Beretta M1 Garand Danish FKF .30-06 Semi Automatic Rifle MFD 1955 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1775
LSB#: 210925MZ23
Make: Beretta of Italy. Danish Contract Rifle.
Model: M1 Garand
Serial Number: PB3365
Year of Manufacture: 1950’s. 1955 Barrel Date
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Semi Auto, En Bloc Clip Fed
Markings: The import mark on the left side of the receiver reads “BERETTA-ARMI / ROMA-ITALIA”.
The front sight wings, follower assembly (3 places), gas tube, gas tube lock, and the clip latch are each marked “P.B.” for Beretta.
Receiver: “crown / FKF / Nr. / P.B. 3365” – A Danish Forsvarets Kriegsmaterial Forvaltning (Defense War Material Administration) mark and a Beretta serial number (page 224 of Joe Poyer’s M1 GARAND 1936 to 1957, 6th Edition).
Trigger Group: “D 28290- PB”- An Italian Beretta part (page 225).
Hammer: “PB-C.46008” – An Italian Beretta part (page 225).
Follower: “PB” – An Italian Beretta part (page 225).
Receiver Leg: “P.B. / D 6528291” – An Italian Beretta part (page 225).
Barrel: “RSC”, “1955”, and “crown / PB” (overstamped) – A Italian Beretta part (page 225).
Bolt: “6422” stamped over “4911” and “D-28287 / P.B.” – An Italian Beretta part (page 225).
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. The windage knob is marked “LEFT arrow” twice. The elevation knob is marked from “2-12” in increments of 2.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The left side of the buttstock is marked with the serial number. The bottom of the butt is marked with the last 4 digits of the serial number.
The hardwood stock has a pistol grip, metal nose caps, a stacking loop, two sling loops, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage in the butt. The buttplate shows several scratches and cleaned surface erosion. The wood shows numerous scrapes, scratches, and compression marks. 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: Refinished
Bore Condition: The grooves are light gray and the rifling is deep. There is fouling and intermittent erosion in the grooves. The fouling should clean up some. The bore shows an M.E. of 2. The throat shows a T.E. of 2.3.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 92% of its metal finish. The metal shows scuffs, scrapes, and thinning on the leading edges of the metal. The receiver legs show thinning on the edges. The bottom rear of the receiver shows thinning and oxidation. The right side of the receiver and bolt show some thinning from cycling. The markings are deep. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good 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: The rifle has a green canvas sling attached. It shows soiling & discoloration on the canvas as well as scrapes & oxidation on the metal. It is in about Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: The U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1 is known affectionately as “the Garand” after its inventor, John Garand. The rifle would become the first standard-issue semi-automatic infantry rifle in the world. While some countries entered the war with limited issued semi-automatic rifles or developed such rifles during the war, America was the only nation to enter with its Army issuing autoloading rifles on a large scale. General Patton famously referred to the rifle as “the greatest battle implement ever devised”. Millions were produced during WWII and hundreds of thousands afterward, seeing use through the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.
One year after WWII ended the Danish Military purchased 30 to 40 thousand M1 Garands from the U.S. Military. As these Garands began to wear out Denmark purchased an additional 13,966 M1 Rifles & spare parts from Beretta and Breda. In 1960’s the Danes began manufacturing their own M1 Garand barrels which are marked differently than the Italian barrels.
This M1 Garand was made by Beretta in Italy as a contract M1 Garand for the Danish Military. The rifle looks good and has lots of deep markings on the metal including the Danish “crown / FKF” mark on the receiver. It will add nicely to your Military or Garand collection.
