Hi, 10-96,
For the Complete Technical Inspection, mail in the whole weapon, so that you get, well, the
Complete Technical Inspection
.
Yes, we do support the Camp Perry participants with "specials" on parts and labor; we do a lot of rebarreling work, for example. If you're not in a big rush, you could save some money by buying a barrel during the current sale (Ohio sales tax, which we have to charge at Camp Perry, would be a wash vis-a-vis shipping from MD, and you're not likely to get the barrel for less at the Nationals) and having us do the install at Camp Perry.
As for your FrankenGarand, I have one just like it, sleeved two-groove barrel & all. Nearly all of these (with the '03 barrel, that is) are built up on welded receivers. Check out the Welded Receiver FAQ Article on the Fulton ARmory FAQ Page for mine. Generally the quickest giveaway is the clip latch slot. It was nearly impossible to get both halves to line up so perfectly that there's not a "step" on the edge of the slot as you go from one end to the other.
I've inspected one weld job so good that you couldn't tell from the toolmarks on the right side without bright sunlight and at least 3x magnification. You could feel the step, though. That one was "short," so short it wouldn't fit into an unmodified stock! Needless to say, it had
no firing pin retract at all, and thus would be quite hazardous to shoot. Too bad; it had all NM parts, including the barrel, op rod and gas cylinder!
If the firing pin retract is correct, and both lugs are bearing, and the headspace is OK, chances are it's not super-dangerous. However, unlike the '60's and '70's (and even the '80's), we have a plethora of good real Garands to shoot. Back then a weld job was the only way to get a Garand except for the one-a-lifetime DCM rifles, for which the qualifying was quite intimidating (I know, I looked into it, finally did it just as the CMP was starting up).
So, no need to take any chances at all, as remote as they might be, for damage to rifle or self
.
Best regards,
Walt