some early operating rods

[RCS]

a few examples of some pre war operating rods

[Jersey Devil]

Super nice, as always, RCS.
What rifle is the unmodified -2 on? That's a really rare bird. I've been looking for one of those for a while.

[RCS]

rev 2 operating rod on 216130 with SA 1-41 bbl

these are the only photos that will upload

[Jersey Devil]

Very nice!
Is it an original rifle, or a restoration?

[RCS]

Has some restoration done.

Looking for any data on rifle serial numbers that have a revision 2 operating rod

[m14brian]

Sweet, RCS!
m14brian

[Gastrapsforme]

Always neat to see what you have stashed away Robert. I can only hope to find half the cool stuff you have. But I'm trying

[Bodyman]

A little story for you;

A buddy of mine, Pete, was walking thru the OGCA show years ago. Pete has an annoying habit of walking behind you and then buying what you missed - he says he walks into every show with the thought that there is 'something' to find there. What a great attitude (though it is getting awful hard these days) - Pete has taught me tons and is just a stitch.

Well I wasn't at that show and he was walking around at the end of it when he stumbled across a rather ugly Garand that he hadn't even bothered to pick up earlier in the show. Seller says it hasn't gotten much interest so make him an offer but he'd like 500.00. Pete picks it up and notices a sight seal which is always cool, and asks if he can take the obviously post war replacement wood off, to which the seller says; 'Sure. nobody has even asked to do that yet.'

Well, Pete gets the trigger group out and before he can even get the stock all the way out of the feral, he sees a keystone spring on a type 1 rod! Without taking it further apart he slides it back together and asks 'How much did you want?'

'500.00' the seller says as Pete just about breaks his arm whipping his wallet out to hand him the money.

Then he goes over to Scott Duff's table to show him what everyone else at the show missed; one almost completely original keystone spring rifle.



The stock and oprod had been replaced but otherwise it was right as rain. Pete restored it as well as he could with a nice long channel GHS and a -1 rod. Done.

Part two of the story. Years earlier before I really knew Pete, I bought a pile of early parts sight unseen and when I got them was surprised that there was a nice, original finish -2 oprod in there. I looked at it and thought; 'Wow is that cool!' Then I chuckled and thought 'but, what the heck am I ever going to find to put it in?', and put it aside in a box.

Years go by and Pete and I become good friends, and low and behold, one day he comes in the shop here and offers that rifle to me. We both went over it end to end and ooh'd and ahhhh'd about it all over again, and of course I bought it. The stock looked great but the -1 rod, though totally cool, was a refinished rod and I thought I know what would look better;



Go figure - I found a home for it!



Gotta love it when a plan comes together (even though it was more luck than anything). Definitely one of my very favorite rifles.

[Gastrapsforme]

Bodyman, that is a really interesting story. Wish I found stuff like that. Guess I just need to try harder. But thank you to you and Robert for showing this cool stuff. Needed my batteries recharged.

[Moorem1s]

Pyle's book states the transition from the unmarked op rod to the stamped -1 took place in the mid to higher 30000 serial range. Are there there any hard facts on serial numbers more approximate to the transition? I see 34337 in Duffs book is wearing a marked -1-SA. That tells me that the transition was more around the early middle?