Welcome to at the moment’s Photo of the Day! Like lots of the every-other-Wednesday, this Photo of the Day posts on the identical days as a brand new Curious Relics article. If it has not been posted already (spoiler) it’s in regards to the incredible M1 Garand rifle. In the historical past portion, I speak about what ended up being the primary official M1 Garand. This M1 Garand is what’s known as the Gas Trap M1 Garand. The motive being is that the tactic of utilizing gasoline to cycle the motion was completely different in comparison with what most of us know at the moment. John C. Garand wished to keep away from gasoline impingement by way of a gap within the barrel. At the time it was considered a weaker working system. It was feared that it was liable to inaccuracy and eventual failure from put on. Obviously at the moment we use this precise gasoline system in lots of trendy firearms. Before that, the Gas Trap M1 Garand used a hole prolonged portion over the muzzle which might seize gasoline and ship it to the piston and so forth. These would stay in manufacturing from 1936 till 1939 with manufacturing numbers of roughly 18,000. Despite the gasoline entice rifles not being in manufacturing there have been nonetheless left over elements so that they had been put to make use of till the tip of 1940. The final manufacturing numbers are estimated at 51,000.
“This is a scarce example of a Gas Trap M1 Garand rifle as manufactured by the Springfield Armory c. April 1940. This rifle is a late Gas Trap Variant M1 that retains all of its original configuration parts. The receiver heel is roll-stamped: “U.S. RIFLE/CAL. .30 M1/SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/36832” and it retains its unique “unmodified” low rib on the suitable aspect of the receiver. The proper aspect below the inventory line is stamped with the metal lot code “K REP” above the drawing quantity “D28291-1”. The rifle has the right second sample, chrome steel, gasoline cylinder that lacks the lightning cuts discovered on the primary gasoline cylinders with a late sample gasoline plug that lacks the lightning minimize on the entrance. The high of the barrel ring on the gasoline cylinder is appropriately stamped “D28289-1” and it has the third sample entrance sight with the flared wings with sun-deflecting serrations alongside the again aspect. It is fitted with the right milled higher and decrease barrel bands with the middle groove and each with none drawing quantity on the aspect. The rear sight cowl is marked “B8872”, and the aperture is unmarked. The edges of the windage and elevation knobs are checkered. The bolt is marked “D28287/-1”. The early unmodified “straight/curved” working rod is marked with the drawing quantity “D35382-1 SA” and it’s fitted with the right two sq. minimize, keystone recoil springs. The proper aspect of the right fashion barrel is stamped with a single capital “W” proof mark adopted by a single punch marked “P” proof with no date or “SA” markings. The early, “long tail” follower is unmarked on the underside. The working rod catch is parkerized and marked with a single “0” on the again aspect. The bullet information is appropriately marked “B8875 SA”. The follower arm and follower rod usually are not marked. The milled set off guard is marked “C-46025-1SA”. The set off housing is appropriately marked “B 28290 SA” and it has the early fashion giant pad used on early product rifles. The flat high security is marked “C-46015-4SA”, and the hammer is appropriately marked “C46008-1 SA” on the aspect. The hammer spring tube is parkerized. It is fitted with the brief throat second sample gas-trap sample walnut buttstock with the 2 equal holes within the butt which with a “No-Trap” coarse checkered metal buttplate. The buttplate has no drawing quantity on the within. The entrance of the inventory is fitted with the right third sample milled inventory ferrule with no drawing quantity and the entrance hand guard is fitted with the right first sample entrance ferrule with the prolonged lip. The inventory has restamped with a boxed “SA/SPG” last inspection mark on the left aspect and an unique albeit faint block “P” proof mark behind the set off guard. It is full with a late M1905 bayonet marked “SA/1919″ and a WWII green plastic scabbard. Provenance: The George Moller Collection”
Lot 3538: M1 Gas Trap M1 Garand Rifle Rare Early Gas Trap M1 Garand Semi-Automatic Rifle with M1905 Bayonet and Scabbard. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. {photograph}. Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/83/3538/m1-gas-trap-m1-garand-rifle.
