Early Pre-Production Winchester Garand

[jnw847]

Interesting auction:

https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/winchester-pre-production-u-s-m1-garand-rifle-3225032

[RCS]

Follower rod looks like Springfield photo shows a Winchester follower rod for comp & keystone springs.

You need a serial number to sell the weapon

[GUNHEEP]

That's correct. I sure would hate to see the auction house have to stamp one on there. Talking about a value and historical significance killer

[Bubba1]

Actually a firearm made prior to 1968 and NEVER having a serial number is legal to own and sell but if the serial number was removed or altered then it is illegal .

[GUNHEEP]

I don't want to get an argument with you Paul, but I beg to differ. I had a stamp 4 firearms made prior to 68 for auction years ago. ATF gave me the serial numbers to use. I was called in by the auctioneer to stamp the firearms. It's all open for interpretation with those boys and whoever is the field agent coming out to do the examination. The rules seem to differ an agent to agent from agency to agency's
One was a rifle and three were handguns

[RDS]

Thousands of inexpensive guns never had serial numbers prior to GCA of 1968. We used to put NVN (No Visible Number) on the ATF form and in our books. Our books were audited many times and it was never an issue.

[Bodyman]

There is a lot of beautiful there but it poses at least as many questions as the ideas that it might help support. These have turned up in the past so they are not unheard of, but the one I recall was a test mule that was completely shot out (kind of like SA #3 that was tested to destruction). The problems are difficult like some of the SA parts, but on top of that, some of the description is, ummm, ... somewhat fanciful.

For instance; "Based upon the fact that the first 500 Winchester made "Educational Guns" (S/N 100,001-100,500) were produced during the summer of 1940 (ummm, wrong) and were roundly criticized for the poor quality of the stock work (not true) (with some comments including the stocks appeared to be hand-finished) it is likely that the earliest pre-production, pre-educational production, tool room-made guns were made using stocks provided by Springfield (nope, not until you got to match shooters of the 50's and 60's, and then SA collectors of today). That would explain the presence of the two holes under the Winchester solid buttplate, as Winchester would not start routing stocks with holes and adding the trapdoor to the buttplate until approximately serial number 1,240,000. (ok that is just silly - the trap door started around that serial number but the holes have been there from the start)"

Sorry if I am being too hard on the guy that wrote that but come on, ... Still an outstanding thing - if you do get crazy and buy this let me know, I would love to handle it to see what it really is.