...and I have a lot of problems with in registering with the Police.

It's a piece of history in my hands. Since yesterday, in the rigid plastic rifle bag is resting a Garand built by Harrington and Richardson Arms & Co. (ser.# 5674xxx).
It was built in (probably... I have to check) in 1951. The caliber is the "classic" 30-06, with their loooong cartridges. It isn't "like brand new", probaly it has lived on the battelfield (however it isn't "rattle-n-clanck" kind of thing!), but all his charme of the "better battlerifle ever devised", quoting General Patton, is there, untouched. I can't wait to try this new jewel...

however... today I went to the police for the registration. A lot o paperwork, but the problem is that Italian laws are NOT clear at all: they want a copy of the original purchase registration (not the most recent with the list of all purchases...) and a copy of the gun licence of the seller to make confrontation with the signature... so I am risking felony (registration should be made asap, and this meaans, normally, 24 hours after the purchase) and more paperwork for this friend of mine that sold me the rifle...

why not making laws more clear?

I think I'll solve the problem, and asap I'll post pictures of the rifle (btw, it arrived with US. rifle sling, multitool, cleaning rod and butt cleaning-lubricating kit... if there is anyone that can explain me how was originally arranged the kit inside the stock, I'l be immensely grateful!!!)

Molto bene, Paolo!

I hope your problems with registration are quickly resolved.

Look around at http://www.fulton-armory.com/

Good to see you have the right mindset -

You bought your FIRST (of many) Garand(s).

[:D]

[bold] W O W !!! [/bold]

What! You didn't get a Beretta[;)]?  Actually, two of my Garands are H&Rs.  Very nice purchase PaoloAR15!  You WILL enjoy it!

Ross

UPDATE ON POLICE REGISTRATION.

Really I don't know if I must laugh or I should get angry.

Anxious to hear the most autorithative opinion about the right of the district police to refuse my registration, I called the Central Police office, a Police Department the equivalent of your ATF. Notice that this Department in Rome is taking his rules to apply firearms laws from the Ministry of the Interior on the other side of the street where this department is located.
A very gentle and competent woman answered me, I listed all the papers I submitted to the District policeman, and I said that he refused to sign and register the purchase of my Garand. This woman told me that, not for my fault, I could be in trouble, and the policeman HAD NO LEGAL RIGHT TO REFUSE IT EVEN IF IT WAS AN ILLEGAL FIREARM! She told me to go immediately with all the papers again to the policeman, and in case of any problem to push the policeman to call her without exitation.
When the policeman heard that I called the central Police Department and the name of this woman, immediately accepted the registration, limiting to point up to deliver some (useless) missing documents to him as soon as possible. He smelled troubles, I guess. So now I can start enjoying the ownership of this old, fashionable american rifle. It is not the first time that the Central Dept. for Firearms and Explosives is helping me to solve problem created by public functionaries...

see you soon with the pics [:D]

good for you paolo!  stood up against your local pencil pushers!!

steve
(some one send him a medal!)

PaoloAR15
Congratulations the Garand is a fun gun to shoot.
Your gun falls in the 1954 to 1956 range. Harrington and Richardson ser# 5,488,247 to 5,793,847 were produced in those years. If you reload special care must be taken to not use new slow burning powders unless you get an adjustable gas port. Have fun.
Jim

congrats, mine is somewhere between cmp and fed ex cant hardly stand the wait!

Got mine 5/7/01.  It is kick ass.  Stock was rough, but the metal was perfect.  I bought a new stock and sling from Fulton Armory.   It now looks brand new!  Good luck.

HA!!! Don't you just love "public functionaries"? [puke]

Congratulations... Enjoy it..loudly and often.

Mine is one of my favorites. Your's will soon be. [beer]

PaoloAR15  

I have followed your posts on this -and other
Gun Boards for Some time now [:)]

I think you need to Emigrate to a more Gun
Friendly Nation !!  [:D]

You need to come to AMERICA - BRO !

I shot my first Garand this past weekend!! It was at a three gun match and the first stage had a supplied Garand, Colt 1911 and Trench broom.  It was great!  I actually own a H&R Garand myself #56727** !!  So we are really close.  I have owned it for at leat 3 years but had never bothered to shoot it.. ( I know I have sinned!!) I bought it just for the sense of history...  Believe me I will now mend my ways!!   Gonna have to go and buy some 30-06 now!!!  

Wow!!! My Garand and your one could be brothers!!!

I am looking for good fmj ammo to shoot with mine. Somebody proposed me Prvi Partizan, from yugoslavia... but I fear that primers are corrosive. I am looking for Norma Kingmatch, but they aren't so easy to find... Anyone can suggest me a brand of ammo that can be easily available out of USA?

Congrads on your M1!  You guys in Italy have the same problem we here in the U.S.A., always being hassled by the authorities.  I have a M1D that I bought from our pseudo-govt DCM/CMP, I haven't shot it yet because I consider it a collectors item, the only in my collection.

I am sure that Fiochi of Italy has some ammo for your new rifle.  We get all kinds of Fiochi ammo here in Los Angeles, 9mm Para, 45ACP, 380ACP, 32ACP, 38 S&W SPL, 357SPL

Paolo,
I would go ahead and get that Yugo ammo, if the price is right. I have some Hansen sitting here next to me and it is not corrosive. It says on the box "made in Yugoslavia". It is headstamped "IK". But, I also saw an advertisement recently for Yugo ammo that IS corrosive. Simple thing to take care of, just run some hot water down the bore and wash off the op rod and the gas cylinder too.
If the ammo is Boxer primed, punch out those primers and watch to see if the primer pocket turns green.

Good going Paolo.

I just made a deal on a CMP Garand (1943 production with a 1948 barrel).

I was suprised to see that there were about 6 million of these made.

I think I'm going to have mine restored. I got the Garand and some cash for an SP1 lower that I wasn't using, so I have enough for the restore job. I can get the whole thing done here in the US at the following place for about $200:

[url]www.dgrguns.com[/url]

I'm realling looking forward to getting this piece of history.

I found Fiocchi also in Israel (!), but I think that Fiocchi is producing only for handguns and shotguns. I'll check the catalog.

I have an H&R Garand also. It's dated 6/54 and numbered 4794XXX. I got it from the DCM, in perfect shape. As far as I can tell it's all original, since it was made too late to have seen much if any combat and thus never needed a rebuild. At least, that's what I think. The stock was pretty dinged up and discolored when I got it but I decided to refinish it instead of replacing it. I sanded it down just a bit, leaving all the marks and shading that I could. Then I restained it lightly and coated it with a nice hand rubbed oil finish. It's beautiful and has a lot of character. Much better than a new replacement stock in my opinion.

I'll repeat the advice about being careful of slow powders in your Garand, also beware of some factory ammo that most of which is designed to be fired in a bolt gun. The M1 needs a realatively fast powder such as IMR4895 to function properly and safely.

I don't shoot mine much but I take it out of the safe and admire it all the time. [:D]

Glad you got your police problem straightened out and I'm sure you will enjoy your new piece of American history.

Greg