Page 241 - 4094-BOOK3

239
LOT 3371
Excellent and Scarce Vietnam Era U.S. Contract Stevens Model
77E Slide Action Riot Shotgun - Serial no. 22400, 12 gauge, 20 inch round bbl., parkerized finish,
hardwood stock. Manufactured c. 1960s. Originally developed with an eye for arming the people of Southeast
Asia against the communists, the United States Army and Marine Corps both took an interest in the 77E as a
replacement for their aging stocks of World War I and World War II vintage trench and riot guns. The 77E became
very popular as an “anti-ambush” gun in the jungles, as it was capable of delivering immediate and
vicious fire at close ranges. While one of the signature weapons of the Vietnam War, relatively few can
be found on the American market today in any condition. Single nickel bead sight, a full choke and a
2 3/4 inch chamber. The frame is marked “U.S.” on the right, with “P” on top and on the breech of the
barrel, with the Stevens/Savage address on the left. Fitted with a ribbed forearm and smooth pistol
grip stock with vented rubber recoil pad. 13 inch length of pull.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 98% original parkerized finish with light cycling marks visible on the
magazine tube. The wood is also excellent with defined edges, some light handling marks, and some
cracking and absent edges on the deteriorated rubber recoil buttpad. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
LOT 3370
World War II Production U.S. Springfield Armory M1C Garand
Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle with CMP Certificate of Authenticity, FOIA Letter, M82 Scope, and Rare
Matching Numbered Bracket and Mount/Ring Assembly - Serial no. 3574189, 30-06 Springfield cal., 24 inch round bbl., parkerized
finish, walnut stock. 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.
CONDITION: 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.
Estimate: 7,500 - 12,000