[DaveTinCT]

The MOH M1 Garand pictured IS accurate. It is, in fact, more accurate than the DOD M1. The "thingy" you're referring to is the rear sight on the receiver. I own a WWII M1 and enjoy shooting it on weekends...
Trust me, I'd be the first to speak up if it didn't look awfully close to the real thing.
I was pretty thrilled when I saw that serial number stamped on the receiver; I knew then that a *lot* of detail was being put into this simulation by 2015.
2015 - if you wanted to *really* go into detail, the WWII era M1s had the locking bar rear sight and the "ears" are just a bit higher than pictured. There's also a "U" shaped area that the peep sight rides in.. :-p Now I'm being anal. :-)

Stamped on my M1's receiver:

U.S. RIFLE
CAL. .30 M1
SPRINGFIELD
ARMORY
1550XXX

(April, 1943 receiver matched with an April, '43 barrel). Yes, I'm proud. :-)

Dave T

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Thank you U.S. WWII combat veterans