Question Regarding Repairs During Re-Parkerizing

[MikesRJ]

This question is primarily for @timshufflin

I purchased an M1 about a year ago which possessed 90% "correct" parts and am in the process of acquiring the remaining 10% to return the rifle to an "as-issued" state. All of this with the intention of sending it up to Tim and have it re-parked. The M1 is in the s/n 3.260M range.

My question is that I have two areas of concern regarding repairs. The Trigger Housing looks as if a previous owner attempted to bend the bottom plate to get a tighter lock-up, rather IMHO just replace the stock. And there is what appears to be an area of cleaned up rust pitting on the top left of the receiver. Can both of these areas be repaired and cleaned up, and in particular if the receiver is cleaned up would it need to be re-heat treated? See pictures below.

Receiver_002.jpg

Trigger_Housing.jpg

[Punch The Clown]

Mike, I normally like original finish but in this case and most others it just doesn't look good. You can spend half your like trying to find original finish parts with the same color and wear and it just isn't worth it. Anyway, I have cleaned up damage as bad or worse than what you are showing. Use of either the purple or white/gray sand papers seem to cut into the steel nicely with some patience. Another favorite tool is the small 1" Harbor Freight belt sander. Try not to go too fine on the finish as the original was anything but. Make your machine marks go in the direction of the originals. Keep us posted with your results.

Oh, and no re-heat treating is necessary as you aren't dealing with wear areas.

[Punch The Clown]

Oh, another thing. I believe your trigger housing should be a 12 SA which is probably the easiest one to find. Put a wtb or check online and I'm sure you'll find one.

[jak]

Depending on how bad your trigger housing is bent, it might be easier to buy another one. 12-SA or 14-SA are not hard to find.
The finish would not matter if you still plan to send the rifle to Tim.

[MikesRJ]

Thanks Punch and Jak.

Punch, what you said about the Trigger Housing revision, that's one of the hardest parts about this gun. It's right between SA/GAW and SA/NFR in many respects. I mean that by the fact that Col. Woody began his decline health in in the summer of 1944, then passed away in December '44. In November of '44, at the request of the US Army who by then realized Woody would not be returning to his post, Brig. Gen. Norman F Ramsey, Sr. was pulled form retirement (he'd just retired from commanding Rock Island Armory) and took command of Springfield Armory as an emergency replacement. All of this at a time when several M1 parts were changing revisions. It appears to me that Springfield Armory was in a bit of a flux; 1) in loosing their commander so suddenly, and 2) things were changing rapidly on the production lines. This has lead me to several parts which could be one or the other. The trigger guard is a good example. -12 was the rev. in effect at least up to s/n: 3,192,629 (Oct 44), but changed to -14 sometime before s/n: 3354523 (re: Scott A. Duff, The M1 Garand, Serial Numbers & Data Sheets). Several other sources seem to agree with Duff in that -12 was manufactured Dec 42 - Nov 44, and -14 was manufactured Nov 44 - Jan 45. You see where I'm heading with this. Taking "Born on Dates" and average numbers into account, my gun was probably manufactured close to the middle of the second work-week in November, or at least in the first half of the month. So which part is it? LOL Hard to tell. Since the numbers inside the gun, I'm not sure I care. There are at least a half dozen or more parts which fall into this same predicament.

My intentions for this weapon is not to make a museum piece, but rather a mostly correct as-issued piece to be used for re-enacting display. Anything on the outside needs to look as correct as I can get it, but at the same time I want to have it as a shooter as well. I purchased a Minelli stock set, refinished it with the R. Gale and Chestnut Ridge recipe for "Springfield Armory Red". Had the stock stamped SA/GAW, et al. and Will have Tim re-barrel and re-parkerize very soon. Once it's all together and looking pretty, it'll be a task worthwhile.

At the end of the day, it just has to look right from the outside. Only a truly educated eye will be able to pick out the inconsistencies.

[seaninmich]

Replace the trigger hosing. Unless you want to remove material, the receiver is what it is

[Punch The Clown]

Replace the trigger hosing. Unless you want to remove material, the receiver is what it is

Sean, I think the receiver is an easy fix. I agree that replacing the trigger housing is the easiest route.

Mike, when in doubt use the older revision. You're always safe that way.

[timshufflin]

I have the trigger housing $25. I would not be interested in doing anything with that pitting on the receiver. It would not need re heat treating when done, it looks superficial.

[MikesRJ]

Thank you for all the replies. I'll probably just add replacement of the housing to my note of "things to do" when sending it to you @timshufflin.

[garandguy10]

That receiver pitting may be just forging marks..