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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE GARAND T1E1 .30 SN# 1
Maker/Manufacturer:	GARAND, JOHN C.
Date of Manufacture:	07/31/1931
Eminent Figure:	GARAND, JOHN CANTIUS
Catalog Number:	SPAR 4057
Measurements:	OL:108.5CM 42 3/4" BL: 59CM 23 1/4" 8.14 lbs.

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE GARAND T1E1 .30 SN# 1
Manufactured at Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. on July, 31, 1931 - Hand made, gas-operated, semi-automatic experimental rifle. Weapon has an overall length of 42 3/4" and a barrel length of 23 1/4". Weapon had 64 parts and weighed 8.14lbs. Described as a "service test model." Tested at Aberdeen in 1932 under O.P. 4972, T.S.T.P.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/GARAND PATENTS/SEMI. AUTO. RIFLE/T1E1 CAL..30 JULY 1931/NO/1.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 6 December 1938. At that time the weapon was appraised for $10.00.

ANNUAL REPORTS:
AR, 1932 - "At the beginning of this year there were under consideration by the War Department Board two Pedersen Rifles, cal..276, T2E2, twenty Garand Rifles, cal..30, T1. Mr. John C. Garand was at work upon a second cal. .30 rifle, which was to embody certain improvements in detail. That rifle, cal..30, T1E1 was completed July 31, 1931, and sent to the Chief of Ordnance.
Some study and work followed upon the Garand designs of both calibers, but on February 20, 1932, (O.O. 121.2/5521 - S.A. 474.2/762) orders were received to discontinue work upon the smaller caliber and to proceed with the manufacture of eighty (80) guns of the caliber .30 which guns were to follow closely the T1E1 but to embody such improvements in details as would introduce no change of principle or delay completion.
While this type is not yet adopted as standard and some changes are still to be expected, this order for 80 guns places this item under the category of manufacture 0 where it progress is reported upon."

Notes: "O.I. 474.2/1287 S.A. 476.2/694 15TH IND. JSH/mw - War Dept., Ordnance Office, Washington, D.C., Feb. 25, 1932. To: Commanding Officer, Springfield Armory, Mass.
1. The Garand caliber .30 semi-automatic rifle, T1-E1, was tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground on February 23rd and 24th.
2. The rifle was fired for heating, velocity, etc., and was fired for functioning by a number of interested officials. This firing comprised approximately a total of 500 shots, part being M1 and part being M1906 ammunition.
3. The standard Ordnance endurance test of 5000 rounds was modified for this rifle to consist of 1500 rounds of M1906 and 1500 rounds of M1 ammunition, the M1906 being fired first. During this firing there were a number of misfires and also a number of failures to feed apparently due to the bolt failing to move far enough to the rear to allow the cartridge to rise in front of it.
4. Finally during this test the malfunctioning seemed to increase somewhat, indicating that possibly the gun was clogged with a deposit of some kind and was getting less power. At the end of 1200 rounds, the gun was discounted and it found that the annular space between the muzzle attachment and the barrel was entirely filled with a very hard deposit which practically had to be chiseled out. This deposit had filled all parts of the annular space except the gas port which was kept open by the action of the gas. The deposit had also collected on the head of the piston and on the front end of the gas cylinder.
5. This deposit was much worse then had ever been encountered before with Garand rifles and probably this was due to the fact that the Pyro D.C. powder used in the M1906 ammunition is more heavily graphited than the modern powders.
6. After cleaning the gun it was reassembled and on the next shot the extractor broke. A new extractor was fitted and on firing an additional 260 rounds, the second extractor broke, thus putting the gun out of action as there were no further replacements of these parts available.
7. The gun is being returned to Springfield Armory by Mr. Garand. It is desired to have this gun repaired as expeditiously as possible so that it can complete the Ordnance test which will be started from the beginning and which will comprise the 5000 round standard Ordnance endurance test with M1 ammunition.
8. It is assumed that this test has indicated that the extractor design is not strong enough and it is thought that if at all possible, 9. It is suggested in this connection that Mr. Garand study some method of casing up the suddenness with which force is applied between the rim of the cartridge case and the extractor. It is thought that this might be accomplished by allowing the bolt to rotate slightly more than it does at present and having a cam surface on the back end of the barrel to change this additional rotation gradually into a translation motion.
10. This test indicates also that any future models of the caliber .30 Garand rifle should have a removable muzzle attachment so arranged that this part can be quickly taken off and any carbon removed. It is thought unlikely that such trouble from carbon will occur in the future as occurred in this test as the more modern powers do not leave such deposits, but this test indicates the necessity of making this part more easily available for cleaning.
11. Mr. Garand was present at this test and it is believed that from his observations at the test, he will have discovered several ways that the rifle can be improved, such as those mentioned above. However, as time is pressing, it is desired that this rifle be repaired as soon as possible in such a way as seems to give the greatest promise for passing the Ordnance test. Any unessential improvements should be reserved for incorporation in future models.
12. It is requested that the repair of this model be started at once with funds that already have been allocated for work on semi-automatic rifles, and that the views of Springfield Armory as to what repairs should be made and how long they will probably take, be submitted to this office by return indorsement. It is desired that every effort be made to get this rifle back to Aberdeen Proving Ground for completion of the Ordnance test as soon as possible. By order of the C. of O.: J.S. Hatcher/Major, Ord. Dept./Assistant.

"... 3. In O.C.M. 9799 action was taken by Ordnance Committee to approve certain changes in the T1E1 caliber .30 semiautomatic rifle tested at Aberdeen, and to authorize the manufacture of 80 rifles, to be called 'U.S. Semiautomatic Rifle, Caliber .30, T1E2.' The action just cited resulted form the tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground. 4. Tests of the T1E2 rifle have been made in Springfield Armory with very good results, and progress has been made in the manufacture of 80 rifles of this design to the point where it is certain that no manufacturing problems remain to be solved. Delivery of these rifles to the using arms is expected to take place about September 1, 1933. 5. Pursuant to A.R. 850-25, when an item of equipment is to be submitted to an extended service test the Secretary of War will ordinarily approve the item as to type as a result of favorable engineering and service tests. 6. The Subcommittee is of the opinion that the directive referred to in paragraph 1 is in effect an approval as to type, and that the work has progressed sufficiently so that formal approval as to type is warranted. The Subcommittee therefore recommends that action be taken by the Ordnance Department to obtain approval as to type by the Secretary of War of the weapon under consideration. 7. Pursuant to A.R. 850-25, par. 13, pertinent data is noted as follows: a. Name of article - U.S. Semiautomatic Rifle, Caliber .30 M1. b. It is recommended that this item be approved as to type. It is a new type which was designed to replace the U.S. Rifle, Caliber, .30 M1903. Reclassification of the latter item is not required at this time. c. It is recommended that the Ordnance Department be charged with the storage and issue of this item. d. Concurrence of the principal using arms and services in the proposal action is indicated by the signatures of the representatives thereof on the Subcommittee report. e. In so far as it is practicable to judge, this item is considered to have all the required military characteristics. f. No change in existing items will be required by the action recommended herein.' Action by the Technical Staff. There being no objection, the report
"The construction of the second, designated as caliber .30 T1E1, was completed thirteen months later, and the rifle dispatched to the Chief of Ordnance. The gun had sixty-four parts and weighed eight pounds fourteen and one half ounces. Careful tests were conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and although the extractor in particular gave some trouble the rifle as a whole performed well. In February 1932 the Ordnance Office issued instructions to the Armory to discontinue all work upon the .276 caliber guns and to proceed with the manufacture of eighty caliber .30 semi-automatics. In the words of the Commanding Officer: 'These guns were to follow closely the T1E1 but to embody such improvements in details as would introduce no change of principle or delay completion.
While this type is not yet adopted as and more changes are still to be expected, this order for eighty guns places this item under the category of manufacture....'" - Constance Green

"The .30 caliber Garand T1E1 rifle that had cracked a bolt during the 1931 test had meanwhile been returned to Springfield Armory and fitted with a new bolt. Following the terms of the Adjutant General's letter, this rifle was tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground in February, 1932, after which John Garand made a few minor adjustments, and the rifle was again presented at Aberdeen in March, 1932, where it performed, in General Hatcher's words, 'in a highly satisfactory manner.'" - Billy Pyle

John Garand alleges that when he received this rifle at Aberdeen, it had been tampered with. In a letter dated 10/31/1931, from Garand to the Commanding Officer, Springfield Armory, Garand writes:
"Subject: Garand Cal. 30, T1E1
This rifle has been fired at the Spfld more than 2000 rounds and functioned practically perfect, it also showed very good accuracy. And as sent to Washington it should behave very nicely in tests. However this rifle positively is not in the condition it was when we sent it to Washington, at least two of the changes in the rifle indicates that the rifle has been tampered with as these changes could not have taken place manually. It is my desire that the proper steps be taken to protect this rifle against unfair play."

In a signed and sworn statement by F.L. Veideman, a SPAR Model Shop employee, Mr. Veideman stated that "on the morning of October 19, 1931, Mr. Garand presented...two components, namely the clip ejector and the clip latch spring, alleged by Mr. Garand to have been removed from the rifle after its delivery to him at the Aberdeen Proving Ground on Friday afternoon, October 16, 1931, for comment.
That the clip ejector as shown to him differs from the clip ejector which was originally assembled in the weapon, in that it has been, in a manner unknown to him, closed in, thereby weakening this component. That the clip latch spring as presented to him is not the same spring which was manufactured and assembled in the gun at the time it was shipped from Springfield Armory to the Office of the Chief of Ordnance on September 14, 1931."

There is really little else known of this. While it seems the Ordnance Department did conduct at least a cursory investigation, there is little information available that tells us what actually did happen to this weapon. But despite the alleged tampering, the weapon performed very well. "The design of a successful semi-automatic rifle of the same caliber as the service rifle M1903 and weighing less than that simple weapon, is regarded as a noteworthy achievement - one for which Mr. Garand deserves high commendation."
So successful was this piece in testing that on 20 February 1932, orders were received to stick to the .30 caliber and to build 80 guns "to follow closely the T1E1 but to embody such improvements in details as would introduce no change of principle or delay completion. By Item 10826, the T1E2 was approved as to type the M1 rifle. Those 80 T1E2s were the first M1s and were completed in 1934.
Weapon originally stored in crate, SPAR-8459.

References:
Duff, Scott APyle, Billy. THE GAS TRAP GARAND. Collector Grade Publications. Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. 1999.