Springfield Armory M1 Garand rifle manufactured c. March 1944 and modified to M1D Sniper configuration at Benicia Arsenal in 1969. The right receiver leg is electro-penciled with the marking: "BA 4 11 69". Consignor notes with this rifle indicate it is one of the U.S. Army M1D rifles released by the Civilian Marksmanship Program in 2003. The rifle components have the typical gray-green arsenal parkerized finish. The parkerized finish, correctly, varies from component to component. The right side of the barrel chamber is dated "SA 4-9-52" and is stamped with a "P" proof mark and "T" targeting mark. The bolt, operating rod and trigger guard housing have the Springfield Armory "SA" marking. The rifle is fitted with a M84 2.2 power telescopic sight with post and fine wire crosshair. A plate on the right side of the telescopic sight is marked: "TELESCOPE/M84/SERIAL No. 42117". The scope has a blued body with sliding sun shield, hinged windage and elevation knob covers and rubber eyepiece. The rifle has a T37 pronged flash hider on the muzzle and a russet leather cheekpiece stamped "MRT/11-62. The cheekpiece is, correctly, screwed to the underside of the stock. The rifle is fitted with a post-WWII green web M1 sling. The butt trap contains a four-piece M10 cleaning rod with olive drab cloth case and a clear plastic oiler and thong case with M10 Combination Tool/Cleaning Rod Handle. The stock and handguard are oil finished walnut. The stock lacks the "Circle/P" proof mark found on many M1 rifle stocks and any arsenal inspection marks on the left side of the stock are covered by the leather cheek-piece. Designed towards the end of WWII as an alternative to the M1C Sniper Rifle, the M1D rifles were manufactured in quantity from existing M1 Garand rifles starting in late 1951. Introduced too late to see action in the Korean War, the M1D eventually replaced the M1C as the standard Army sniper rifle and remained the primary Army sniper rifle well into the 1970s. Significant numbers of M1D sniper rifles remained in service with Army National Guard units through the Gulf War.

Very fine. This rifle was arsenal converted to M1D configuration in 1969. The rifle retains 98% of the arsenal parkerized finish with some very minor disassembly scuff marks along the top of the barrel and some finish wear on the bottom of the buttplate at the heel and toe. The receiver, bolt and other components have almost no finish wear. The M84 telescopic sight remains in new condition with perfect optics and close to 100% of the original blue finish. The stock and forearm are in nearly new, un-handled condition; wear is limited to a few scattered and very minor storage marks. The russet leather cheekpiece is in excellent overall condition with clear markings; wear is limited to some oil stains around the lace grommets. This is a very fine, original, example of a Vietnam War era M1D rifle in near as-issued condition. It would be difficult to find a better example of this key U.S. sniper rifle.