|
.
M1 Rifle Serial Numbers A proviso… For all of you who have asked for the serial number production date for your new CMP acquisition, I have decided to post a (hopefully) readable table to enable our readers to locate the manufacturing date of your prize. As you are all aware, the Post WWII numbers require a bit of interpolation and research, and hopefully, “The Assigned Serial Number Ranges” and “The Serial Number Ranges of Interesting Variations” will give you something to work with. I publish this data with some small amount of trepidation, as aside from constructing the tables, most of the research represents the efforts of many others who have gone before. You will find that the numbers are not exactly as listed in Scott Duff’s books, nor have some of these serial number ranges been previously published. This is primarily due to the fact that much water has gone under the bridge since the last official publication of the numbers, AND much has been learned since. For instance, we can no longer ABSOLUTELY identify the last serial number produced at the end of WWII for either Springfield or Winchester. I owe much of my information due to the continuing work of Scott Duff and Dave McClain (who blushingly attributes much of his information to the work of Bob Sejas). All of these folks are too modest and without their determined efforts, some of this stuff would never have come to light. I have also run the information past Eagle One, and he concurs with the posted numbers, given our current data (as of November 1999). Please understand, all these numbers are subject to change if new information is uncovered. This entire project started when I started to put together a small booklet on the M1 that made the accumulated data available in a readable format and did not require wading through a large textbook. I have always considered it to be a sort of “Classic Comics of the M1” designed to give you enough to write a book report, but not to make an expert of the reader. Good “Head Reading Material” as it were. Every time I figured that I had the booklet finished, I would discover some other interesting fact, and I’d be back to the drawing board. Well, it still isn’t ready, but I’m working on it… It also is NOT designed to replace having a copy of Scott Duff’s Books (I wouldn’t be without mine), nor Bruce Canfield’s (I need to get a copy of his latest work). Dave McClain’s continuing contributions to the Garand Collector’s Quarterly have been an extremely informative source of information. If I didn’t subscribe for any other reason, his article alone would warrant my membership. Eagle One is a constant source of inspiration, and I know of no one more qualified to fill in the gaps and keep me on track. Since the idea was to get the information out to the M1 aficionado, I’ve decided to publish some of the information since the most common question seems to be concerning “when was my serial number produced, and by whom?” Hopefully this will help out a bit. If nothing else, I have learned a lot on this project and am most grateful to all those who assisted in my assembling the data… If anyone has any comments or corrections, please let me know and I’ll hit the books again! To the “World’s Greatest Battle Implement”, a toast! “Long live the mighty M1!” Best regards, Dick
|
