Receiver manufactured in March 1945 and subsequently upgraded to M1C sniper configuration by Griffin & Howe Inc. as a part of the World War II contract between the civilian firm and the U.S. Springfield Armory. Adopted in July 1944, the M1C Garand rifle was the first U.S. standard issued semi-automatic sniper rifle, with an initial order total of 21,158 placed, though only 7,971 M1C rifles were completed by the end of World War II. Various manufacturing and accuracy issues, along with a shortage of telescopes, delayed delivery of the first rifles until the closing days of the Pacific Theater Campaign in mid 1945, with the M1C replacing the M1903A4 as the official U.S. sniper rifle from the end of World War II, through the Korean War, and into the Vietnam War. The M1C was superseded by the later M1D variant, developed in late 1944 by John C. Garand as an improvement over the former with 21,380 manufactured c. 1951-1953, making the M1C the more scarce of the two M1 Garand sniper rifle versions, especially with the destruction of several hundred receiver by U.S. Ordnance in the 1980 and 1990s. Reference pages 421 to 434 and 519 to 527 of Bruce Canfield's "The M1 Garand Rifle" for more details on the M1C sniper rifle and its developments. Features a winged blade front sight and T105 adjustable peep rear sight assembly, unmarked post-war pattern wide-base gas cylinder, chamfered cylinder lock, "P/hexagon" marked cross-slot lock screw, stamped lower band with solid retaining pin, arsenal replacement "LMR" marked and "10 52" dated barrel with parkerized chamber ring, "6528287 HRA/U" bolt, post-war "D35382 9 SA" flat-side operating rod, "12" follower, and a "D28290-2-SA" trigger housing with a "C 46008-2 SA" hammer, "SA-11"safety, and an unmarked milled trigger guard. Mated with a Griffin & Howe M1C mounting bracket on the left side of the receiver with correctly staked screws and matching Springfield Armory pattern "357 4189" serial number stamped on the left side, topped off with a less common Wollensak manufactured M82 scope (post reticle, serial number "2166") with rubber eye piece on a blued Griffin & Howe dual lever mount stamped with a matching "3574189" serial number on the right side. There are very few known M1C rifles with retained matching mounts, since most were separated during service and subsequent rebuilds. Noted M1C researcher and authority Dave McClain has stated that the number of M1C rifles with retained matching numbered mounts could probably be counted on one hand. Fitted with a set of walnut handguards and a walnut stock with a circled serif "P" firing proof on the grip and a correct World War II era Kay Leather Products Inc. "K LINE" leather cheek riser/rest laced onto the butt. Includes a matching numbered Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) certificate of authenticity dated July 28, 2015, a green CMP hard case, shipping sleeve, and a Hart Mfg. Co. M2 flash hider attachment. Also includes an October 14, 2022 dated Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request response letter from the U.S. Redstone Arsenal showing the rifle as received by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Anniston, Alabama, on July 10, 2008, and that it was subsequently shipped outside of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on December 9, 2008.

Very fine as arsenal refurbished, retaining 85% plus parkerized finish with some light edge wear, some mild cycling wear, some thinning on the receiver and rear sight base with visible brown/plum coloration, some light handling marks under the finish of some components, and light handling wear. The stock is very good as arsenal sanded and re-oiled with scattered light scrapes and dents, a faint cartouche, and some minor overhang at the receiver heel and buttplate toe. Mechanically excellent. The scope is fine with thinning on the balance with mostly grey patina and clear optics.