closed box S.A over an RA correct for M1D ? please help

[razors edge]

I am buying an m1D Winchester weds. Only curious thing on it is the cartouche. S.A over an RA in a closed box on left side of butt stock. Is it acceptable ? Please help me out guy's. .thanks

[George in NH]

Sir,
The stock stampings you describe are rebuild/build marks applied when the work was finished. I would surmise that the stock was at Raritan Arsenal at some time and then this stock was at SA at some time. Current data seems to show that SA only used SA receivers for "D" builds. However, "D" parts kits were in the inventory for supply to units to do their own "build". This would account for other than SA receivers being "real" GI builds. If your purchase is all US GI parts then $2700.00 is a pretty good price. Be wary of fake parts and ask for a reasonable return/refund policy. Also, try not to get "hung up" on the hand guards and hand guard hardware. If your purchase is a "unit" build
then most if not all of the "originality" is gone. HTH and Good Luck. George in NH

[razors edge]

Hi...thank you...I presume the cartouches are then correct for m1D rifles ? I'm fairly convinced the balance of the parts are correct. ..

[twh]

All M-1D's were rebuilds so there are numerous combination of markings that would be correct. Given the time frame that the D's were being built there are a lot with SA open box stocks but SA wasn't the only one building them. As stated they were designed to be easy conversion and no one would have cared about the combination of parts. I have seen SA, WRA & HRA D's all of which were undoubtably GI builds.

[emmagee1917]

SA over RA is a common and correct stamp for M1Ds . RA in this case is the inspector's initals , lost to time AFAIK .
Chris

[razors edge]

Thank you...rifle purchased today !

[Rick B]

All M-1D's were rebuilds so there are numerous combination of markings that would be correct. Given the time frame that the D's were being built there are a lot with SA open box stocks but SA wasn't the only one building them. As stated they were designed to be easy conversion and no one would have cared about the combination of parts. I have seen SA, WRA & HRA D's all of which were undoubtably GI builds.

This is incorrect. M1D will only have the SA with an RA somewhere near the opened box marks. None of the open boxed or closed box SA with other letters is correct for a real m1D. This has been a very bad rumor for years and cost allot of people good money when purchasing a plain old Open box with odd letters. It has to be the smaller RA near the SA marks. Rick B

[twh]

I will defer to your expertise but would not any combination of marks be correct assuming a stock was not replaced at the time of the conversion and certainly if a rebuilt rifle were converted somewhere other than SA.

[George in NH]

I would like to offer that a "RA" stamping on the left side of the buttstock to the rear of the pistol grip may or does signify Raritan Arsenal instead of a persons initials. Additionally, open box SA rebuild stampings typically have a single letter under the "A" of SA. This stamping is on the left side of the buttstock to the rear of the pistol grip. "R" and "S" seem to be the most common letters under the "A" of SA. I do not know what the single letter may signify. Some years ago I turned my attention to buying genuine post war rebuilds as the pricing for these rifles was and is no where near the pricing for "known" original M1's. I have at least three DCM rifles that I purchased over time that are in 100 per cent rebuild condition, plus my M1D from the second round of the CMP raffle has the open box "SA" with the "R" below the "A" and this rifle too is in 100 per cent rebuild condition.
HTH. George in NH

[mar53]

Based on what I have read, any M1-D without accompanying paperwork, like CMP or DCM paperwork - is suspect. If you have no proof that it was a real M1-D, then it is just worth the sum of the parts. As Rick B said- a lot of people have spent a lot of money on rifles said to be M1-D's, that were most likely not "official". Scott Duff has a good write up on this on his web site - www.scott-duff.com/M1D.htm JMO