So I finally got the third one cleaned late yesterday. So here they are. The top one is a Springfield Field Grade in the 2,500,000 range, the middle is a Winchester Field Grade in the 160,000 range that came like that out of the box ready to fire, and the bottom is a Remington 1903 in the 3,100,000 range. The 1903 was caked with grease and took the longest to clean, the Springfield had moderate ammounts, I don't think much soaked into the stock but enough was coated on it to preserve it from rust and the likes, the Winchester I haven't touched; like I said it came out of the box ready to fight. All in all, I am very pleased.

They are things of beauty and workmanship, especially the Garands, congrats.  Can you describe the Garands as far as the makers of the major parts?  ie receiver, barrel, trigger groups, and op rods?  Thanks.

Springfield Garand:
All in all a piece meal of random parts. I don't think any of the numbers match, though I did see three or so parts that were like 6-8 numbers apart, which makes me think they got a group of consequtive numbered rifles togeter and stripped them, then just threw them together to make a rifle after refinishing/rebarreling/whatever. It has markings on the receiver different than my Winchester; around the rear sight on the left side (opposite bolt handle) it has a sun burst type of serration around the elevation knob and on my Winchester it is smooth. None of the wood matches and there are major dents in it especially around the trigger guard and the middle sling swivel; it kind of looks like someone used their bayonet repeatidly to disassemble it and over time it turned into one massive gouge. It's got a Winchester trigger housing, and a low serial Springfield trigger guard (as you can see in the picture it has the rear loop on that the Winchester doesn't have.) The bolt is a Springfield in the 28,000 range I believe (it has a - and then a two digit number, not sure if that is part of the serial number or like a plant number or something). The Op Rod is a high serial Springfield in the 6,500,000 range. The hammer and trigger guard differ by only 18. The wood has no visible marks that I can find anywhere.


Winchester Garand:
Right off you can notice the wood is a very close match, and aside from a slightly darkening butt and a slightly lightening on the rear handguard, it is basically the same color. The receiver is very smooth and looks worn around some corners, but still has a very good green pakerized finish. The hammer differes from the Springfield hammer by only 5. The trigger guard has no visible serial number that I can find, and the safety is stamped HRA (Harrington and Richard I presume) but has no number. The trigger housing is again a low serial Springfield. The Op Rod is a low serial Springfield and the barrel has a G stamped on the underside of it. The wood again has no visible marks that I can find.


Remington 1903:
The whole rifle was caked with grease like I said, it had about 3/4" solid cosmo in the magazine alone. It took about two days of work to get it all clean. The floor plate has a B stmaped into it, and I had to remove the pin that was holding it in before I could remove it. The stock has RA, the crossed cannons, and FJA marked on the side by the magazine disconnest and has RIA/EB on the butt and two P stamps around the trigger. The bolt has a very light, invisible in some places, electro-pencil serial number written on the bolt handle, and other than that and a random mark (like an R on the bolt sleeve) has no other marks. The stock is stamped 8757 and looks like they had restamped it twice as the 7s are fat and deformed, but still visible as 7s. The barrel is marked RA 6-42. Aside from that I can't see anything else without taking it apart, which I don't want to do at this point.


Anything else anyone wants to ask?

can i have one :)

Three beauties!!!! Congrats!!

Nice collection!!!
Thanks for sharing.

I'm trying to set up some time in about two weeks to take them out for some fun (not much free time with work and school), and I have a feeling after that I will be addicted and want more. I just hope the fiancee doens't find out until I have had my fill.

I still don't know how to explain to her that in the two years I have been buying guns I had gotten 19 total. And here I was telling her I would slow down....

how do the bores and muzzles look? i am close to ordering my first garand and i think it will be a field grade rifle.

While I don't have a bore light, I have opened the bolt and looked down the barrel with the light into it. While I can see nice rifling the whole length of the barrel, on the M1s it doesn't look as nice as my 1903. I am sure they are plenty accurate, but they are deffintely not new. I am sure I could shoot mine for several more years before I ever even need to think about replacing a barrel.

I got a quick question. I've had these for a couple days now. Since I have a C&R license, they MUST go in my bound book, even though I didn't purchase them with my C&R, correct?

Just making sure.

i think that is for c and r purcheses only but i have been known to be wrong in the past

If they are C&R eligible they have to go in your bound book, whether you used the license to purchase it or not.