New M1 for $1

[fatelk]

How do you like my new M1? I found it at a gun show for only $1!

[ocelott]

where's the rest of it?

[Lonegun1894]

I would've paid $1 for that, probably would have paid quite a bit more if that receiver isn't damaged and can be built into a rifle.

[shotman]

odd serial that would have been in HRs block
sorry that was in the area where the numbers were mixed up

[fatelk]

Oops, sorry. I meant to attach the other photo also.:(

It's just a paper weight at this point. The guy said he had 160 pounds of chopped up receivers that he just took to the scrap yard. I was curious but that was all of the story I got.

[Hardcast416taylor]

160 lbs of M-1 recievers and other parts to the scrap yard! That`s enough saddness to make a D.I. break down and cry. Gov`t stupidity never stops amazing me.Robert

[crawfobj]

160 lbs of scrapped receivers??? I think I just threw up in my mouth.

And our gov't wants more of our $ to spend? Not a chance.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Well, if all 160 lb. were cut recievers of M-1`s. And let`s say, for example, that a reciever weighs 2.25 lbs. That means 71 M-1`s were cut.:violin:Robert

[MtGun44]

Thank Ted Kennedy, he pushed to have ALL US military rifles destroyed rather than have
them sold to the citizens. MANY were chopped up before the rule was changed by Congress.

There is a really sad cover pic on an old AM Rifleman mag of pieces of Garands- chopped up
and rusty. VERY sad.

Bill

[Uncle Grinch]

Ohhh Nooo!

[Multigunner]

I wonder if chopped receivers like these could be spliced to make longer or shorter receivers and bolts made to match.
Rewelded receivers have been used to build up Garands before, with varying degrees of sucess. I wouldn't consider a reweld myself unless it was for a custom Franken rifle of some sort. Maybe a carbine chambered for a magnum pistol cartridge or one of the .50 auto pistol rounds.

Just a thought.
A local gunsmith built a few shortened mauser actions for short .22 centerfire cartridges, the process is not complicated and if properly done strength of the action is not compromised.

I would expect most torch cut receivers have heat treat issues.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I seem to remember seeing an article in some gun rag magazine at a barber shop sometime back in the `80`s. It showed what was left of a re-welded M-1 that was built and then was test fired. It wasn`t a pretty sight, as the action split in two again. But this time the break was just after the re-welded area.Robert

[Multigunner]

I seem to remember seeing an article in some gun rag magazine at a barber shop sometime back in the `80`s. It showed what was left of a re-welded M-1 that was built and then was test fired. It wasn`t a pretty sight, as the action split in two again. But this time the break was just after the re-welded area.Robert

Yep if the welding is not done properly its a disaster waiting to happen.
The gunsmith who built the shortened Mausers chose to silver braze or solder the bolt sections. He bored out one section for an inch or so then turned the end of the other section down to slip into the other section.
The receiver sections were held in alignment with a ceramic insert, then welded while the receiver ring was protected by heat sinks and such. The load bearing receiver ring was not heated enough to compromise its carburized layer. Don't know if there was any problems with the rails later on.

That probably wouldn't work on a Garand bolt though.

As I said I would never consider buying a Garand that had been rewelded. The thoughts on a shortened Garand action are just for those with the skill and equipment to do it right, and only if they had way too much time on their hands.

When Garands were still relativel cheap George Herter modified a few as straightpull magnum chambered rifles. There have been a few other radically altered Garand based sporter or target rifles over the years.

A member of another board found he'd been stuck with a reweld Garand, he was not a happy camper.
I'd not heard of this before. It would be prudent to look for any telltale signs of a reweld for any purchase other than from the CMP or a trusted dealer.

Rewelds would be useful as blankfiring motion picture props. The rifles used in this way would prevent damage to otherwise still good rifles and actions.

[fatelk]

I bought a reweld M1 once, 15+ years ago. I don't know what exactly had been done to it, but the rear sight had been replaced by a commercial sight of some kind, and when I took it apart I could see it had been welded on inside under where the original rear sight had been. The new sight had been put back near where the serial number was, and part of the serial number had been sanded off. I don't think it had been a cut receiver, but something bad had sure happened to it.

I bought it from an old timer I had known for years. When I started to realize what a total piece of junk I'd bought, I took it back. He gave me my money back ($300 IIRC), but was not happy about it: "Nothing wrong with that gun!". A few years ago I bought a couple good ones from the CMP.

The pieces in the photo are conversation pieces only. I have no interest whatsoever in trying my hand at any welding on them.

[Got-R-Did]

Sure a sad sight to see such a valuable Tractor Garand reduced to scrap. That said, I have a Winchester receiver heel from just such a de-mil project. Clinton was also instrumental in destroying many Garands and M14s.
I am an avid Garand Collector and CMP Volunteer Armorer for many KY VFW, American Legion, and Disabled Veterans Posts. I do have an issue with the semantics of the "re-weld" moniker that is commonly used to describe the salvaged receivers to build up into complete rifles. The receivers are forged and no welding was performed in their initial construction, so the common reference of "re-" is confusing to say the least. I can not attest to the viability of any such reconstruction as I have not shot or owned one. I fully endorse the CMP as your best source of obtaining a Garand without such risks.
Likewise the colloquial "repop" or "repo" term to describe a reproduction is mildly irritating. Sorry, no soap box perching is intended.
Got-R-Did.

[Multigunner]

I can remember Garands being chopped up in the seventies.
It was common practice to destroy U S Army surplus rifles and handguns for a great many years. I don't think it became an issue till after the 1968 gun control legislation.

[bob208]

i have a welded h&r garand it was done in the 70's back when that was the only way to get one. i got it used and have bruned 2 06 barrels out on it. now it has a .308 match barrel..

i have seen more then one mauser and a 03 reciever cut and shortened . now just what is the differince? they are both welded the locking lugs are in front of the weld. there is no stop in the back half of a garand that the op rod slams into. if the op rod is making contac then there are other problems.

sure i know welded m1's have let go. unwelded ones also have let go.

[Got-R-Did]

Bob208 is indeed correct about the early metallurgy and heat treating of the Garand receivers. Combine this with parts out of spec and receiver heels tended to crack or split at the rear. Annealing became a field expedient method by dipping the heels in molten lead to resist such a failure. When these receivers went through an arsenal rebuild after the War and were re-parkerized the distinct differences in the metal's temper was quite evident by the color of the heel vs the rest of the receiver. I have at least seven with annealed heels.
Got-R-Did.

[kappy]

I just cried a little.

[Bullet Caster]

Just found this thread and wanted to say ugh. I love M1 Garands as I have one and hate to see any fall to the cutter's torch. BC