I.H.C garand

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This is the most common of the “Gap Letter Guns”. Approximately 22,000 guns in this sequence. Note the SA heat lot number. IHC was randomly stamped in front of the 4 million serial number range drawing number. The IHC was dropped for the 5 million Gap Numbered Guns. The 4 M Gap Lettered guns were produced (approximately) between Nov. 1953 and Feb. 1954.

I just realized mine is only 1300 and some out from the example given here.
 
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A good friend who acquired a minty IH Garand was recently at a local restaurant and had 2 townies approach him to make an offer within an hour long breakfast so they must be special to some people. These guys were more interested in the brand name associated with it LOL
 
Thanks very much for the info.
I did not realize how few the 5 million Gaps were....mine is a '55 by the stock stamp and a 5/55 LMR barrel date.
 
I was always under the impression that the stock I obtained for my IHC was for that rifle but I am not sure now. In the first picture from the top of the stock has a notch cut out as I was told was common with IHC stocks.

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IHC stocks can be identified by a 4 digit Julian date stamped in the bottom of their front channel. 2 letters may also appear with these 4 numbers. IHC stocks also show a scallop or indentation in the right side of the stock below the windage knob. Some types of replacement stocks may also show this same scallop. This scallop, without the stampings in the barrel channel, does not mean that they are original IHC stocks.
 
I have another stock I bought a few years ago that I cleaned up. It had quite a thick finish of lacquer and looked quite nice. It came with all the metal but I wanted to clean it up so I stripped it. Underneath all that I found the words MINH HO.

I am thinking it was off a Garand that was used in the Vietnam in the early years of the War by the ARVN and brought to Canada by Ontario Auto Mart. My buddy bought a 53 IHC there for $150.00 back then.
 
I have an IHC Garand that I believe to be all original. I haven't been able to verify that with the limited information that I can find on the internet, or with Bruce N. Canfield's book. The rifle seems too good to be true so took a bunch of pictures of all the markings I could find. I'm hoping one of you with more knowledge than I can chime in and tell me what I have.

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All the parts have consistent wear and nothing has been refinished, like I say, seems too good to be true. Thanks for any and all help. Cheers!
 
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Very nice example :) I am looking for a IHC OP Rod.

Currently it has a NM (National Match) OP which I heard were made for SA.

I am not sure really what I have as I heard that the NM Rods were used or sometimes used on CMP's
 
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Everything I see looks original IHC to me. There should/could be a single letter stamp on the fol parts which I don't see; follower, clip latch (on inside), op rod catch, and rear sight base (on bottom). Gas plug should be IHC NHC or IHC. Elevation pinion should be IHC marked. The op rod is an originaL IHC. Would need to see the buttplate to tell. What is the width of the front sight ears at the top? the s/n of your rifle is only 85 away from one that I got 20+ yrs ago. It was also pretty much all IHC. Best of all it has an original IHC stock which bears the correct Julian date for the period of assembly (fall 1955).
 
Thanks for the compliment and the info guys!
I opened her back up to have a closer look at the parts you mentioned. The Gas Plug is marked IHC NHC, the elevation pinion is marked IHC, the op rod catch is marked with an "H", and the follower is marked with a "G". I didn't strip it down far enough to look at the sight base or clip latch. I also noticed that there is an "F" on the op rod and also on the safety. I took a photo of these parts and also of the buttplate and the front sight with a ruler for reference. When I removed the buttplate there was no marking that I could see.
Here's the photos:
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From what I see you have an original and correct IHC rifle. The buttplate checks as do the other parts that you are showing. You won't know about the clip latch and r. sight base unless you dismantle it further. IHCs had the widest of all maker's front sights, normally measuring 7/8 in across the top of the ears. Yours is narrower than this, but the good news is that narrower front sights were installed on some late production rifles. IHC production was quite chaotic at times with quite a few exceptions from the norm, such as using Springfield and HRA produced receivers at times to keep production going. The definitive book on the IHC Garands is due out this spring at a cost of $89.95. An original IHC rifle, like yours, is a nice find.
 
Thanks purple! I'm very happy to say the least, especially considering what I paid. This was the last Garand I was looking for to complete my collection of all the manufacturers. When I get a little more ambitious I will confirm the clip latch and sight base, but I have no reason to doubt that they are original too. The IHC is my favourite (maybe I'm a little twisted to find it odd that a weapon designed for killing is made by a company called "International Harvester"). Being in the army during war time, I've done a little "International Harvesting" of my own. Either way, this is the only original Garand that I own, with my pre WW2 Winchester coming in a very close second. One day when I have enough time I'll start a thread of my US milsurp collection that consists of every Garand except an original M1C, and every M1911 except for a Singer , of course.
 
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