[Unclenick]

The boys at Anniston take what they do seriously. Good guys, and will do what it takes to ensure what you bought does what they said it would. Glad you found the fault in the bullet guide. Nothing like swapping parts to validate the cure to a problem, for sure.

Be aware that the stamped trigger guards are preferred by match shooter and those accurizing rifles. It sounds to me as if you not planning to alter yours, however, if getting it back to original configuration is your main concern. Perhaps you are planning to shoot it in the John C. Garand as-issued matches? Their popularity has exploded.

I recall Garand did indeed anticipate the use of the detachable magazine and offered it as an option. He may actually have constructed one, early on when he was exploring other chamberings in his earlier designs? Whether to use detachable magazines or not was a subject of debate and disagreement within the military. Read Hatcher's Book of the Garand for more details on dates and previous models. Concerns over dirt and that losing all one's magazines would leave the rifle a clumsy-to-load single-shot, and that multiple loaded magazines were heavier than bandoleers of pre-loaded en-block clips all were considered.

What was not considered was that, unlike either a detachable magazine or the older Mauser style magazine, the clip prevents the Garand from being topped up either manually or with stripper clips. As a result, during lulls in fighting or just before moving from cover, GI's routinely ejected whatever live rounds were in the gun to get a full clip in place. Thus, a lot of unfired ammunition lay all around battle grounds. Much more was wasted than would otherwise have been the case. The concerns about mud and dirt were mainly applicable to trench warfare, so, by the time the action was modified for the M14, this error in judgment was corrected.

Nick