Info about my Beretta M1 Garand?

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Sea Shepherd

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Hi everyone,

I'm a new member here, and just today managed to find a great deal on my dream rifle -- an M1 Garand. I picked it up at the Chilliwack show. I'm just posting here to see if I can gather more information about it than what I have already managed to come up with.

But first, pics! (click on the pic once for slightly bigger, then again in the new window for HUGE).










What I have already managed to gather from Google is that it was manufactured by Beretta for the Danish armed forces. The bolt and receiver are stamped with "P.B. 3###", and the stock serial # matches the receiver serial #. Also in the stock were the cartridge extractor (?) tool, as well as a little multi-tool for field stripping/disassembly.

In the course of my google searching, I came across this old auction, as well as several (American) forum posts saying that ~200 Beretta M1s were imported to the States.

So, great and knowledgeable CGNers, what have I gotten myself into (but in the good way?) :D.

Err, also, I should point out that this is my first rifle. I figured I'd cut right to the chase and get what I wanted. To the seller, I know you're on here -- again, thank you!
 
Pietro Beretta P.B I think there is more then 200 in the U.S but I can be wrong, I have one with N.M "National match" parts. looks like you got a nice garand, you will love it but they have a hungry appetite for ammo and they eat your brass...you'll see just don't put to hot of a load thru it, it's hard on the op rod
 
The gun was imported by Allen Lever in the '90's. It can in with thousands of M1 Garand rifles that he brought in . The BMR on the sight means Breda... the barrel markings could be VMR, which is a danish barrel.
 
If you look in the stock channel, they should be a Danish 300m zero sticker. The stock is definately Danish, as they were the only ones to ever use Beech. You will probably find a mix of different manufacturers on the small parts as these rifles were used for quite a while and rebuild often. The Itallian M1's are about the nicest examples of Garands, better fit and finish then US rifles, built on the latest drawing numbers, and usually cheaper then US rifles as there is less collector interest.
Tradex has Danish bayo's for the M1 that would be a good partner for your rifle.
 
The Danish barrels are marked VAR. Put up a pict of the barrel marking when the action is open and locked.

I believe Trade Ex has Danish slings as well as the cleaning kits.

Pete
 
Thanks for all the info so far. I've got two more pictures, the first being of the tools that came in the rifle stock, which is much less of the 'kit' than I had thought:



The second pic is the markings on the barrel. I couldn't see them at first because of the way the cosmoline was smeared around. It looks like it's a VAR barrel (which, I understand, is a good thing), and that it was manufactured in November 1961?




I checked out that Tradeex site that has been recommended, and only found the Danish bayonets for $25. In terms of a cleaning kit, should I get a more 'general' or 'universal' kit from a local shop, or will the original issue be cheaper/better? I like the idea of the 'rifle snake' cleaning tool, as it drags everything out the barrel.
 
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If you are in Chilliwack, that rifle probably didn't travel more than 100 miles from its source of importation. Alan Lever imported a container of Garands surplussed by Denmark. The American border was closed to USGI and commercial Garands (someone's idea of gun control at work). He had so many he listed them for $99. Guys stripped some for parts and sold them into the US by the thousands. The receivers have languished in Canada for many years, including the batch that were stopped at the border. It wasn't that they were illegal in Canada, but the paperwork didn't look good to the US border agents. "Truck parts" from a place that sent to transfer (legally) those registered guns, gave the 1-800-We-Know-Guns people a jolt. And they told two friends who told two friends ....

Getting back to Danish Garands, the collective wisdom is that they contracted with Breda and Beretta for about 12,000 guns. They had US WWII rifles for free after the war, but by the 1950's they needed more. Your 3,000 SN is in the middle of the range (natch!). The Italians bought Winchester's jigs and tooling, and set up for new production. They took their time, made really good parts, and assembled nice rifles.
 
Awesome VAR barrels are considered to be match quality, Your is 11-61 or Nov 1961 Danish proof along with the "D" number or drawing number for the barrel desing spec.

Looks like you have an original cleaning kit and hard case extractor.

Good rifle. Keep it.

Pete
 
Sea Shepherd said:
I checked out that Tradeex site that has been recommended, and only found the Danish bayonets for $25. In terms of a cleaning kit, should I get a more 'general' or 'universal' kit from a local shop, or will the original issue be cheaper/better? I like the idea of the 'rifle snake' cleaning tool, as it drags everything out the barrel.
Click to expand...

The ratchet chamber brush you got is very handy. I like bore snakes for M1's or any rifle that you have to clean from the muzzle. I use the bore snake for general cleaing, and will do a once a year good scrub with a rod from the muzzle.
VAR barrels are on par with the Itallian made barrels, they shoot really good.
 
"...will the original issue be cheaper/better?..." No. The tool is a combination tool, not a cleaning kit. I've always used a pull through and regular cleaning stuff for my rifle.
 
Alright,

I know it's been quite a while since I posted here, but I just wanted to say that a few weeks ago my friend (a fellow CGNer) and I detail-stripped the M1 and cleaned out all the cosmoline and gunk, re-oiled and re-greased it. Started about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and I finished it off by myself at about 1am (with breaks for dinner etc, of course).

I just had a chance to fire it today, put about 40-50 rounds of Federal Powershock through it, and noticed a couple of things. First off, I was iffy about the 180grn bullets, and still am. I'll finish off the few rounds I have left, and then only go with 150 or so grn until I can get an adjustable gas plug. The rounds were soft nose, and quite a few got hung up on the lip around the chamber. Would FMJs help this?

Second, I bought a bore snake for it. I ran it through the rifle twice with the snake dry, then put a few drops of Hoppes' Bench Rest copper solvent on the brush segment. I ran that through twice, and then put some light oil on the very endsegment, and ran it through one more time. Is that overkill?

Thanks!
 
Garands are gas operated. They vent gas from the barrel to a chamber under the barrel (very simplified) that expands against the op rod/piston etc. Copper cleaning solvents can and do get left behind in these areas after cleaning.

It is a good idea to strip the rifle down completely and make sure these areas/parts are cleaned of the copper solvent to stop them from rusting in place.
 
Sea Shepherd said:
Alright,

I know it's been quite a while since I posted here, but I just wanted to say that a few weeks ago my friend (a fellow CGNer) and I detail-stripped the M1 and cleaned out all the cosmoline and gunk, re-oiled and re-greased it. Started about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and I finished it off by myself at about 1am (with breaks for dinner etc, of course).

I just had a chance to fire it today, put about 40-50 rounds of Federal Powershock through it, and noticed a couple of things. First off, I was iffy about the 180grn bullets, and still am. I'll finish off the few rounds I have left, and then only go with 150 or so grn until I can get an adjustable gas plug. The rounds were soft nose, and quite a few got hung up on the lip around the chamber. Would FMJs help this?

Second, I bought a bore snake for it. I ran it through the rifle twice with the snake dry, then put a few drops of Hoppes' Bench Rest copper solvent on the brush segment. I ran that through twice, and then put some light oil on the very endsegment, and ran it through one more time. Is that overkill?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't run it through dry, always put some sort of cleaner/oil on the bristles. I like CLP, few drops, few pulls through and you are done.
 
Correction

maple_leaf_eh said:
...

Getting back to Danish Garands, the collective wisdom is that they contracted with Breda and Beretta for about 12,000 guns. They had US WWII rifles for free after the war, but by the 1950's they needed more.
Click to expand...

I have to correct myself. I found some 10yr old notes from the only authoritative source I could find. A Vancouver resident worked with Alan Lever, and he reports the Danish ordered 12,500 Garands from both Breda and Beretta.

"The Danish army put the M1 into service as the GM/50. Gevaer Model 1950 (1950-model rifle). This would indicate that Denmark received their first shipments of M1's sometime in 1950. The Italian designation was 'Rifle Model 1951' indicating it's year of adoption in Italy."

"The Danish Government contracted with TWO different Italian arms manufacturers to produce approximately 10500 (sic. huh? s/b 12,500) M1 Garand rifles each for a total of 25000 rifles. I have personally inspected 3700 rifles that came from Denmark to an importer friend of mine and checked over the serial number lists as well."
 
...long gone! I bought the second last one a couple of weeks ago. They are refurbed with new wood, awesome shape.
 
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