International Harvester M1 Garand .30-06 Semi Automatic Rifle MFD 1953 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1775

LSB#: 220112VH017

Make: International Harvester

Model: M1 Garand

Serial Number: 4586887

Year of Manufacture: 1953. Barre Date: March, 1967

Caliber: .30-06 Springfield

Action Type: Semi Auto, Fed by En Bloc Clips

Markings: The import mark on the barrel reads “BLUE SKY ARLINGTON, VA.”.
Receiver: “U.S. RIFLE / CAL. .30 M1 / INTERNATIONAL / HARVESTER / 4586887”
Trigger Group: “D28290-12-SA” – A Springfield part (page 90 of Joe Poyer’s M1 GARAND 1936 to 1957, 6th Edition).
Hammer: “C46008-2 SA”– A Springfield part (page 98).
Safety: Unmarked with a round top – The marking may have been lost to refinishing (page 104).
Follower: None – Used by International Harvester and others (page 83).
Receiver Leg: “100” in ink and “D6528291-I” – Correct for a 1953 dated International Harvester M1 Garand (page 30).
Op Rod: “NM” on top and “7790722-RA” – A Springfield National Match part (page 72).
Bolt: “D28287-19SA / B-14” – A Springfield part  (page 52).
Barrel: “Winchester”, “653448 3-67 3”, “P”, “M” and with a Defense “Eagle” acceptance stamp – A Winchester part (pages 63 – 65).
The stock and sight are described below.

Barrel Length: Approximately 24 Inches

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade set between two protective wings. The rear sight is a fully adjustable aperture sight. The windage knob is marked “LEFT arrow” twice and “BME”. The elevation knob is marked from “2-12” in increments of 2 as well as “S SI”.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The bottom of the grip is marked “100” in ink.
The three piece hardwood stock has a pistol grip, metal nosecaps, stacking loop, two sling loops, and a metal buttplate with hinged metal door for storage in the butt. The front handguard shows cracks at the top front and bottom left which have been repaired. They do not flex when pressure is applied. The wood shows numerous scrapes, scratches & compression marks. Several have damaged small portions of surface wood. Most of the marks are on the handguards. The LOP measures 13 1/2 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Very Good Plus overall condition as refurbished.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The grooves are dark and the rifling is deep. There is erosion in the bore. It is more pronounced in the grooves. The bore shows an M.E. of 0.5. The throat shows a T.E. of 4.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 95% of its metal finish. The metal shows numerous scuffs, scrapes and small scratches. Most of the marks are on the barrel & gas tube. The markings are well defined. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good Plus condition as refinished.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The M1 Garand had garnered a well-deserved reputation as the best standardized service rifle of WWII. At the end of WWII large numbers of Garands were in inventory and it was assumed they were sufficient to meet future military needs. That all changed when the Korean War broke out. Springfield Armory ramped up its Garand production line as quickly as possible, but additional sources were needed. On June 15, 1951, the Ordnance Dept. granted a contract to the International Harvester Co (IHC). International Harvester manufactured  half-tracks, trucks and tractors during World War II. The firm had never made firearms. One of the major reasons behind the government’s selection of International Harvester was its location. Springfield Armory and Winchester were about 60 miles apart which was no longer desirable in a nuclear age. IHC is over 800 miles from Springfield and could continue production if there were a nuclear strike on the eastern seaboard.
In order to augment Springfield Armory’s and International Harvester’s M1 rifle production, a contract was also granted to the Harrington & Richardson Arms Co. on April 3, 1952.
International Harvester had a number of production issues which led them to subcontract the production of barrels to the Line Material Corp (LMR). It was soon widely acknowledged that the company’s barrels were of the highest quality. The high quality of the LMR barrels and their availability were among the few things to go smoothly with International Harvester’s M1 rifle production program.
IHC received production assistance from both Springfield Armory and H&R during the contract.
The International Harvester M1 Garand has since become one of the more popular M1’s due to the number of receiver variations and their relative scarcity as compared to Springfield Armory Garands of the same era.
This International Harvester M1 Garand was made back in 1953. It served for a U.S. friendly country and was eventually imported back into the U.S. for sales to the civilian market. It is marked accordingly on the barrel. At some point it was rebuilt using a mix of USGI parts including a Winchester barrel. Winchester barrels are scarce. The rifle has been refinished so it looks pretty good for its age. This International Harvester M1 Garand can still do plenty of work at the range. Good luck.