What do I have ?

[Southj]

Yesterday I bought my first garand. It is an H&R with a serial number range of 4,68x,xxx. That dates it to 1953. The barrel is marked HRA xxxx10-53 which I assume means October 1953.so the barrel and the receiver seem to be original. The top of the bolt is marked 028287 WRA which I assume is a Winchester bolt.The stock has no embossing except a “P” on the underside of the pistol grip. The trigger assembly suffix is SA Springfield. A very precicse 49 is hand painted near the butt of the stock. There is barely any wear on the gun anywhere. Only a few bumps in the stock. A borescope shows the bore to be bright and no corrosion.

i think it’s a really clean Gun but I am unsure of what is original. Should the bolt not be marked H&R ? Should the stock not have some sort of stamping ?
I am a total novice so any help would be appreciated. I bought it because my Dad was in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded bronze stars and two Purple Hearts.

[N8!]

I am a novice M1 owner myself, but this thread had a lot of great info. You will need to pull the receiver out of the stock for more info and details.

Posting pictures helps the knowledgeable folks on this site to help you.

Cheers & good luck!

(here is my thread on my Dad's M1: https://www.m1garandforum.com/forum/...have-questions )

[Southj]

some better pictures.

[N8!]

Can you pull the receiver and photo the right side like this?

[Phil McGrath]

You have a post war M1 and all of it parts should be HRA too be 100% correct. However the rifle looks to be refinished, and while not parts makers correct the silver gray park looks to me as being a LEAD rebuild and they are a collectible of there own. Enjoy it for what it is and go shot it and give us a range report.

[RDS]

Original 4.6 million serial range H&Rs may or may not have SA bolts and op rods. But never WRA bolts or other WRA parts. As others have stated it is a post WWII rebuild. Please post photos of right front receiver leg.

[Southj]

Here are the photos I think you need. What would be the value of this garand ? It has an inked triangle on the bottom of the grip as well as an embossed “P” no circle.

[RDS]

You have a good one. Its a LEAD rebuild from December 1965. There are guys on this forum that collect LEAD rebuilds I'll let them post a value.

[Orlando]

I see them sell in the $950- $1000 range

[Southj]

Whoops I paid more than that........’I also got 400 rds of ammo and enblocs. Where I live we don’t see them that cheap but close to it. What would make my Gun a $1500 Gun since they are nearly all rebuilds. There is a Rock Island Auction article where they graph out the average sales price of the garands they have sold over the past several years. There has been a huge increase in prices. They thru out the really high sales and the very low sales. The average realized sale was $2300. Again if most were rebuilds with mixed parts what makes a $950 vs a + $2000 Gun. Thanks. Trying to learn.

[Orlando]

Well IMO its not a $1500 rifle , you cant go by auction prices as real street values.
Not all rifles are rebuilds, there are examples of original rifles out there both Post War and WWII. Some rifles are Original , never messed with others are rifles that have been rebuilt and someone swapped parts to make them correct as manufactured. As you can imagine a original rifle is worth much more than a corrected rifle. Original and Correct WWII Garand s are worth more than Original and Correct Post War Garands. You will also find very early rifles that went through a early rebuild that will still have some rare parts which makes it more valuable than a later rebuild
Yours is a Post War rifle rebuilt in the 1960,s. It should make a fine shooter
Hope this answers some of your questions.

[Phil McGrath]

Whoops I paid more than that........’I also got 400 rds of ammo and enblocs. Where I live we don’t see them that cheap but close to it. What would make my Gun a $1500 Gun since they are nearly all rebuilds. There is a Rock Island Auction article where they graph out the average sales price of the garands they have sold over the past several years. There has been a huge increase in prices. They thru out the really high sales and the very low sales. The average realized sale was $2300. Again if most were rebuilds with mixed parts what makes a $950 vs a + $2000 Gun. Thanks. Trying to learn.

Auctions are bad too use as any weather gauge, I sold my SA 5.91 LEAD that was also a 65 rebuild for $1100 and I covered the shipping and it had very low T/E and M/E numbers this was about 3 years ago. Prices are holding for solid rifles now what would take too make it a $1500 rifle you ask it would have too be correct with stock and correct finish.

[Southj]

Thanks guys I’m just learning and you have helped me a lot. I paid $1200 with 400 rounds of ammo and enblocks. The Gun shows well with the bright Parker on it so I’m happy. Love having one after 50 years of wanting one.

[Orlando]

With the ammo you did fine. Let us know how she does at the range

[m14brian]

Nice looking rifle.
m14brian