International Harvester IHC M1 M-1 Garand .30-06 Semi Auto Rifle, 1954 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2400
LSB#: 210925MZ16
Make: International Harvester
Model: M1 Garand
Serial Number: 4591595
Year of Manufacture: 1954. Barre Date: January, 1954
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Semi Auto, Fed by En Bloc Clips
Markings: There is no import mark.
Receiver: “U.S. RIFLE / CAL. .30 M1 / INTERNATIONAL / HARVESTER / 4591595”. The area above this is marked with a “0-66” in electric pencil. This mark appears to have been added as is not a standard rebuild mark. Trigger Group: “6528290-SA” – A Springfield part (page 90 of Joe Poyer’s M1 GARAND 1936 to 1957, 6th Edition).
Hammer: “SA 5546008”– A Springfield part (page 98).
Safety: “IHC” – An International Harvester part (page 104).
Follower: “12” – A Springfield part (page 83).
Receiver Leg: “D6528291-L” – Correct for a 1954 International Harvester M1 Garand (page 30).
Op Rod: “D35382 SA” – A Springfield part (page 72). The right side of the op rod is faintly marked “595”.
Bolt: “D28287-19SA / B-16-B – A Springfield part (page 52).
Barrel: “P” twice, “LMR” (Line Material Company of Birmingham, Alabama), “D6535448”, “1 54”, “A 28”, “M” and with a Defense “Eagle” acceptance stamp – LMR provided barrels for International Harvester (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 “DRC”. The elevation knob is marked from “2-12” in increments of 2 and “DRC”.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The left side of the buttstock is marked with a faded Defense “Eagle” acceptance stamp above the trigger. This mark appears to have been added. The face of the grip is marked with a “circled P” proof and “132”. The belly of the stock is marked “595”.
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 refinished buttplate has scratches and surface erosion showing through the new finish. It shows scrapes. The wood shows several scrapes, scratches & compression marks. Some have damaged small portions of surface wood. The most prominent marks are on the left side of the forearm. The LOP measures 13 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Very Good Plus overall condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright; semi bright near the muzzle. The rifling is deep. There is no visible erosion. The bore shows an M.E. of 1. The throat shows a T.E. of 2.5.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its metal finish as refinished. The metal shows several scuffs & scrapes. The right side of the receiver shows drag lines from cycling. The markings are well defined. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good Plus to Fine 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 1954 International Harvester M1 Garand has been rebuilt. The action uses Springfield and IHC parts. Luckily it retains its original Line Material Corp. (LMR) barrel which is still strong & bright. The rifle has since been refinished. This is a good looking M1 Garand that should do well at the range.