6865512 Unissued SA Garand

[Mike in NC]

There is an auction for a unissued Garand that is listed as a serial number 6865512. The one picture that shows the heel of the receiver is poorly lit and you can't tell, but shouldn't this be a 5865512? Didn't think the postwar SAs went much past 6.1 million.

[colemanw]

Is it a commercial one?

[Mike in NC]

No, I think the commercial Springfield Inc. Garands started at 7 million serial number. They also weren't packaged in that kind of foil wrap.

If going on auction and it wasn't going to come out of the foil wrap, they at least could have taken a decent picture of the heel stamping.

The other pictures of the rifle in the foil wrap are pretty much useless, at least more than one to show it was in the wrap.

Originally Posted by colemanw

Is it a commercial one?

[Shomway]

Almost looks like it's been hand stamped for the 6&8, and they don't look like they are on the same line as the rest of the numbers....Perhaps smaller 6&8?

[Twinson]

The lower outer numbers might be the angle of the heal and a little fish eye on the camera. Sure looks like 5.8 to me.

[Nodak71]

Ditto on it being 5.8, tough to see the heel really well because of the wrap and the preservative all over. Looks like an error posting it, not the first time they have misidentified something or omitted some important detail.

[col b]

History rewritten! Sort of like my 3/67 M1 NM SA barrel that does not exist!

[entoman]

I see it has now been corrected to 5865512.

[Gunny TNT]

I have a question about these Unissued M1's
What do you do with it?
Leave it alone in wrapper or take it out wipe it down and display it.
It's the holy grail Garand and would like to know what most think.

[Nodak71]

Originally Posted by Gunny TNT

I have a question about these Unissued M1's
What do you do with it?
Leave it alone in wrapper or take it out wipe it down and display it.
It's the holy grail Garand and would like to know what most think.

I have two, SA and HRA, but neither are in the wrap. Both still have the preservative on them and the SA has the wrap around the GC and front sight. I just left them as is since they are only in that condition once.