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Russian Warehouse Find M1


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Hello all,

 

My first post here. Thought I would share photos of my near mint condition M1 which

came from the well known Russian wearhouse find some years ago. It is in very nice

condition, ca. 97% original gun blue remains. Serial number: 1191XX, matching on

both upper and trigger housing assy. Was EU modified to semi, but now restored and

registered to original config. Does anyone have more info on this Russian wearhouse

find?

Regards

Hinrik

 

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Edited by WWII Collector
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Is it the original finish or a Russian refinish? I ask as my own is very grey in comparison.

Bobby, I sent photos of this gun to Richard at tommyguncollectables.com. He told me that this was

the original factory finish and that the parkerized grey guns where all arsenal refinished after the war.

Reg

Hinrik

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It's great that this old soldier lives on! Thanks for posting the pics.

 

Right, a phosphate finish is a certain sign of refinishing, as all TSMGs left the factory blued. Some minor mods have been done to this gun. It's an M1 (v. M1A1) so the "L" rear stamped Lyman sight was originally installed, as well as the paddle type pivot and safety levers of the M1928A1. Looks like the gun still retains the "bright" bolt, the M1928A1 mag release, and the butt stock with no reinforcing bolt, all of which are correct and of the original types. The gun would originally have had milled sling swivels rather than stamped, as well.

 

I believe I'm seeing a rivet on the grip mount, making it a stamped mount. We know that original M1 grip mounts were milled. The grip mount can only be replaced by removing the barrel.

 

Hope you were able to purchase some of the Russian repacked .45 ball ammo at the same time. It was cheap, reliable, and very clean burning, made by Winchester and Remington for Russian Lend-Lease contracts in 1942.

 

I had the opportunity to purchase one of these direct from Ukraine in the early 2000s. It was deactivated to Ukrainian specs, with a big hole drilled in the barrel, and the forward part of the bolt ground off. It seemed awfully illegal under US regulations, so I didn't buy it. According to the seller, though, many Americans did....

 

Beautiful piece!

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TMSGguy,

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I am surprised to hear some parts of this gun may have been modified. This one

came in a batch of few guns from a dealer in Germany who did the SA conversion. I meet and spoke with a staff

member of that company. He stated that these arrived at their shop in original config, or so was my understanding,

and main reason I bought it. Seams some post here say that M1s can have the wing mount rear sight. So I am a bit

confused. See:

 

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22148

 

Here are detailed photos of rear sight and front grip mount bar. The bar looks milled to me (?)

 

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Regards

Hinrik

 

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My Savage M1, S/N 124XXX has the winged sight but the stampings on the gun indicate that it has been through an arsenal rebuild.

I don't know what I'm seeing on the grip mount but it does not appear to be a standard configuration

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According to "American Thunder," the newer style rear sight was added to M1s at around serial 137,000. My thought is that a guy dumps new style parts in the bin and the worker installing sights doesn't miss a beat. My M1 Savage has a serial in the 186,000 range with a riveted grip mount like the OP's has.

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