Stray M1 Garand Followed Me Home....

[cslinger]

I just don't have the heart to turn away a poor homeless gun that has lost it's way so when I hear scratching at the door yesterday I just couldn't turn away the pitiful little M1 Garand that was cold and lonely.

Anyway I found a Garand that is about the prettiest one I have ever personally seen outside of the ones that have been professionally re-done etc.

I won't have a chance to shoot it for a week or two at the earliest but she sure is purty to look at.

Chris

Here is a picture. I have been wanting a Garand for the better part of 2 years.

 

[FPrice]

cslinger...

It looks nice. If you post the manufacturer and serial number (with the last three digits repaced by x's) we can give you an idea of just how old it is.

Beware! Garands obtained this way have been known to attract other Garands to your doorstep. You may wind up with more.

 

[762x51]

VERY nice. Congrats!

 

[pdh]

She's a beauty Chris! Got 2 of these treasures myself.Know exactly how you feel.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

You are aware of course that by having a Garand in your house, there is a high probability that it will attract a rogue 03-A3 in the near future. They tend to travel in pairs!

 

[BerettaNut92]

PING!! Congrats

 

[cslinger]

It is a 1954 Springfield. That is really all I know about it at this point.

God, I love that "PING" sound. I played Medal of Honor Allied Assault just for that sound effect.

Thanks

Chris

 

[twoblink]

So does the Mrs. know about your new affair???

 

[cslinger]

The Mrs. bought it.

I told her not to spend the money on it more than once. I have a witness to this too.

She pretty much fell in love with the look of it and was impressed with how good a shape it was in. It is much nicer than the two new production Garands we had seen recently so she bought it.

Now I just need to find the time to get out to the range with it.

 

[DamnedDirtyApe]

That's a beautiful rifle, Cslinger. The quality on the 50's rifles was a little higher than in the 40's - there wasn't such urgency to get them produced.

This one suddenly appeared in my gun cabinet last September. They have magic powers.

Springfield 2.74 mil built in March-April 1944, with a 1952 H&R rebarrel.

I've read recently that all the combat troops for the Normandy invasion were issued totally new gear and weapons. One can only wonder .....

 

[foghornl]

cslinger.....

Keep your eyes open, for its older cousin, known as 1903-A3 may be ringing your doorbell soon, along with kid brother, AKA "The War Baby" Carbine....

 

[twoblink]

I might consider having a Garand follow me home later on in life; but it would have to be a vegetarian Garand, on a 308 diet, and not a 30-06 one... It'd then be a long lost older cousin to my M1A.. hehehe

 

[cslinger]

I completely understand the desire to have....

one caliber or to share calibers between rifles etc. I just cannot see a .308 Garand. It just doesn't oooz history like the ole' 06. I know it's cheaper to find surplus .308 and it is a more modern round but to me a Garand is a 30-06.

Then again I have a problem with 1911s in calibers other than .45 and they sure as heck can't be plastic.

Now for a question. Current production, commercial 30-06 ammo should be just fine to run through the Garand as long as it is lighter then 180 grain. Am I correct on this. I seem to remember being told that I should stick to 150 grain ammo if using brand new stuff. Does this sound correct?

Chris

 

[gk1]

cslinger

My understanding is that commercial .30-06 in non-military style loadings (anything other than 150 FMJ at ~2800 fps) is less than ideal for a Garand. However, if you get a couple of spare op-rods, and definitely stay with the lighter bullets, you should be OK. Apparently most of the other loads use powders with burn rates inappropriate for the M1, potentially causing the port pressure to be too high.

Stick with M2-ball equivalent, and you should be fine. Stray, and you'll likely damage the op-rod sooner or later.

George

 

[DamnedDirtyApe]

Current production, commercial 30-06 ammo should be just fine to run through the Garand as long as it is lighter then 180 grain.

http://www.jouster.com lore says 173 gr max. Spare op-rods are 75.00 a pop.

The best factory ammo I've shot has been commercial PMC 150 gr. It is produced exactly to Garand specs.

I've found the PMC Korean military ammo to be feeble, dirty, unreliable. YMMV.

The BEST ammo I've used in my rifle has been my own reloads. Do you reload? If you do, you'll save oodles of money, and have a superior round to practice with.

 

[Kharn]

Cslinger: If that Garand happens to become too much of a burden on your household (as stray guns are known to do, primarily in the form of neglecting your other guns), I'll gladly adopt it.

Kharn

 

[Minute_Of_Torso]

Garands are extremely addictive and should come with a warning sticker!

My dad's M1 was the first rifle I ever shot (6-years old) and I still have it and a another one I just purchased.

Congrats and have fun.

 

[jacks308]

Time may come when you'll be selling things you don't need to get a larger Garand family . Things like house , car ,truck , boat , stock funds ...................................



Jack

 

[Sven]

A war baby knocked on my door yesterday...





Just posted her serial number on a new thread looking for more info.

 

[ms1200]

very nice

 

[Steve in PA]

I just got my CMP Garand today!!!

SA/SG 2,728,xxx
Barrel 2-S-A-11-43
Bolt D28287-19SA