Garand: Shoot then "Click"

[Blondie]

Recently I got a Garand "Special Grade" from the CMP. It is described as follows: "M1 Garand Springfield Armory receiver . . . a new production barrel and new leather sling. Receiver and most other parts are refinished USGI, but some parts may be new manufacture."

Well, I am waiting on a load of surplus ammo from CMP, but in the mean time, a gentleman at my local range gave me an 8 round clip of ammo he got from CMP to try out while I'm waiting.

My problem is that when I shot the Garand, it would shoot one round and not shoot the next. I heard a "click" but nothing happened. So I pulled the bolt back and it would load the next round and shoot, but it would not shoot the next round in any semi-auto way. Is this common? It is weird considering it was suppose to be a "special grade." Before I shot it, I cleaned and lubricated it.

Any help is appreciated. Mean while, I have to wait for my shipment of ammo from CMP.

Blonde

 

[juk]

it sounds like it is short cycling. Try checking the gas port and gas block again. If I were more up to speed on the garand I would offer help.

 

[FlyinBryan]

thats what i would say.

rifle is short stroking.

check the gas cylinder lock screw. make sure its tight. also, many of the g.i. gas lock screws are vented for use with the old grenade launchers. you can check this by just sticking a screwdriver into the slots and push hard. you might feel a spring giving when you do. if so, check to make sure its closing all the way when you release pressure. you will have to unscrew it and get it out to really check it. its not hard, and sometimes there is carbon buildup around the rim that prevents it from sealing. it works much like an engine valve (round and when you push in from the slot end, it opens.

also make sure its very well lubed.

a good rule to follow is this: if it rotates, oil it. if it slides, grease it.

that means greasing where the bolt rides, the oprod pads, the barrel spine, the front stock ferrel, the follower grooves, the oprod spring, and anywhere else you see that metal slides on metal.

oil the pin that holds the bullet guide, the oprod catch, and follower arm.

you can also do the tilt test to make sure there is no binding. you can do this as follows.

cock the rifle and let the oprod go forward into battery.
remove the trigger group.
remove the oprod spring.
remove the pin,
remove the bullet guide, oprod catch, and follower arm.
remove the follower.

now put the rifle back together without the oprod spring, the pin, the bullet guide, the oprod catch, and the follower arm and follower. just the barreled receiver with the oprod and bolt still in it, but dont put the trigger group back in.

just hold the rifle together by grasping around the pistol grip and hold pressure on the receiver heel with your thumb to hold it all together.

now the oprod and bolt should slide freely back and forth.

tilt the muzzle up about 35-45 degrees and the bolt and oprod should slide back all the way just from its own weight.

now tilt the muzzle down about the same and the oprod and bolt should slide forward all the way and rotate into battery freely.

let me see if i can find a video to help.

ok, heres a video that goes even more indepth into the "tilt test" than what i described. there is also free bonus footage of a small black cat (for your enjoyment)

http://s180.photobucket.com/albums/x285/n6lv/?action=view&current=bb121b39.pbr&newest=1

check those things and fire it and see how it does. generally hxp ammo is good stuff but i have had a batch that chronoed pretty light (sub 2500fps) and had several issues with short stroking.

try it with a fresh batch of hxp or lc surplus and let us know what it does.

also, plenty of grease. you should be able to see the grease from 5ft away or so.

 

[Blondie]

Thanks for the information Bryan. I am off and will work on the Garand today. I really do like this rifle and want to get her running right.

Blonde

 

[61chalk]

Wow!..That Special Grade, I would think should be already in perfect shape from CMP, I would think it would be in perfect running order...I would contact CMP about this...but my first thought was could it be the ammo...?....could those 8 rds somehow gottin bad an not have enough pressure to bring the bolt back...? If you can't find a problem with the rifle I would try an get some different ammo for the Garand, or wait for your CMP ammo to arrive an see.....If there is something wrong with the rifle an not the ammo, I would be a little upset an contact CMP, they would want to know about it an make it right considering its a Special Grade.

 

[FlyinBryan]

no prob man. i want it running right too.

dont forget, that is a 50-70 year old rifle with a better warranty than many new rifles.

i know it sounds nuts, but if you call cmp, and tell an armorer, he will act like its one of his sick offspring, and he wont be happy till its perfect.

its nuts man, lol, just nuts.

 

[1KPerDay]

Blondie, make double sure it's indeed short-stroking and not a problem of the hammer following the bolt. You didn't make it clear whether the chamber was empty when it wouldn't fire.

Also, was there a distinct click when you pulled the trigger the second time (could you feel/hear the hammer drop)?

If the chamber is empty and the hammer drops when you pull the trigger, it's probably short-stroking.

If the chamber has a loaded round in it but nothing happens when you pull the trigger (no hammer drop) the hammer is following the bolt forward and is a very dangerous condition. Your rifle may "double" or fire 2 rounds with one pull of the trigger. My CMP HRA service grade did this and I sent it back (on their dime) and they made it right; swapped out the trigger group among other things. They took care of me.

Just wanted to put that out there in case it happens to be the same problem in your case.

 

[NC-Mike]

Don't fool around, just call the CMP.

I saw those rifles a month ago in the South store. They are absolutely gorgeous. Stunningly beautiful.

I walked out with a very nice carbine and equally nice field grade M1 that day. Field grade was all they had in the racks, along with three of those CMP special grades.

 

[Trebor]

A very easy fix that often works for short stroking is to replace the recoil spring with a new manufacture *standard weight* recoil spring from a commercial source.

As far as I know, the CMP is still using the GI surplus recoil springs, even on the Special Grade rifles. Often the springs are just worn out. I've seen a new recoil spring, by itself, fix problems on a couple CMP rifles in the past. The good news is it's a cheap and easy fix and, if it doesn't work, won't hurt anything.

If a new spring doesn't fix it, you can then work on all the other trouble shooting suggestions to hunt down the cause.

 

[1KPerDay]

A very easy fix that often works for short stroking is to replace the recoil spring with a new manufacture *standard weight* recoil spring from a commercial source.

That would make sense if the spring in the rifle now were stronger/stiffer than stock... but if it's worn out it seems to me it wouldn't cause short stroking... but would contribute to battering the receiver or other problems. But that's just how my brain sees it.

 

[lipadj46]

But that's just how my brain sees it.

Yeah mine too, if it is truly short stroking then a weak spring is not the issue. I would make sure everyplace where metal slides on metal is greased properly (Grease not oil, not too many places for oil on a garand/M14). Get some good automotive axel grease, $15 gets you a lifetime supply. Also make sure your gas system is setup properly and everything is tightened down and any valves are in the correct position.

 

[Trebor]

That would make sense if the spring in the rifle now were stronger/stiffer than stock... but if it's worn out it seems to me it wouldn't cause short stroking... but would contribute to battering the receiver or other problems. But that's just how my brain sees it.

I'm speaking from direct experience where replacing the recoil spring was the "miracle cure" on two different M-1 Garands that were having functioning problems.

The first was a friend's Blue Sky re-import. It had classic "short stroking" malfunctions on almost every shot. It was esentially a straight-pull repeater. We replaced the recoil spring with a new commercial spring and the problem went away. Nothing else was change.

The second was one of my CMP Garands. It had intermitent problems where the cartridge case would not completely eject. I replaced the recoil spring and relubed the rifle (I had lubed it, but cleaned it and relubed it) and the problems went away.

I can't speak as to exactly *why* replacing the recoil springs fixed the problem from a technical point of view: I can only report that in the two times I've tried it, it worked.


(I did say in the first post that both rifles were CMP rifles. Looking back at it, I was wrong, as my friend's rifle was a Blue Sky import. Mine was a CMP Service Grade though)

 

[ParaElite]

Send it to Clint McKee at Fulton Armory!