It is said that General George S. Patton called the M1 Garand rifle “the greatest battle implement ever devised.” That may very well be true. If it is, then M1 Garand rifle serial number 1,000,000 should be considered “THE greatest battle implement ever devised.”
Why the emphasis? Simple: that gun belonged to the inventor himself – John Garand. (Incidentally, all of us may or may not have been pronouncing his name incorrectly for decades. The article below is from 1943. However, Garand’s son noted a different – more common – pronunciation in 1999. You decide!)
When Garand retired on April 30, 1953, he received one heck of a retirement present. No gold watch here – no, sir! Instead, he received the most important landmark example of his life’s work, of which 5,468,722 were made over a 20-year span.
Made in November 1942, the serial number on what would become Garand’s retirement gift was just the beginning of what made this rifle so special.
The stock is the most remarkable piece of fiddleback walnut wood I’ve ever seen on a Garand.
Housed in a custom-engraved, felt-lined wooden case, the gun was presented with a silver-plated en bloc clip containing gold-plated dummy cartridges.
Garand passed away in 1974. His family began searching for a buyer in 1999. Enter NRA Past President Allan Cors.
After reviewing multiple personal resumes from potential buyers, the Garand family arranged for a sit-down interview with Cors before agreeing to sell the rifle to him in November 1999.
Last fall, I had the rare opportunity to handle the gun myself. Given its incredible history and provenance, it was a privilege to hold such an important piece of American history.
This impressive rifle will be sold at public auction by Rock Island Auction Company during their September 2018 Premiere Firearms Auction, which runs from Friday, September 7 to Sunday, September 9. The estimated price is $225,000 – 375,000. Someone with far deeper pockets than me will take it home, where it will begin a new chapter in its storied history.
Logan Metesh is a firearms historian and consultant who runs High Caliber History LLC. Click here for a free 3-page download with tips about caring for your antique and collectible firearms.