I have what I am told is a very unusual M1. It is a Springfield with serial number 1986xxx. It is in excellent condition. This one that has even stumped my local expert. It is quite obviously an M1 Garand is styling, it is the length of a Tanker model however it is chambered for .308 (7.62) and has a detachable box magazine.

I bought the gun 10+ years ago off an old Range Master that was retiring. The story he told me was that it was a late war prototype that never went into production but instead turned into the M14.

I heard that Baretta made a gun like this but this is a Springfield.

Is anyone familiar with this gun? Any idea of it's value?

Above serial number on receiver is marked:
U.S. RIFLE
CAL. 30M1
SPRINGFIELD
ARMORY

When charging handle is pulled back you can see the marking 4 * 4 4 44 on the barrel.
Top front of bolt marked D6528287 HRA and a U under that number.
Front of handgrip marked P (may be underlined) and bottom of handgrip marked RA - P

Rick, I strongly encourage you to field these questions over at the CMP.org forum. The wealth of historical knowledge, expertise and experience of the members over on that forum regarding the M1 Garand is relatively astounding.

I'm personally aware that a very few custom gunsmiths that offer the service of converting an M1 Garand into a magazine fed rifle. . . but what you've conveyed regarding your understanding of the history of your M1 specimen, well. . . only the guys over at the CMP would genuinely know.

Just my personal recommendation.

Good luck bro!

~Gary

If you're interested in selling, I'd be interested in buying after you get a valuation.

Your rifle is a conversion and not original. There have been several commercial conversions offered over the years. Detachable mag or .308 M1 Garands have never been produced by USGI.
Some of the conversions worked real good and others are jam-o matics,

__________________

Don't Bogart

Would it be one of these?
Springfield Armory

I just looked for "CMP dot org (and CMP dot com) and came up first with some mexican thing and nada on the second.

See the BM59 conversions here for something similar: The Garand Guy

This is the CMP forum: http://forums.thecmp.org/