• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

6mil SA M1 restoration

Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
3,305
Likes
5,842
Location
Methuen, MA
Feedback: 23 / 0 / 0
Now that I have the IHC in my collection, focus will now be towards cleaning and restoring the 6mil someone quasi built to a NM. Number appears nowhere on NM lists, so makes it a rarer plain service rifle in that serial range as most 6mil is NM. Now the fun to see exactly what I have, and to go through my spare stocks and parts bins to bring back to as built.

20230521_111952.jpg
20230521_132054.jpg
20230521_131738.jpg
20230521_132422.jpg
20230510_155259.jpg
20230510_155351.jpg
20230521_111919.jpg

tore down the 6M Is Dirty Dirty Dirty with old grease turning into hard rock. the current parts report are as follows:


The Buttstock has gone through at least 2 , maybe more, rebuilds No Cartouche and there are 2 P’s ( meaning rebuild during the 60’s). Have A4 left side od stock which is a rebuild mark from Benicia Arsenal. A lot of glass bedding inside this stock and specific area’s needed to have a nice receiver fit. Overall the stock is solid, just need to work on some area’s. Once worked on would be a nice shooting stock.

Front HG is Walnut with a small old crack that has been fixed. NO Liner and the Front Ferrule has been epoxy’d to the HG ( reason not needing a liner) Still a nice solid HG to use as a backup.

Rear HG in good condition with late Clip

Butt Swivel Standard SA

Stock Ferrule, Late Stamped. Swivel screw replaced as not punched

Barrel SA F6535448 4 56 D M P TE 2.9 and ME 1.8 Reparked chamber

Nice receiver all around!

Rear Sight: Aperture- late w/tracts
Cover Late SA
Base- WRA w/ a light WRA punch
Long Elevation Pinion- reparked
Windage Knob DRC – reparked

Front Sight is WW11 SA with the slightly wider wing span of 5/8
WW11 Sight Screw w/ shelf

Trig Housing SA 5
Trig Guard- SA Stamped w/ milled hook ( these used late WW11 and the very early Post War Babies) should have a stamped hook
Trigger- HRA reparked
Hammer WW11 3 SA
Safety H & R which is a M14 safety
Hammer Housing SA
Plunger WW11 w/ wings
rest are good

Bolt Post War SA but not correct for this serial number and bolt has been reparked
Internals are worn and I i will replace.

Wide Base Gas Cyl- gages ok but starting to stick when using gages There are a few grinding area’s on this Cylinder- Top of cyl and both sides of back tab
Swivel Screw is HRA staked
Lock WW11 w/ chamfer Lock Screw Poppet “O”

Internals:
Bullet Guide is Stamped WW11
Lower Band Late Flat and was slightly epoxy’d to wood
Lower Band Pin- WWii solid
Clip Latch Late WW11 1/2 round rest ok

Op Rod 7790722 SA Has a newer Tab, Piston and Tube out of Spec Small nick in cam area
Op Rod Spring- USGI 19 5/8 free length. ( hard solid greaser will need to be soaked in order to get it out

Buttplate Worn and has WW11 Flat Plunger
Standard buttplate screws

Once I start to rebuild I will be able to verify the Barrel/to receiver is aligned properly and then ensure new bolt is headspaced properly.

Pulled out my stash of post war SA stocks with matching handguards to be 6mil new home. Think #1 will be the ticket.

DSCN1060.JPG
DSCN1061.JPG

I'll post pics some point later after I find parts with color that matches and get her rebuilt. After I figure out the couple anomalies with IHC, that will be next on restoration docket.
 
Last edited:
Finally finished the 6mil restoration back to 100% as mfg'd. Tried to match color of parts that was mostly successful less oprod and rear sight knobs that are darker. New Springfield marked stock was the cherry on top for the project.

DSCN1077.JPG

DSCN1076.JPG
DSCN1075.JPG
DSCN1078.JPG

Next project will be a soft restore of my IHC. Since those stocks and barrels are nearly impossible to find correct ones for, let alone condition current replacement IHC barrel and stock are on, will just focus on any needed receiver, trigger group, bolt, sights stock parts that are not correct (haven't done a full tear down to useful needs yet).

After that my HRA rifle I'll need to find a correct bolt that headspaced properly to bring to 100% correct.

After that I'll take a break to focus on what I want to do next in terms of collecting.
 
Back
Top Bottom