Don't know what I have

[montigre]

I just brought home a '43 WWII Garand that I had purchased though private sale receiver #14851XX. I field stripped it yesterday and discovered all of the parts are SA and all, except for the barrel which was replaced in "53 and perhaps the trigger group #D28290-14-SA are original. The stock has no markings on it what so ever and is finished in the usual SA deep red walnut.

Since this rifle never went through the CMP program (sans the lack of cartouches) is it possible that it is an unmarked match rifle or rifle sold directly to a local club from Springfeild? What are your thoughts. Inquiring minds really want to know. Thanks for any insight anyone can provide.

Here are a some pics:

[montigre]

And a couple more pics:

[RDS]

It very well could be a DCM sold rifle. DCM shipped rifles that were on hand and did have the programs that the CMP has today as far as rebuilding rifles.
DCM sold to clubs and individual members of a DCM affiliated clubs. DCM also sold M1 carbines, 1911 45 autos and Springfield 03 and 03A3s.

[montigre]

That's a very distinct possibility that I had not considered. Did the DCM have its own type of stock markings or were they sold unmarked? Thank you for your reply, RDS.

[Orlando]

Why do you think it would not have been a CMP rifle? The lack of markings on the stock only mean it has been through atleast one rebuild and they have been sanded off.
CMP does not mark the stocks of the rifles they sell with the exception of the new commercial stocks
Just becuase parts are marked SA do not mean they are the correct parts for the rifle. I can see the sights are later type and not correct for youyr Garand
Nice looking Garand

[SFCDave]

Agree with Orlando...based on your pics it looks like a nice mixmaster. Your stock looks commercial to me, but I've been wrong before. I say this due to the side profile thickness of the buttplate and front handguard ferrule. Is your op rod a -9? Clear, detailed pics of everything will get you the answers you seek. It is a nice looking rifle, love the annealed heel! By the way, welcome to the forum.

[montigre]

Thank you both, Orlando and SFCDave, for your opinions. The stock could very well be a commercial product which would answer the question of why there are no markings on it. And yes, the sight is certainly one of the later versions. I do not have the parts numbers with me at work, but can check the oprod part number when I get home. No markings on the stock was what caused me to question whether or not it was a private sale item from Springfield or as RDS mentioned the DCM. Since I am new to the Garand world, I thought all stocks processed through CMP were stamped with their cartouche and the stock does not appear to have been sanded--no sanding marks on any pieces of the metal.

I purchased this not as a collector item, but as a shooter since I have been very interested in these rifles since I was a child listening to my father, who was in WWII, speak of them with admiration. I feel very fortunate and proud to own this small living piece of USA history. Perhaps I will even venture up to Camp Perry with my mixmaster in the future (once I discover and get used to its quirks)....

This forum contains a wealth of information and I greatly appreciate all the members who have contributed their knowledge about this rifle and its variants over the years.

[montigre]

To answer the oprod question, it has the number: D 35382 SA without any revision notations...

[Orlando]

That is a op rod used during the rebuild program after the war
Stocks that went through rebuilds just had cartouches sanded off, you would see no sand marks on metal
After looking closer at the pics it may very well be commercial stock and buttplate as the plate looks thicker than USGI. Kinda hard to tell from pics sometimes

[RDS]

The op rod is a post WW2. They were used in the post WW2 rebuild program. They were made before Springfield changed to the 65 drawing numbers in the early 1950s.

[montigre]

This is a very interesting story for this rifle. It likely saw action in WWII and perhaps the Korean conflict and was sent back to Springfield in the early to mid '50s for a substantial rebuild. From there it possibly entered the civilian market through either the DCM or CMP sometime after the '60s or '70s judging by the current lack of wear on the stock and internals. If only it could speak....