Harrington & Richardson M1 Garand H&R US .30-06 Semi Automatic Rifle C&R

SOLD FOR: $1375

LSB#: 220109RB058

Make: Harrington & Richardson (H&R) Arms Company.

Model: M1 Garand

Serial Number: 5580941

Year of Manufacture: 1955 (page 30 of Joe Poyer’s M1 GARAND 1936 to 1957, 6th Edition). Barrel Date: 1-55

Caliber: .30-06 Springfield

Action Type: Semi Auto, En Bloc Clip Fed

Markings: There is no import mark.
Receiver: “U.S. RIFLE / CAL. .30 M1 / H. & R. ARMS CO. / 5580941”
Trigger Group: “6528290—HRA N”- An H&R part (page 90 of Joe Poyer’s M1 GARAND 1936 to 1957, 6th Edition).
Hammer: “HRA 5546008”– An H&R part (page 97).
Safety: “HRA” – An H&R part (page 104).
Follower: unmarked – An H&R part used by others (page 83).
Receiver Leg: “6528291” and “X” – Correct for a 1955 H&R M1 (page 30).
Op Rod: “6535382 HRA.” – An H&R part (page 71).
Bolt: “6528287-SA / A16”- A Springfield part (pages 51 & 52).
Barrel: “HRA 6535448 1-55 RS46”, “M”, “P” and with a Defense “Eagle” acceptance stamp – An H&R part (page 63-65).
The stock and sights 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 set between two protective wings. The windage knob is marked “LEFT arrow” twice and “HRA-W”. The elevation knob is marked from “2-12” in increments of two and “HR A”.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The face of the grip is marked with a “circled P” proof. The left side of the stock is marked with a Defense “Eagle” acceptance stamp which is correct for a post September, 1953 stock.
The 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 buttstock. The buttplate shows scrapes & light thinning. The wood shows numerous scrapes, scratches & compression marks. Many have damaged small areas of the surface wood. The LOP measures 13 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original to Rebuild

Bore Condition: The lands are bright, the grooves are semi bright and the rifling is deep. There is some fouling in the grooves which should clean up a bit. There is a small amount of light erosion at the edge of the muzzle. The bore shows an M.E. of 0.5. The throat shows a T.E. of 1.5.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its metal finish. The metal shows scuffs, scrapes and small scratches. The most prominent marks are on the gas tube assembly. The receiver and bolt show light operational wear. The markings range from deep to well defined. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good Plus to Fine condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

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. International Harvester was contracted to produce M1 Garands in 1951. On April 3, 1952, H&R was given a contract for the production of M1 Garand rifles.
H&R had produced a number of types of firearms for the civilian market, but H&R’s prior experience in military firearm production for the government was primarily limited to the Reising .45 ACP submachine gun that it made during World War II. H&R was able to capitalize on its arms making experience during production and supplied International Harvester with assistance in producing M1 Garands. Unlike the mix of parts found on some IHC M1 Garands, there was typically much more consistency in the H&R rifles including the format of the receiver markings. Unlike IHC, H&R made its own barrels for most of the company’s production run. When International Harvester opted out of its contact, a number of the Line Material Corp. (LMR) barrels on hand were diverted to H&R and used to assemble some late-production rifles. LMR barrels are considered high quality barrels.

This Harrington & Richardson M1 Garand was made in 1955. It has since been rebuilt but uses mostly H&R marked parts. This is a good looking, collectible rifle with a strong bright bore. It will add to your Military Collection and should keep you smiling out at the range. Good luck.