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M1D Garand ?

3.7K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  15636215  
#1 ·
I have a argument with this guy that has a M1D but it is a Winchester receiver, He says it is original. I was told that ALL M1 Garand sniper's were built on Springfield receivers , Who's right?

eQ
 
#6 ·
As already stated the M1Cs were all built by Springfield but the M1Ds where convereted from many different M1 manufacutures rifles. One of my M1Ds is a Winchester that originally came from the DCM as a full package.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I was told that ALL M1 Garand sniper's were built on Springfield receivers , Who's right?
I and perhaps others sort-of divide M1Ds into two buckets, based on what I have read and observed:

Bucket 1: "Early" M1Ds: Built in the early 1950s on WWII era M1s, (on edit) most of which seem to have SA receivers, but reportedly about 10% were WRA receivers, per CASS's post below, #15). If by some miracle an early M1D still has the original walnut replacement stock, it will have both the SA and RA (Raritan Arsenal) stamp, as seen here. (One theory is that SA re-built the rifles with the M1D barrels, and RA was then responsible for equipping the rifles with the M84 optics, sniper accessories - or otherwise responsible for shipping completed M1Ds to their final destination). These "open-box SA+RA" stocks are what some collector's associate with the original or early M1Ds.
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Bucket 2: "Late" M1Ds built at the depot-level, often by Toole Arsenal in the late 1960s, which used any of the 4 manufactures for receivers. (Yes, I have seen WRA M1Ds - and at least one real HRA M1D with CMP paperwork, but have not seen an IHC M1D...maybe some out there, but who knows). The receiver leg is typically etched with the rebuild date in the mid to late 1960s era. Replacement stocks by the late 1960s were typically birch on these rebuilt M1D rifles, but walnut stocks can been seen sometimes too. I've seen M1Ds with a combination of both walnut and birch wood. Moreover, I suppose Israel may have also built some M1Ds with spare M1D barrels that we provided them back in the 1960s, and I would lump former IDF M1D rifles in the "late" or "depot-built" M1Ds.

Here's an M1D built at Toole in December 1968, probably for the Vietnam war as most are dated 1968-69. If I found a WRA M1D, esp with the lighter grey zinc-based parkerzing, I would look at the receiver leg for similar re-build etching date. My 2cts.
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#13 ·
As others have mentioned it's all possible. However, does he have any documentation vetting the rifle?
 
#15 ·
Winchester receivers were also used in the original 50's M1D production. One report said that 10% of the receivers used in the initial production were Winchester, which is about the ratio of WRA to SA production to that point. I have one WRA M1D that came as a lottery rifle from the CMP that has the open box SA and RA stamp and no receiver leg marking or other depot rebuild indication or characteristic.