Got my bucket list M1 Garand yesterday.

[Frank7ptbk]

Took the trip to the CMP North Store yesterday 3/25/21.
They had approx. 50 Service Grade M1's to choose from. I handled all of them but kept coming back to 2. I eventually narrowed it down to the one I decided to give a new home to.
It appears to be coated in dried grease or cosmoline. What do you all recommend to clean it off?
From what I can tell the barrel was made in 6/53. Any additional information on this rifle would be greatly appreciated.
Year of manufacture and what manufacturer.

[Frank7ptbk]

Markings on stock.

[Frank7ptbk]

Barrel markings.

[Frank7ptbk]

The rest of the markings I found on the rifle.

[Beltfed]

Very nice rifle. It might need a park job as the receiver looks almost in the white, but that’s your call. Shoot the heck out of it.

[RCS]

I have one very close to your serial number, have had it a long time but never really took many photos.

[RCS]

additional photos from post above

[MRusan]

Very nice rifle. It might need a park job as the receiver looks almost in the white, but that’s your call. Shoot the heck out of it.

Might be the light reflecting on the surface. It has that light green kind of re-Park to it.

[Reconinforce]

Looks great. Congrats. So what was it that called this one to you?

[MRusan]

It appears to be coated in dried grease or cosmoline. What do you all recommend to clean it off?
From what I can tell the barrel was made in 6/53. Any additional information on this rifle would be greatly appreciated.
Year of manufacture and what manufacturer.

If I am reading this chart correctly, the receiver was born January 1944. http://usriflecal30m1.com/ProductionGraph.aspx
Manufacturer is right there on the receiver, Springfield Armory (the real one, not the one around today) and it has the semi-arrowhead stamping. I forget the actual name of that stamping configuration, but it ISN'T the postage stamp configuration for sure.
That LMR barrel should shoot great. (You got the date right on that.)
It was arsenal rebuilt at least once.

As far as Cosmoline/old grease/old oil removal goes, I personally like mixing up a batch of Ed's Red. Works great.
https://www.majorsgunclub.org/edsred.html
Make sure you use it in a ventilated area. I don't always put the lanolin in, so if you do that too, make sure you oil it a little afterwards.
I don't think it will mess with the rack number on the stock, but don't quote me on that. You COULD try a test on a corner first or just avoid that area a bit. I'm sure the other guys will have ideas for that.
Get yourself a cleaning kit for the butthole if it doesn't already have one in there, and find a copy of Field Manual FM 23-5. It will show you where to grease and where to oil as well as other maintenance procedures (Chapter 5). There are some findable ones online like this one: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA...DFs/FM23-5.pdf
A hard copy of one might be a plan for cleaner images.

Later cleaning kit: https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...&idcategory=30
Grease tub: https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...&idcategory=30 (That one, or the ones with LubriPlate in them are appropriate. FM 23-5 shows you how it fits in the butthole.)
Of course, if you can find the same stuff cheaper somewhere else, feel free to get it from there. (I think Numrich has them too...not sure. https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-man...ccessories-m1g)
Don't forget to grab a chamber brush too. An earlier Combo Tool can cover that (https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...&idcategory=30), but you can find the separate chamber brush at Numrich (https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/409020).

[TJT]

MRusan,
No such thing as a semi arrowhead Springfield. The Arrow Head stamping is on IHC receivers made by SA.
Postage stamp marking also references IHC.
Jon

[TJT]

Frank,
Mineral spirits will clean the cosmo and dried grease right off. For grease, ANY automotive wheel bearing grease is more than sufficient. Don't get caught up in the "gotta have XYZ magic grease". To an M1 rifle, grease is grease is grease. A 1lb tub of wheel bearing grease from Walmart will last you 20 lifetimes. BLO (boiled Linseed Oil) and a rag will clean the stock. Dispose of the rag in a METAL airtight container as BLO has been known to spontaineously combust.
Nice rifle. Shoot it and enjoy it. Welcome to the addiction.
Jon

[MRusan]

MRusan,
No such thing as a semi arrowhead Springfield. The Arrow Head stamping is on IHC receivers made by SA.
Postage stamp marking also references IHC.
Jon

Kinda looks like one. Never heard of any name for that stamping configuration before on an SA receiver or if there were ever variants on theirs.
Also, take note of my original wording "I forget the actual name of that stamping configuration, but it ISN'T the postage stamp configuration for sure.". That denotes my ignorance.
Had no idea IHC receivers were made by SA. Always thought they were made by International Harvester. I stand corrected on all counts.