I just shot my first WWII M1 Garand!

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CountGlockula

CountGlockula

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Shooting an M1 Garand that brought a peice of history gave me a patriotic and reverent feeling.

Balance and accuracy was awesome. But one thing I noticed...the gas fumes gave out a foul odor! It's incredible to comprehend that that smell hovered all over Europe. Can you guys relate?

I shot the one on the far right; I also shot the Springfield '03:
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Have you guys shot a nice historical weapon lately?
 
I have an M1 like I had in boot camp. Have shot a few M1 matches with it.
I cannot afford a BAR, They were sure sweet to shoot.

Semper Fi
 
CountGlockula
Have you guys shot a nice historical weapon lately?
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Sure have.:)
And like phonesysphonesys said, I'd like to have a BAR.

This was my first M1 that I kept for three years. 1956. USMC.
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And these are the ones I have now.
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My first time at bat with my M-1 and I got "Garand Thumb". Bled like a stuck pig. I'm guessing then it didn't happen to you. Someone must have showed you how to safely load it or the M-1 muse was watching over you. :)
 
I don't know what type of ammo was used. Should the gas smell come from the rod mechanism, instead of the ammo? Maybe it was the ammo.
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The smell of the burnt propellant is a function of the propellant itself, and not the firearm and gas system in which the propellant is burned.

I would bet the smell you noted would be different if you ran a different brand of ammunition through your M1.
 
The smell is probably some skunky ammo or funky oil burning off the weapon as it warmed up.

Be careful, it sounds like you are getting sucked into the m-1 vortex.
There is no escape.

The upside to the history-laden aura of the thing is that it is, at the end of the day, still a VERY viable contender for almost any scenario. And ammo and supplies are cheap enough that you can practice and develop proficiency with the thing, too.

Get one now while the CMP still has 'em.
 
I was one of the very last to train on the M1, at Fort Polk, LA in '62. When our company completed Advanced Infantry Training, we cleaned all the M1s super clean, and loaded racks of them in 2 1/2 trucks, drove them to Ordnance, turned them in and came back with M14s. Later on, we had M1s in Officer Candidate School, and as an Adviser on my first tour, my M2 carbine got wrapped around a tree and I carried an ARVN M1 from then on.

Many years later, after I retired I hired a young captain, who had ever shot anything other than the M16. I drew an M1 from the club armory and handed it to him. His eyes got as big as dinner plates, and I said, "Yes. We were giants in those days.":D
 
Strangely, I did the same thing today. Was out at the Mid Carolina range today, and two nice gentlemen with a Bushmaster AR and a couple M1 Garands let me shoot both. The last round PING! sound as the magazine cartridge ejects is amusing. It's really something to think that this is what the GI's used to win WWII.
 
The last round PING! sound as the magazine cartridge ejects is amusing. It's really something to think that this is what the GI's used to win WWII.
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That's one thing I really enjoy that's unique to the M1. And there's been several of us, when we were shooting Garands at the range... the clip ejected after the last round and a bystander would get real surpised and/or worried and say "something just flew off'a his rifle".:D :D :D :D :D
 
Nothing else is the same as the sound of:

"Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Ping!" :D :evil: :D :evil: :D
 
That is pretty much ALL I shoot. My only non-milsurp right now, is an M1A.
Foul odor, foul odor. I know of no foul odor, I love the smell of cordite.
Man, that IS the smell of freedom.
 
iamkris, I think you missed one, in the historical department. I just can't remember the name of the obscure rifle you didn't include. I mean, is that an 8mm Berthier cavalry carbine, for Pete's sakes!?

Bart Noir
 
"something just flew off'a his rifle".
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I took my M1 to an IPSC-style rifle match and the lady timing me got just that sort of look when I emptied my last clip. I had to explain the clip system to her. :)
 
Guy's here's my pride and joys....................


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Here's a 4 shot group at 200yds from my .308 M1




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I would just love to have a whole house full of Garands.....................
 
The M1 is the only rifle I shoot and was the only thing to distract me from handgun shooting. It is also the only semi-auto allowed in my house (well maybe I'll replace the Ruger MK512 I sold).

I bought the M1 Garand for historical interest, but they are such easy sweet shooters that I am in that aforementioned vortex.
 
iamkris, I think you missed one, in the historical department. I just can't remember the name of the obscure rifle you didn't include. I mean, is that an 8mm Berthier cavalry carbine, for Pete's sakes!?
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Yup, its a Mannlicher-Berthier 1892/17 carbine in 8mm Lebel. My grandfather brought it home when he returned from service in Europe.

Also, not shown in the pic
  • Finn M39
  • Eddystone P17
  • 2 Swede M96s
  • Another K31
  • Ishy 2A
  • Romainian AKM
  • 2 more ARs
  • And a Para FAL on the way
 
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