My M1-A has a Winchester Barrel??

[hickok45]

I took the heat shield off my M1-A for the first time since I've owned it yesterday, and I noticed some interesting markings on the top of the barrel.

It was stamped Winchester 7700190 - Oct 63 - 39R

I'm assuming this means the barrel was made by Winchester, in October of 1963 ? And what's the 39R ?

Does/Did Springfield use surplus parts to build these guns? It's okay with me, as long as they are quality parts. I just wan't aware of that, I suppose.

Or is the barrel newly made by Winchester because the "Oct. 63" means something other than the year?

Anybody out there provide me some "edjakashion" on this matter?
Thanks,
Greg

 

[rocko]

Oct 63 is the year - not sure what 39R is, part of the drawing number, maybe? About the only USGI parts commonly found on new Springfields these days are the barrels. Everything else is mostly commercial replacements. USGI surplus parts are actually more desireable - many people spend lots of $$$ replacing all the commercial (and mostly cast as opposed to forged) Springfield parts with USGI surplus.

For more information about the M14 in general, as well as how to identify various parts (USGI vs. commercial), I'd recommend Scott Duff's M14 book. Probably something every M14/M1A owner should have, although it focuses alot on match guns/shooting, which you may or may not be interested in.

Rocko

 

[Skullboy]

When M14s were being manufactured,there were several different contractors at various times building the rifles.Some of the contractors were: Springfield Armory, International Harvester, Winchester, and TRW.So you will see different manufacturing stamps on M14 parts.I believe TRW was the last military contractor to build M14s.Rocko is correct that the USGI parts are more desirable, and they are becoming expensive and hard to find.Some other books to look at that feature good info on M14s are by Peter R. Senich.He has written several on the topic of Sniping in Vietnam/Korea.They are: The Complete Book of U.S. Sniping, The Long Range War: Sniping in Vietnam, and The One Round War.I would also pick up the U.S. Army Field manual.HTH.

Skullboy.

 

[Sodbuster]

7790190 is the drawing number, indicating the barrel is a USGI standard barrel (versus a national match barrel). Date code is as explained, but I'm also at a loss as to whom made it. I'm not sure of the manufacturer's code 39R, but major Winchester parts are usually stamped 66118. BTW if you pull the operating rod back you can see the barrel stamping without removing the upper handguard. Scott Duff's book is great.

 

[hickok45]

Thanks

Thanks for the information - good to know I have a desirable barrel. I know one thing for sure - it shoots like a dream, even though it's a standard gun rather than match grade.

I've had this gun for about six years, and it's yet to fail me with any ammo I stick in it. I has a nice trigger and is so sweet to shoot.