M1 Garand 3 rnd clip

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spiker44

spiker44

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I know you can make a two round clip for match shooting. I would like to know if anyone has a idea of a Three round clip for use for the three round volley for funerals. I see how the cuts are made for the two rounds and thought I could just make the cuts a little shorter to accommodate three rounds. Anyone know how most Honor Guards load other than just pushing three rounds down in a eight round clip already in the well? Thanks
Sarge
 
You should be able to make a three round M1 clip. The lips would a bit longer than the two rounder but shorter than the five round clip.

Do a search for making clips. Info is around but I am not at home to look up where. The reason is the info has tips on tools to use that make the job easier.

If you plan to make several, make a pattern to make locating the cuts easier.
 
Thanks Harleyfixer but that site only has single, two and five round clips.
cfullgraf thanks, I have been looking online for awhile now and have found only diagrams for two and five homemade clips. I am going to try and just use the design of a two round clip and take it from there.
I am in charge of our honor guard rifle team. We were only allowed to use our service issue 12 ga 870 police mags for the rifle volley part of the funeral honors. I talked my Super into getting CRP M1's so I have a the dilemma of making it easy for my team to load these. I have enough experience with M1's but w/full 8 round clips. I also know how to load just three with these same clips but most on my team never even seen a Garand! I would expect since the M1 is the most used for these ceremonies that someone would have come up with a three round clip. Thanks for your help. I will keep on it, Sarge
 
P-32, I have faith in them but they are scared of the Garand. Working for years with the 870 pump never had to worry about M1 Thumb. I believe if we had more time to work with it, things would be fine. We are all Correctional Officers first and we are allowed to practice once a quarter for the Honor Guard duties. We volunteer allot of our time as we do a big national event each year. The Correctional Peace Officer Foundation has a big ceremony in a different state each year that honors fallen and hurt law enforcement officers from around the states and even Canada. So I try and get everything as simple as I can so we can do quality practice when we do get time to practice. We have been doing a lot of vets lately also, which is sad, but we do our best to honor them
HDCamel, as in top off method, you mean putting the clip in the well empty and then loading three into the clip then letting the bolt close home? That is what we are working on now. A little more time if we had it would give more confidence to the team and I am sure we will get it down and make it look good. I just thought if I had a three rnd clip it would make it much easier. Like I stated earlier, All the ceremonies being done with garands and no one has a three round clip or a plan to make one up?? I dont like the idea of loading all eight as I dont want any extra rounds (blanks) popping off at an inopportune time. I thought about loading 5 duds in a 8 round clip and then just loading three blanks on top. I was thought KISS a long time ago and it still is the best. Thanks.
 
 
I thought about loading 5 duds in a 8 round clip and then just loading three blanks on top. I was thought KISS a long time ago and it still is the best. Thanks.
Click to expand...

The KISS method would be to load eight rounds and train your troops to only fire three.
 
spiker44 said:
cfullgraf thanks, I have been looking online for awhile now and have found only diagrams for two and five homemade clips. I am going to try and just use the design of a two round clip and take it from there.
Click to expand...

Sarge,

Yes, that was what I intended for you. The diagrams and info are to give you the methods, you would just have to determine where to make the cuts. You should be able to scale between the lengths of the cuts on the two and five round clips to determine where you need to make the cuts for three rounds.

I would suggest making the clips one sided like the five round clips. Less work and besides, you can only use one side at a time.

They should work like a champ.

I understand your desire to make things easier for your Honor Guard. The M1 at times can be a bit intimidating for the inexperienced.
 
I agree with CZguy, load a full 8 round clip and only fire three. It is simple enough to unload a partially loaded M1 Garand.
 
3 rnd clip

Yes I do agree loading eight would be the easiest, but the 3 volleys of rifle fire at a funeral is a lasting impression for family and friends and I know it might never happen that someone would touch off another, but I am not willing to take that chance. I know I can make a 3 rnd clip. If they make a two and a five. A three can be made to work. The sound of the last volley with the pings of all the clips and the end is priceless. You only get one funeral and we will make it right to honor the service men and women who are now laid to rest.
 
I still think the top off method is the best.
It's not that difficult and will give you the results you desire without having to spend money on unnecessary equipment.
 
I just cannot believe that no one has made up a 3 round clip or find plans for such online. M1 Garands are widely used in honor guards and not just for show. I have searched on the net and can only find modifications for 2 or 5 rnd clips. Makes me wonder if it won’t work? Above, P-32 suggests it is not normal. But a 2 or five rnd isn't normal either. 3 being an odd number but so is 5. Well this weekend I will be in the armory and I will use the design I have from the Fulton Armory for the 2 round and just make it for three. I will only do one side of the clip as that is all I really need. I want to thank all the input from everyone and I know that top off or 5 duds topped by three blank rounds will work. I just want to see at this point if it can be done.
 
I've made 5 rounders for hunting, hacksaw some snips and a good pair of parallel jaw pliers to form the lips. Clean up the edges with a file and your good to go. Takes about 30 minutes to get a nice finished product. 3 rounders should be almost as easy. :)
 
Think about the ping.

IMHO, it would better to have a 5 round en bloc clip loaded so that the last 2 rounds are snap caps. This way there is no ping and en bloc clips flying around at the funeral.
 
We march the rifle team a good distance away from the crowd when we fire the volleys. Before we had to pump 12 gage 870's so there was brass to pick up anyway and I like the sound of 7 rifles expending en blocs clips in unison!! Anyway for right now. The overall Honor Guard LT has decided we will be using standard clips with 8 blanks. As a Sergeant and a LT making this decision, I will follow the given order... But that doesn't mean I can’t still make a 3 rnd clip and see if it will work. I am the armorer!!! LOL
 
A bunch of the VFW/AL honor guards actually used Eddystone P17's--which made things simpler.

The "Garand" way I know is to use 2-round en bloc clips, and to load the 3rd over those.

Getting reliable feeding from .30-06 blanks is why many "seven only" HG use bolt-action rifles. Very few things as annoying as having volleys that are incomplete. I've been to some of these where AR's are used, and having the volleys be 7, then 5, then 3 shots 'spoils' things a bit.

I want to remember that the 2 & 5 round clips are for compliance with different States' hunting rules.
 
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