Good grief!

[Hawk]

I guess I should have kept the grooved one I had years ago. Oh well.

[Random Guy]

Didn't know that ???

Yep, most folks don't know about the innumerable nuances of M1 Garand restorations, unless they spend an inordinate amount of time on the CMP forum in the M1 Garand section and reading books like Canfield's...and after that attempt some early restorations...for that I am guilty as charged, but I have switched efforts more to M1As the past several years.

A nice, un-pitted SA grooved rear HG clip used to be $40 or $45 any day of the week about 5, 6 or 7 years ago. (I bought 3 or 4 nice grooved HG from a guy in GA back over a 2 year period for $50 each shipped), whereas the same part but with the WRA punch mark and nice original finish was a $75 or $80 part any day of the week 5 or 7 years ago.

Today the same two parts sell for about double that on eBay (and sometimes on the CMP forum, but eBay is nuts). My disposable income hasn't changed much over that time, so its getting cost prohibitive. In contrast you can't give away the generic stamped steel rear handguard clips, or perhaps you'll get $3 for one, but the early parts on Winchester M1 Garands are just crazy expensive at this point.