Non-spec Parts & Modifications

[RDS]

I start this thread by asking other members to contribute to it. Many M1 parts today are being reproduced. All one has to do is Goggle Wayne Machine in Taipei Taiwan.
The problem is the things done in the past that may not be know to newer collectors. I will give some examples but request others to add to it. Keep in mind theses thing were done commercially not by the US Military.
Orlando posted some repro clip latches that I had never seen before. RCS stated they were done years ago.
Most know about the demilled receivers that were welded back together. Most were crude but some were expertly done and it's hard to tell with out checking drawing numbers against serial numbers.
Another example is 2 groove M1 Garand barrels. They were made by using a demilled M1 Garand barrel stub and 2 groove Springfield 03A3 barrel. Stub was bored out and barrel turned down and welded in place. Original markings were retained on stub
Worn out gas cylinders were bored out over size. The gas cylinders were mated to op rods that had their worn out tips replaced with over size tips.
30-06 barrels were converted to .308 by a chamber insert. The US Navy tried this in the 1960s with out positive results. But that did not stop the commercial marketing of the commercial inserts.
Out of spec recoil springs have been around for many years
Out of spec repro "NM" rear sight bases have been around since the 1980s. Same as with repro out of spec "NM"windage knobs.
Bored out standard rear sight aperture with a "NM" hood assembly added.
.

[TJT]

All of the lumber. Also quite prevalent are M1907 slings marked MILSCO 1943. Stampings not even CLOSE to original. Single-slot gas cylinder lock screws.
Jon

[RDS]

Leather slings with either steel or brass hardware have been reproed for close to 40 years now. Same thing with canvas US marked gun cases.

[Orlando]

Many parts are made commercially, complete SA,WRA lockbar sights , NM sight front and rear,sights, sights covers, hammer, trigger, follower arm pins,handguard metal, swivels, buttplates, stock ferrules , spanner/flush "nut" ,spring ,detent, etc. I am sure many of these parts function fine but down the road when someone buys a so called restored rifle with these reproduction parts on it and doesn't know any better.

[RCS]

The above parts are small change compared to the fake gas trap parts and wood, take the repro solid butt plate (the Rathway butt plate) for example. The screw holes were too close so you had to take the no trap stock and drill a large hole in the bottom so you could angle down the original long screw and hope you did not cross thread it. Best Rathway solid butt plate had the WRA and drawing number inside, so good that I got an email from someone in the GCA asking about it ! Rathway solid butt plates were improved as years passed. How about the big bucks for fake gas trap barrels. I saw some photos of some really nice fake gas trap cylinders from Calif years ago.

[RDS]

Many parts are made commercially, complete SA,WRA lockbar sights , NM sight front and rear,sights, sights covers, hammer, trigger, follower arm pins,handguard metal, swivels, buttplates, stock ferrules , spanner/flush "nut" ,spring ,detent, etc. I am sure many of these parts function fine but down the road when someone buys a so called restored rifle with these reproduction parts on it and doesn't know any better.

Orlando
I trying to comply a list of the stuff that was reproed in the distant past. Today Wayne Machine repros just about everything. Stuff repro 30 years ago can now be past off to the uninformed as legit. Just like the NM parts you mentioned. Hopefully we can get Brian to make a sticky.

[RDS]

I remembered a few other items reproed about 35 years or more ago.
Stamped steel M2 flasher hiders. If I remember correctly they are stamped with a name starting with the letter E
Milled flash hiders were made from grenade launchers. The launcher part was removed and the cone added. The pin for the gas screw valve was milled of.
84 scopes made from demilled M84 scopes. To halves were threaded , screwed together and brazed. Once in the mount the brazed ring is not visible.
At the same time M1D mounts and bases were reproed.

[lapriester]

I have a repro NM complete rear sight on the 308 NM I built. It had to be properly fitted to accept the aperture before installation. Out of spec? Not at all. Once it was fitted it's probably more in spec than most any well used original out there and functions perfectly. I have another I may put on my Winchester 7.62 Navy rifle and, like the other one, the base will need to be fitted so the aperture will fit. If I'm not mistaken I think I actually bought that hooded aperture from Creedmoor when they were still making them. The rest, sans the aperture came from Numrich quite a few years ago. The one on the 308 was a complete from Numrich.

[CCyooper]

I’m not sure what the purpose of this piece was. An attempt to make an early comp spring follower rod? It sold a couple of times on eBay over the last couple of months.

[Smokey]

Here's the Wayne Machine website if you're curious:
https://waynemachine.com.tw/

On a serious note, there will be an increasing need for replacement parts as more Garands get sold and used. What we'll need are good replacement parts. Maybe this can be an area where the CMP can continue sales.

[Orlando]

Here's the Wayne Machine website if you're curious:
https://waynemachine.com.tw/

On a serious note, there will be an increasing need for replacement parts as more Garands get sold and used. What we'll need are good replacement parts. Maybe this can be an area where the CMP can continue sales.

There are plenty of good quality USGI parts available. In fact they are cheaper than they have been in years, its a buyers market. You just don't want to buy on auction sites and most online vendors

[RDS]

I’m not sure what the purpose of this piece was. An attempt to make an early comp spring follower rod? It sold a couple of times on eBay over the last couple of months.

That's a follower rod for a M1 Garand "Tanker"

[CCyooper]

To bad that an early WRA rod was sacrificed for it.

[RCS]

Fake S-A 5-41 dated barrel. Some of the features of the faked barrel are 1) drawing number not uniform 2) gas port hole drilled in land not groove. 3) short groove for rear handguard clip (note only Winchester and SA gas trap barrels have the short groove not SA gas port barrels) 4) index for barrel threads different. Note the number 4 in the barrel date, I have this in 11-40 fake barrels too. These barrels were also faked with Winchester markings which did a better job of fooling buyers

[RDS]

To bad that an early WRA rod was sacrificed for it.

Likely done by Fed. Ord. when they were building Tankers 30yrs ago. To them a part was a part. I have several in my parts box that were modified from late rods.

[Jersey Devil]

Hopefully we can get Brian to make a sticky.

Your wish is my command, Sir! Done!! Thanks for starting this important and informative thread.