M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

[robescc]

I decided it is time buy another M1 from CMP. I bought a Springfield from them about 5 years ago but sold it a few years later. Now I am ready to buy another while I still can. What do you guys think about the Harrington and Richards? I know they are identical and are all built to the same specs. Just looking for opinions. I am going with a Service Grade.
http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/m1garand.htm

Rob

 

[m1match]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

I have both and functionally they are the same. I think the Harrington and Richardson M1s maybe have a little better machining and the finish is better, but the difference is minor. The H&Rs were all made post WWII so they have all the latest changes made during the long run of Garand manufacturing.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

HRAs are "the best" M1s ever produced. Very high quality variants. That said, the post war SAs are also outstanding rifles.

Get one of each so you can compare.

 

[AvsFan]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

H&R's are really nice as they were built during the Korean war (newest rifle w/all revisions). However, when I purchased mine from the CMP I requested a "High Serial Number" Service Grade Springfield. Low and behold they sent me a real gem with a 5.9 million serial number. It is an original barrel & receiver rifle (still in the white) with all the revisions!

Cheers,

AvsFan

 

[robescc]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

Something like this is what we all hope to get.

 

[azimutha]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

Mine is similar to AvsFan's but came with an HRA bolt. The Mixmaster has a certain appeal to it. I respectfully asked CMP for a shooter above all.

 

[Orlando]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

The statement saying HRA has all the latest revisions really holds no water as the Service Grades are mixmasters anyways . Its possible you could get a HRA with SA barrel ,WWII internals, etc.
Its really a flip of the coin , SA WWII, SA Post War, HRA Post War Service Grades will all fall within the grade description.
Can one be better than the other?
Yes but it will not have anything to do with the manufacture but how much wear and use the rifle has had in its lifetime.

 

[sinister]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

I agree with most everyone above. While Harrington and Richardsons were post WWII - Korean War production, almost all military M1s went through depots for parts, rebuild, or maintenance as needed.

I remember reading somewhere that if you could get an intact, all-original M1 the choice would be a 1943 Springfield Armory, otherwise everything on a depot-stored rifle is truly MILSPEC, just mix-mastered.

 

[MontanaHick]

Re: M1 Garand. H&R or Springfield?

I ran across a lengthy dissertation on the contractors for M1 and M14s, they were in favor of the H&Rs over the Springys for the same reasons Sinister mentioned. My M14 (yes, I know, different rifle) is H&R barrel and bolt, sprinfield receiver (modern)