New to me International Harvester

Fulfilled a long time goal over the weekend, went to the local gun show, came home with this beauty.

First IH I've ever had my hands on, I've seen countless Springfields, but never an IH in person. I know the IHs are the rarest, but besides that, I'm an old farm boy, and love the idea that a tractor company made these. I told myself if I ever get one it'll be an IH.

I went to the show prepared, just in case I came across something, but didn't expect to find anything. SWMBO had said, "if you find your birthday present while you're there that'd be swell." I was at the right place, at the right time, with a wad of cash. I got super lucky, seeing as I really didn't check it over as thoroughly as I should, I was tunnel vision, "shut-up and take my money," mode, and took the seller at his word. I've had it apart, cleaned, lubed, and documented everything that has a number on it is all IHC, except maybe the stock. I can't verify it's anything, it's been sanded and lightly varnished in a previous life, no cartouches or markings anywhere.

Mine is a Korean War era, '53-'54, "Postage Stamp" IH receiver.

You should get the truck to go with it.

Very cool. I didn't know IH ever built M1 rifles. I found an article from the American Rifleman on the topic: https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/10/27/the-international-harvester-m1-garand-rifle/

I remember that IH M1 article.

Here's the matching truck on Canada:

I have a Springfield and had an H&R, but never an IH. I keep thinking one of these years I'll take a Garand deer hunting just to do it. It's a heavy rifle compared to a more modern gun, but 30.06 is a heck of a round. I shot a 550 lb black bear this year with a Remington 750 in 30.06. I can't imagine what it would do to a person in combat. As Patton said of the Garand: "the greatest battle implement ever devised". Congrats and watch the thumb!

Ah! I see you have the machine that goes PING!

My uncle has one, and the Scout to drive it around in.

Nice. I want one, regardless of make.

Dr. Hess wrote: You should get the truck to go with it.

In due time, in due time.

stuart in mn wrote: Very cool. I didn't know IH ever built M1 rifles. I found an article from the American Rifleman on the topic: https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/10/27/the-international-harvester-m1-garand-rifle/

Yes I've read that article a couple of times, along with a ton of stuff on CMP, and Garand Gear.

Apis Mellifera wrote: I have a Springfield and had an H&R, but never an IH. I keep thinking one of these years I'll take a Garand deer hunting just to do it. It's a heavy rifle compared to a more modern gun, but 30.06 is a heck of a round. I shot a 550 lb black bear this year with a Remington 750 in 30.06. I can't imagine what it would do to a person in combat. As Patton said of the Garand: "the greatest battle implement ever devised". Congrats and watch the thumb!

I've wanted that shirt, even long before I ever had a Garand.

This one was extra heavy when I got it. I had opened the trap door in the but plate and noticed a couple of patches stuffed in the stock, I assumed it was a cleaning kit.

Then I discovered about 3 lbs of lead shot behind those patches.

Will wrote: Ah! I see you have the machine that goes PING!

I very much look forward to it going PING!

patgizz wrote: My uncle has one, and the Scout to drive it around in.

I can appreciate a Scout, but I think my Garand needs a pickup.

Brian wrote: Nice. I want one, regardless of make.

Yes, I need to eventually get all 4 makes. They're like Pokemon, gotta collect them all. CMP still has some field grade rifles listed, and a few in their auction house, but the auction rifles are quite a bit more than the field grade rifles.

I'm after an Arisaka type 99 made by Toyo Kogyo (Mazda).

My Garand was personally handed to me by a uniformed member of Bill Clinton's government (USPS.)

I'm a little jelly. I won't lie.

I inherited both types of M1. A Garand and a Carbine. The Carbine takes a different 30 caliber round and has a separate magazine. No thumb worries with it. Not sure the make, will have to check later.

That carbine is probably worth more than the Garand today. They have gone nuts.

My Garand is a Remington and my Carbine is Inland Mfg, General Motors.

My dad had the Carbine all my life, I learned to shoot with it. The Garand was a recent acquisition a couple years before he passed away 19 years ago. He had another Garand at that time that wasn't in as good a condition as this one. Had some metal pitting and the stock was beat up more. My sister took it to hang above her fireplace as wall art. Don't know what make it is.

bigdaddylee82 wrote: Then I discovered about 3 lbs of lead shot behind those patches.

Well, that's one way to reduce recoil.

wlkelley3 wrote: I inherited both types of M1. A Garand and a Carbine. The Carbine takes a different 30 caliber round and has a separate magazine. No thumb worries with it. Not sure the make, will have to check later.

Now you need an Abrams to complete the trifecta.

Appleseed wrote: Now you need an Abrams to complete the trifecta.

If he had a BMW, those two rifles would probably try to shoot it from instinct.

I kick myself for not buying them 20yrs ago when they were cheap. They are great bone stock. Done up with the match treatment they are amazing.

Jealous.....

We should have a Garand thread and do a Postal Match sometime...

In reply to akamcfly:

The last time the Garand was that close to a German machine it was shooting at it.

Great purchase! My dad got one years ago when the gov't was cutting them loose. IIRC, it was a fairly involved process that involved a ton of paperwork followed by shooting several matches to "qualify". It was totally "luck of the draw", but he got an absolutely pristine example.

If the stock is actually varnished, you may want to think about stripping it and switching over to an oil finish. One of the guys he qualified with took his home and put an absolutely mirror like varnish on his, which looked great until it proceeded to bubble and peel about 50 rounds into the first match shoot. A light varnish may be OK, but the forestock around the barrel is subject to a surprising amount of heat.

I've got an uncle in NWA that has an impressive collection of firearms, mostly Colt's "snake" guns, Woodsman, Sportsman, Huntsman, 1911s, etc., Winchester's (he has 7 Model 61s), Brownings, and he has at least one of every caliber combo of model 24 that Savage/Stevens ever made, just to name a few. He's way out of my league, and not really into militaria, but I thought he'd be interested in my new Garand, so I sent him a picture of it last weekend after I got it.

That led to a phone call, a request to bring it to him to see it in person, and an invitation to go with him and a friend of his to the Wanenmacher's Tulsa Arms Show, billed as the "World's Largest Gun Show," that just happened to be going on this weekend, so SWMBO and I moved some things around, and spent the weekend with my aunt and uncle. SWMBO and my Aunt went "antiquing" in Tulsa, while the rest of us were at the gun show. I was not prepared, 11 acres, yes eleven, of booths. I didn't know you could get tired of looking at guns before this weekend. I managed to behave, and only came home with some AR parts, ammo, a sling, and a whole lot of knowledge. We found a gorgeous Grade 4 BAR in .308 (super rare) for my uncle's friend (the reason they went to the show in the first place) who also has a ridiculous collection of his own.

I picked up a "correct" sling from 1952 for the Garand, and like I said, learned a lot. I had a lot of pictures on my phone, and got to talk to some real Garand nuts. I had 3 guys from 2 different booths ogling over the pictures, and a question of, "are you looking to sell it?" When I made it clear that I intend to keep it, I got a lot of knowledge laid on me. My Garand has been through Great Brittan at some point based on the barrel stamp, apparently rare for an IHC, most of them that were lent to our allies and if they came back, they went through South America. Guy I was speaking with had a whole lot of Garands for sale, and had said he'd only ever seen 2 others like mine. I never told them what I paid for it, but when I was told if I ever sell it not to take less than 3X what I paid for it, I kind of felt like I was on Antiques Roadshow.

They were pretty sure the stock was original too, but since it's been sanded, and all the cartouches are gone, they recommended that I buy a "correct" stock for it, to make it 100% verifiable IHC again. One of the vendors actually had the correct IHC stock, but the $500 price tag was way more than I anticipated. I couldn't bring myself to spend that much cheddar on another stock.

I was hoping to buy some surplus M2 Ball ammo at the show, but everyone that had any was only selling it pre-packaged in en block and/or stripper clips. I knew that several manufacturers offer M1 Garand safe modern ammo, and found some 150 grain PPU .30-06 "for rifle M1 Garand," for a little less per round than what CMP sells the surplus M2 Ball for, so I brought 80 rounds home with me.

It was a good weekend, but I'm wore out.