CMP M1 Garand Service Grade
- Thread starter sappnasty
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1KPerDay
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The M1 Garand is a real piece of history if that's a criterion for you. You can get a WWII era rifle, a Korean war era rifle, and all parts military issue. Plus there is something very cool about the M1 "clockwork". I'm fascinated by how ingenious the design is.
The M14 certainly has history as a general issue battle rifle (albeit more limited), but you can't really get a "real" M14 unless you have about 15 grand to spend. So strictly speaking (and I intend no offense here) the semi-auto Fultons/Springfield Armories etc. are replicas of the real thing. That may or may not matter to you. It doesn't matter to me (though I would certainly like a "real" one) and I love the M1A. The M14 variants are generally considered easier to 'accurize' than the M1, and have several 'upgrades' from the M1 design. It would certainly more functional on a modern battlefield. But if I had to choose one, it would be the Garand. My favorite rifle.
You may feel differently; many do.
I'm also aware that you can buy "military" M14 variants from SEI and others for 4 grand (I think) or so. And that M14-based designated marksman/sniper variants have had a long history of excellent service.
Kentucky Jelly
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- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
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- 128
1Kperday. Yeah I was referring to the Special grade $995. That is what I got. Basically a new rifle. I was interested in mine for the low serial#, and the armorers said they would rather have a Special, over the 895 Service grade special.
General I have a brand new M1A, and my new to me M1 is just as nice for about $500 less than the M1A cost(springfield). The receiver on my M1 is 69 years old(January 1942), and I just think that is neat. I am taking both to the range tomorrow. If the Garand is even close to the M1A I will be thrilled.
General I have a brand new M1A, and my new to me M1 is just as nice for about $500 less than the M1A cost(springfield). The receiver on my M1 is 69 years old(January 1942), and I just think that is neat. I am taking both to the range tomorrow. If the Garand is even close to the M1A I will be thrilled.
sappnasty
member
Don't forget those pics Burner!
1kPerDay and 61Chalk, thanks for the info/pics.
I tore apart my M1 this weekend to start staining and BLO it and came to the conclusion that it was indeed just a staining with some dark chocolate colored stain. Not the orange colored stain that the HRA's are shipping with now?!
Anyhow, I stained the CMP birch stock with a Red Mahogany oil based stain. It came out redder than I had anticipated, but with the first rub of BLO a lot of it came back out and looks much better. It will be interesting to see how the next coats of BLO treat the wood and stain.
If anything, I might just end up stripping it and using the Brown Leather Dye that a lot of people boast about and those are the results I'm striving for, but using what I have on hand for the time being.
I tore apart my M1 this weekend to start staining and BLO it and came to the conclusion that it was indeed just a staining with some dark chocolate colored stain. Not the orange colored stain that the HRA's are shipping with now?!
Anyhow, I stained the CMP birch stock with a Red Mahogany oil based stain. It came out redder than I had anticipated, but with the first rub of BLO a lot of it came back out and looks much better. It will be interesting to see how the next coats of BLO treat the wood and stain.
If anything, I might just end up stripping it and using the Brown Leather Dye that a lot of people boast about and those are the results I'm striving for, but using what I have on hand for the time being.
sappnasty
member
Well here is mine that I have already posted ealier in this thread....My Springfield Armory. I think I'm taking the leap this weekend and I am going to begin sanding and restaining....then when its all done Im gonna hit it with some 100% Tung. I think that it will turn out awesome especially with the grain of the wood. What yall think.
USSR
Member
Tough to stain birch evenly.
Don
Don
sappnasty
member
So maybe just tung oil then?
USSR
Member
Yeh, I'd just apply tung oil over the finish you got.
Don
Don
Heres what it started out looking like.
Here it is after one coat of stain and one coat BLO. I think it's headed in the right direction, but USSR is right, its hard to stain birch. The other side of the butt stock has a big spot that didnt take the CMP stain or my stain very well. But, it seems to be darkening up a bit with each coat. I'm rubbing in a 50/50 mix of BLO/Turpentine mixed with a hint of the same Red Mahogany stain. I may have to add some black/brown stain in with it perhaps.
Not the best representation of the color of the stock. The lighting between the two photo's isnt the same. The second pic the stock is darker, even if you cant really tell. I just wish my stock was pretty with some characteristic stripes like posted below,... damn that is pretty.
Here it is after one coat of stain and one coat BLO. I think it's headed in the right direction, but USSR is right, its hard to stain birch. The other side of the butt stock has a big spot that didnt take the CMP stain or my stain very well. But, it seems to be darkening up a bit with each coat. I'm rubbing in a 50/50 mix of BLO/Turpentine mixed with a hint of the same Red Mahogany stain. I may have to add some black/brown stain in with it perhaps.
Not the best representation of the color of the stock. The lighting between the two photo's isnt the same. The second pic the stock is darker, even if you cant really tell. I just wish my stock was pretty with some characteristic stripes like posted below,... damn that is pretty.
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Geneseo1911
Member
One tip for hard to stain woods like birch: Pre-Stain Conditioner. Minwax makes it, I'm sure others do as well. I think it is actually just thinned shellac or something (a google search might yield a recipe), but it clogs up the biggest pores to make the wood take stain more evenly. I used it on my pine baseboards. I had to experiment a bit, and it actually took 3 coats of the PSC before the wood took the stain evenly, but it made a world of difference.
The new SA Service Grade showed up about 10:00 this morning. It looks brand spankin' new, with almost no wear on the metal finish, except the bolt lugs, and a brand new stock, which is a VERY tight fit. The receiver and barrel are both 1954, and like the HRA SG I got previously, look like they came together originally. Nice sharp, shiny rifling, and the muzzle wear guages as a 1. It should be a pretty good shooter. The bolt and trigger group are HRA, but everything else is Springfield Armory. The action seems free of cosmoline, too, so after a little preliminary cleaning and lubing, and a couple of patches through the bore, it should be good to go.
1KPerDay
Member
NICE! 
sappnasty
member
Burner, that is one beautiful rifle....the metal looks even better than mine....you are one lucky you know what! RANGE REPORT NEXT!!! I am excited to say that I actually got the opportunity to shoot a private 700 yard range today....AND I HIT A PIZZA SIZED STEEL TARGET AT 700 WITH MY SA GARAND!!!! Granted I shot at it about 25 times before I hit it, but I HIT IT!!!
Once you zero your sights at 100 yards. it's pretty easy to hit things at long range by turning the knob on the rear sight. These are wonderful old rifles. I consider it a privilege to own and shoot one.
As I recall the CMP instruction book covered sight adjustment.
sappnasty
member
Yeah I didn't have it with me and didn't want to loose my zero...I will definately have my book with me next time.
Double Vision
Member
Nice guns guys.
My ammo finally shipped and will be here on St. Patrick's Day.
I'm looking forward to getting to the range.
My ammo finally shipped and will be here on St. Patrick's Day.
I'm looking forward to getting to the range.
deadeye1122
Member
Burner's pics have eased my anxiety some what on what to expect to receive. NICE rifle. Impatiently waiting,deadeye
Well, it was a pretty nice afternoon to go to the range, so after I cleaned and inspected everything, I grabbed a bandolier of HXP72 and headed off to see what the new toy could do. I got there a little before 5:00, and the General Purpose range was just clearing out the last couple of shooters, so I wound up having it all to myself, for once.
The range officers were a couple of ex - 'scuse me - "former" Marines, and were happy to inspect the new/old Garand, and offer helpful tips on shooting it. It took 12 clicks of upward adjustment to get on the bullseye at 100 yards, which exactly corresponded with the 100 yard mark on the rear sight. I think whoever put this thing together at the CMP did some sighting in. The little orange and white dot above the front sight at the 100 yard berm is the 2-foot square target board with a 6-inch bull sighter target. The front sight looks wider than the bull through the peep sight.
Everything functioned as it should, although the bolt needed a little encouragement to go home for the first shot in a clip. The op rod felt like it might be binding a bit at first, but after 2 or 3 clips, it seemed to smooth out.
This was 16 rounds at 100 yards, using HXP72 surplus ammo. Other than a called flyer at 5:00, everything stayed within 5 inches on the 6-inch bullseye, which I'm pretty happy with, for a first time out. The former Marines assured me that the groups would probably tighten up some, once the rifle got settled into the brand new stock. I'm happy.
Fastcast
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- Joined
- Mar 28, 2008
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- 874
sappnasty
member
I have an important question to ask that I forgot about earlier....I own and M1 Garand but am still fairly new to the game. While at the range today I shot 6 (8 round) enbloc clips and on every single clip, the 7th round failed to feed. bang bang bang and then jam on the 7th round everytime. It obviously has to be some kind of problem to have such a consistant error? Any suggestions or fixes?
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