Basket Case Garand

[Sailormilan2]

I have just purchesed a real basket case of an M1 Garand, a late WW2 Springfield. The barrel has visible lands and grooves, but is so rusty as to make it worth nothing more than a tomato stake. Birch stock, that has someone's name scratched into it, and a minor crack at the rear sling swivel cutout. Both handguards are walnut, but both are cracked and sanded extremely thing. Best part of the whole mess is the International Harvestor bolt in original finish, that is worth probably 1/2 of what I paid for the rifle($300). Rifle is missing the rear sight, as well as the gas cylinder lock screw(aka poppet valve). Most of the metal is in good shape, though the receiver has some minor pitting that the parkerising should hide.

My current plan is this. I have a buddy who has an IHC Garand, and I want one. But IHCs are hard to find and expensive. He doesn't care what he has, as long as he has a Garand. So, I am going to rebuild this wreck, and repark it, and we will swap rifles. I have found a used USGI barrel with lots of life in it for $100(new ones are $200 and up). I need to repark it in black park, as that is what he wants. I have found a recipe for homemade black park. Once done, I will swap rifles, he can keep his wood, so I don't have to buy new wood yet.

I have even found a used LMR barrel to put on his IHC recevier, so I can get it back to close to being original(that bolt helps). Price is very good, since it has a defect that I think I can fix.

[pacrat]

A noble project to return an old American warhorse back to shootability.

[Sailormilan2]

Updated.

 

I got the metal done today. I used a homemade parkerising solution, which worked well.............once I got the right temperature. So far I have replaced the barrel,and bolt(old bolt would not headspace with the new barrel. A few new screws and pins, and a new safety is on the way. The old one was broken. I probably should have replaced the op rod spring and the hammer spring. But that can wait.

I just got the replacement stock set today. Boyd's had them on sale.

 

Here are pics of the metal parts as they are now. I don't have the bottom metal included as I am waiting for the safety to get here so I can install it in the trigger housing.