Is this an AFPG Garand

[StockDoc]

Been watching this, it has some desirable parts on it. Still other parts make it look as though it is a put together rifle. The trigger guard is possibly wrong, parts are not polished like they should be.

The question is, is this an Air Force Premium Grade Garand. It has no paper work.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=539495371

[twh]

I don't think it is as it is missing several of the key characteristics. Oddly enough he had one listed a couple of years ago that was real and sold before I could bid. The add however mentioned having some more Garands that would be listed later. I contacted the seller and it turns out what he had was a Navy grade b match mod.2 mk1 with the paperwork which I was able to get. He comes up with some neat stuff occasionally so he has some kind of source from which these guns appear. Could be an old match shooter liquidating his collection but who knows.

[garandeguy10]

I do not think it is an AFPG, however it does look like a well done match rifle.

[Phil McGrath]

I would say NO it is not, the barrel on that rifle is Navy SA#11010457. If it was a AFPG 7.62mmm rifle it would have either a Navy SA#11686514 barrel that was traded between teams or the RIA#11686320 7.62mm barrel made for the Air Force.

Nice rifle and it could have been built too AFPG stds for a shooter that was in the AF, but I don't think it was a Lacklund built rifle its way too pretty.

[StockDoc]

Thanks everyone.

[Random Guy]

As noted in the GCA magazines back in 2002 and I again in 2012 or 2013, Air Force Premium Grade rifles have unique stock markings, but unfortunately the seller did not provide any pictures of the area to validate if that's an AFPG rifle. To easily and quickly check, all one needs to do is remove the stock from the action, and look at the bottom and sides of the stock channel near the stock ferrule. The match rifles made by the AF have 3 unique characteristics: 1) They are dated with month and year of build (e.g, "3-66" in the case of my AFPG, and in some cases they have two dates, indicating the rifle was rebuilt), 2) they have the last 4 digits of the rifle serial number (in some cases, they have two serial #s, with one crossed off, indicating that the stock was rebedded and re-used on a different match rifle with a different s/n), and 3) in the stock channel they have between 1 and perhaps 6 or 7 deep punch marks. The number of punch marks indicates exactly which match armorer built that particular rifle). I have a AFPG stock with all these characteristics but don't have a picture to post, but those GCA magazines show all these details. The Navy did not mark their match stocks in this manner.

BTW, the AF did get some of the Navy's SA 7.62 barrels, according to former Navy match shooter Capt. Jim Adell (retired). Apparently the well-regarded M1 guru, Don McCoy, who built the Navy's 7.62 Grade A/Grade B match rifles (circa late 1960s into the mid to late 1970s), was ordered to provide the Air Force with some of "his" SA 7.62 barrels that had been air-guaged and met match rifle requirements. He was not too happy about that, according to Jim Adell... Anyhow, regardng the rifle on gunbroker, I agree that the lack of polishing on the bottom of the barrel suggests its not a AFPG rifle, but a picture of the front on the stock's barrel channel would quickly confirm or disconfirm if it was an AFPG match rifle. The shiny/varnish finish is typical of these match rifles.

[StockDoc]

I was also wondering if it was refinished with a Zinc park, the metal just looks so good. Would explain the lack of polishing

[Phil McGrath]

The AF did get some of the Navy's SA 7.62 barrels, according to former Navy match shooter Capt. Jim Adell (retired). Apparently the well-regarded M1 guru, Don McCoy, who built the Navy's 7.62 Grade A/Grade B match rifles (circa late 1960s into the mid to late 1970s), was ordered to provide the Air Force with some of "his" SA 7.62 barrels that had been air-guaged and met match rifle requirements. He was not too happy about that, according to Jim Adell... Anyhow, regardng the rifle on gunbroker, I agree that the lack of polishing on the bottom of the barrel suggests its not a AFPG rifle, but a picture of the front on the stock's barrel channel would quickly confirm or disconfirm if it was an AFPG match rifle. The shiny/varnish finish is typical of these match rifles.

I didn't know the good Commander was promoted too Capt? I know that the Navy traded and bartered barrels for other needed parts when there budget was cut or getting low, mostly for complete NMA2 sights coincidentally that was about the same time ball and detent sights came about. I've handled both Navy and AFPG rifles at the Western Games, there were a few AFPG rifles with Navy 3/66 barrels all AF rifles had the small AFPG stamp between the gas cylinder rings. This was a few days before the CMP release, I would question any AFPG 7.62mm rifle that didn't have a 3/66 dated barrel without the AFPG stamp between the gas cylinder rings or a 7.62mm rifle without a Rock Island made barrel.

[Random Guy]

Oops, that should have read Cmdr Adell (retired), not Capt...good catch.