95% finish. Wood is good, hand guards have only two or three slight dings each, stock itself has several small to medium sized dings. I'm not concerned with any estimation of value. I plan on shooting this occasionally. I'm more interested in knowing what parts I have. Any help is greatly appreciated. Obligatory picture: 
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Looks nice! How does the barrel wear appear? Without a muzzle wear or throat errosion gauge, you can't tell an accurate reading, but the crude test is to stick an M2 ball bullet the opposite way down the muzzle for a muzzle wear test. It appears your trigger group is a mix-master between Harrington & Richardson (HRA) and International Harvester (IHC). The "P" means that the original rifle in the stock was proof fired. Also, "LMR" barrels are good. They were on International Harvester M1's. The "1 53" means yours was made in January of 1953. It's obvious your Garand went through a rebuild at one time, probably after it returned home from Greece. |
Thanks for the info. No ammo yet to try the muzzle wear test. I put off getting any until I got a shipping date and then kind of gave up. I was checking the status every week or so for a long time, I ordered back in November. Then they put out that they didn't think they would fill all the orders they had taken so I quit checking and started waiting for the phone call or email about what to do with what I'd already paid. Then it just showed up and I have no ammo. This is a Service Grade rather than Rack Grade so it gauge be pretty good. Gave it a good cleaning today, bore is brght and shiny with very distinct rifling. Can't find my dental mirror so haven't checked the chamber yet. Also, according to the CMP this one didn't go to Greece, at least thats what the ad on the website said. But with a 50+ year old rifle who knows. I just can't wait to shoot it. 
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Ok, you must have ordered one of the USGI's then. If it's a Service Grade, it should have a good barrel. Also, take into consideration the military converted to non-corrosive ammunition in 1955, so yours probably saw little, if any, corrosive rounds. The muzzle wear test of sitting a round the opposite way into the muzzle is only good with an M2 ball rounds, not a commercial round, by the way. I, too, was in the same boat as you. Ordered originally a USGI Field Grade. Then, got hot and asked to switch up to a Service Grade. They went on backorder, then asked to go back to a Field Grade. Then, at the end of February, a family member stopping off at the South Store on a road trip told me they had some Winchester Field Grades that came back from Greece. He called me that evening and told me they had just a few so I called the following morning. A week or 10 days later I had a Win-13 mixmaster. Needed a parkerizing job so I sent it to Springfield Armory for one of their $75 jobs. It has a Boyd's stock waiting and should be here on Tuesday. I'm excited as all hell. |
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