Barrel help ... M1 Garand?

alvrez · August 12, 2005, 03:55 PM

I have a barrel that I found in some of my Grandfather's stuff. Maybe one of you can tell me what I have and whether it is worth keeping. The barrel has "HRA D6535448 5-52 RS9"stamped on the breech end and along the muzzle has "Blue Sky/ Arlington, Va." stamped.
I am no expert at appraisals but this has marks like it may have been on a weapon at some time but does not show much signs of being fired much. The gas port is still quite clean, and the chamber has very few scratches. there is no evidence of wear on either muzzle or breech end threads.
Any help you can give would be appreciated.

Dfariswheel · August 12, 2005, 06:35 PM

You have a Harrington & Richardson M1 rifle barrel, made in May of 1952.

This particular barrel WAS fitted to an M1 rifle that was given to the South Korean military, and was re-imported back into the US about 10 to 15 years ago, by an importer named "Blue Sky".

Obviously, someone removed the barrel from the rifle, for some reason.
Often, people removed importer-marked barrels, and replaced them with non-import marked barrels, and sold them for higher prices as a non-import rifle.

In other words, the Blue Sky imported rifles sell for less money, and this was a way of basically cheating a buyer by making him think the rifle wasn't an import.

Due to the "Blue Sky" stamps the barrel will have less value than an unmarked barrel.

alvrez · August 12, 2005, 07:25 PM

Thank you for the info

Crosshair · August 13, 2005, 01:04 PM

Wow, nice work Dfariswheel. Would you be able to tell me where I put my cleaning jags, I can't seem to find them.

I have my old (Shot out) M1 Garand Barrel around somewhere, had some interesting marks on it. I'll try and post it when I find it.

**4V50 Gary** · August 13, 2005, 01:33 PM

Wasn't BlueSky owned by Wayne Pierre?

Dfariswheel · August 13, 2005, 07:18 PM

Crosshair:
Certainly.
They're either in the absolute last place you'll look, or they're sitting on the bench RIGHT in front of you, but for reasons unknown to mankind, your eyes just refuse to see them.

30Cal · August 16, 2005, 05:52 PM

A used M1 barrel, assuming it's in shooter condition (not brand new and not worn out on either end) is worth about $100.

Ty

**Unclenick** · August 16, 2005, 10:45 PM

Alvarez,
See if you can find someone with both throat wear and muzzle wear gauges to tell you what condition your barrel is in?

Dfariswheel,
What makes you think there is a difference between the last place one looks and sitting on the bench under one's nose? Circumventing selective blindness has always been the primary objective of any posession organizing system I have ever encountered.

Nick

Dfariswheel · August 16, 2005, 11:26 PM

I was both a Master watchmaker and a gunsmith since the 60's.

I tell people this, but most don't believe it:
You can look at a workbench to find something.
It's RIGHT there in front of you.
But for some unknown reason your eyes just don't "see" it.

However, if you want to talk about finding missing things, try finding a watch spring thinner than a human hair on a workshop floor.

You spend an hour looking, only to find it....stuck to the BACK side of your own necktie.

Recently, I was giving a Kahr Arms it's yearly full disassembly and cleaning.
The extractor plunger slipped and the rear plunger and spring just WENT.

As usual with gun parts, I heard one of them hit.
Fortunately I found the plunger laying on the floor.

After using a flashlight to search EVERY square inch of floor and completely unloading a large book case, about 3 hours later, it turned up on the work bench under the tool I was using to hold the plunger.

DnPRK · August 17, 2005, 08:41 AM

I've seen two Blue Skys where the stamping deformed the bore of the barrel. Slug the barrel to see if there is a tight spot at the stamp.

**Unclenick** · August 17, 2005, 09:52 AM

Good point on the slugging. I've yet to see any standard contour barrel except the hand lapped Kreiger's that didn't exhibit some constriction below the lower band perchase. This is just because thining a rifled barrel blank allows stress relief to widen slightly. It is the cause of so many commercial light barrels getting wider toward the muzzle. This is a long and not-too-tight constriction, and can be removed by hand lapping or by fire lapping. The ones from the rolled-in Blue Skys stamp will be more abrupt and obvious and harder to get rid of. You just need to be aware of the difference so you don't trash the barrel over the normally present constriction.

Nick

August 12, 2005, 03:55 PM	#1
alvrez Junior Member Join Date: August 12, 2005 Posts: 4	Barrel help ... M1 Garand? I have a barrel that I found in some of my Grandfather's stuff. Maybe one of you can tell me what I have and whether it is worth keeping. The barrel has "HRA D6535448 5-52 RS9"stamped on the breech end and along the muzzle has "Blue Sky/ Arlington, Va." stamped. I am no expert at appraisals but this has marks like it may have been on a weapon at some time but does not show much signs of being fired much. The gas port is still quite clean, and the chamber has very few scratches. there is no evidence of wear on either muzzle or breech end threads. Any help you can give would be appreciated.

August 13, 2005, 01:33 PM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	Wasn't BlueSky owned by Wayne Pierre? __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

August 12, 2005, 06:35 PM	#2
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	You have a Harrington & Richardson M1 rifle barrel, made in May of 1952. This particular barrel WAS fitted to an M1 rifle that was given to the South Korean military, and was re-imported back into the US about 10 to 15 years ago, by an importer named "Blue Sky". Obviously, someone removed the barrel from the rifle, for some reason. Often, people removed importer-marked barrels, and replaced them with non-import marked barrels, and sold them for higher prices as a non-import rifle. In other words, the Blue Sky imported rifles sell for less money, and this was a way of basically cheating a buyer by making him think the rifle wasn't an import. Due to the "Blue Sky" stamps the barrel will have less value than an unmarked barrel.

August 12, 2005, 07:25 PM	#3
alvrez Junior Member Join Date: August 12, 2005 Posts: 4	Thank you for the info

August 13, 2005, 01:04 PM	#4
Crosshair Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 5,333	Wow, nice work Dfariswheel. Would you be able to tell me where I put my cleaning jags, I can't seem to find them. I have my old (Shot out) M1 Garand Barrel around somewhere, had some interesting marks on it. I'll try and post it when I find it.

August 13, 2005, 07:18 PM	#6
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Crosshair: Certainly. They're either in the absolute last place you'll look, or they're sitting on the bench RIGHT in front of you, but for reasons unknown to mankind, your eyes just refuse to see them.

August 16, 2005, 05:52 PM	#7
30Cal Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2002 Posts: 1,264	A used M1 barrel, assuming it's in shooter condition (not brand new and not worn out on either end) is worth about $100. Ty

August 16, 2005, 10:45 PM	#8
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	Alvarez, See if you can find someone with both throat wear and muzzle wear gauges to tell you what condition your barrel is in? Dfariswheel, What makes you think there is a difference between the last place one looks and sitting on the bench under one's nose? Circumventing selective blindness has always been the primary objective of any posession organizing system I have ever encountered. Nick

August 16, 2005, 11:26 PM	#9
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	I was both a Master watchmaker and a gunsmith since the 60's. I tell people this, but most don't believe it: You can look at a workbench to find something. It's RIGHT there in front of you. But for some unknown reason your eyes just don't "see" it. However, if you want to talk about finding missing things, try finding a watch spring thinner than a human hair on a workshop floor. You spend an hour looking, only to find it....stuck to the BACK side of your own necktie. Recently, I was giving a Kahr Arms it's yearly full disassembly and cleaning. The extractor plunger slipped and the rear plunger and spring just WENT. As usual with gun parts, I heard one of them hit. Fortunately I found the plunger laying on the floor. After using a flashlight to search EVERY square inch of floor and completely unloading a large book case, about 3 hours later, it turned up on the work bench under the tool I was using to hold the plunger.

August 17, 2005, 08:41 AM	#10
DnPRK Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2001 Location: LC, Ca Posts: 1,917	I've seen two Blue Skys where the stamping deformed the bore of the barrel. Slug the barrel to see if there is a tight spot at the stamp.

August 17, 2005, 09:52 AM	#11
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	Good point on the slugging. I've yet to see any standard contour barrel except the hand lapped Kreiger's that didn't exhibit some constriction below the lower band perchase. This is just because thining a rifled barrel blank allows stress relief to widen slightly. It is the cause of so many commercial light barrels getting wider toward the muzzle. This is a long and not-too-tight constriction, and can be removed by hand lapping or by fire lapping. The ones from the rolled-in Blue Skys stamp will be more abrupt and obvious and harder to get rid of. You just need to be aware of the difference so you don't trash the barrel over the normally present constriction. Nick