Hey folks! Im an avid Mauser collector but one things that I always wanted was an M1 Garand in 30-06. The other day I stopped in at the local gun shop and I asked the owner if he had seen anything. He mentioned that he was cleaning out his warehouse and he found one that actually cleaned up pretty nice. Hands down...I bought it right away. After the inspection I went to the range with 2 boxes of federal ammo and well....#1-it sure didn't take long to fire 40 shells off! #2-the brass flew 15-20 feet! and #3...I noticed that all the brass was scored everywhere! Is this a Garand thing because it doesn't look like I can reload for this rifle. Any thoughts? Either way...this rifle is very fun to shoot.

K98cris

Answers:
1 yup!
2 yup!
3 Yup, you can reload for it. A good friend does and greatly improved its accuracy.

-91

So if the scoring of the brass cases is a normal thing...can I reload these scored shells and are they safe?

K98cris

mine does the same thing. The Garand was a battlefield rifle which depended on reliability and comes with a strong extracter which tends to ding the brass mouth pretty good. I still reload it and straighten out the dings and it seems like it works pretty good. Mine has great accuracy and while the brass life is not as long as say a bolt rifle, you can get about 2 loadings out of it. Hope you have a lot of fun with it!

Grunts weren't in the habit of reaching down at their feet to pick up their brass so they could reload in their tents at night so far flinging brass was ok by them.Bit of a pain for the recreational shooter though.


444fitch

Watch your thumb when releasing the bolt, Chris! :D

Yeah!...I actually read the owners manual before I started to operate this piece as well as purchase a rather dry BUT very informative video on the M1. I tried to see what would happen to a pencil and it snapped it in half before I could blink!...:) One thing that I intend to do to my M1 is replace the stock and hardware. Does anyone out there know where I can find these items in as new condition?

Cris

Sportsman's Guide (www.sportsmansguide.com) has stocks and hardware for replacement.

I have to get out and shoot mine. I bought a brand new Springfield M1 Garand made in October of 2003. I have not gone to the range and even fired it yet. I did though go to shotgun news and found J&G sales and bought already loaded clips at a good price. I got 480 rounds 10 bandoleer 48 rounds per bandoleer already loaded in the clips. for a little over $100.00 with shipping. $165.00 plus shipping for 1000 rounds You can also order 500 rounds from them for $88.50 plus shipping. Not as good as reloading but not a bad price. Plus you get all the clips. :)

Has anyone here ever taken down big game with the M1 Garand? How does it perform out on the field in a hunting situation? Has there been any issues with stuck cases? I guess my thoughts are that if I am going to use this piece out in the field, I would like to know that I can depend on it when I really need to. I hunt big game up here in Canada and would like to try the M1 out on a bear hunt. Any thoughts here guys?


Cris

Youll need 5 shot clips to hunt with. Two should be plenty. Its abit eccentric for a hunter but why not.

i dont think youll have any problems with your M1 hunting bear or anything. ive used mine to take 4 or 5 whitetails and if i were to use it for bear i dont think there would be a problem with it. ive used it in some pretty nasty weather and it never jammed or failed. the only time i ever had a failure was with some 50 year old surplus that i bought. i reload for it and the rounds work perfect. i also read onetime not to fire factory rounds in them theyre to hot for them

I have fitred some federal 180gr at the range and noticed that some of the rounds ejected unfired. There was no firing pin mark on the primer. It just ejected a case. Any thoughts here?

Cris

Sounds like it spit two out at once; don't see how an M1 could cycle a round without firing. Does it do that with all of your clips or just some of them.

well..I bought a box of brand new ones (20 in all) and I haven't tried them out yet. It must of cycled it cause the brass was scored on the outside. Yes, the clip was an old one at the time.


Cris

Use 150 only. The gas system is not balanced for Hunting ammo that does not match military stuff. . If you just have to, youll have to try a lot of ammo till you find one that cycles.

Since it's a gas operated piece, i don't see how it could cycle a round without firing it, either, as Mike says. I'd be more inclined to think the scratches were caused by the bolt, or something like that. I have two Garands, neither damages the brass as to be unuseable, and one of my friends has two also. He uses one on whitetails & has never had a problem. Personally, i think they're overly heavy and long to hunt with, but just my opinion.........

Check out boyds stocks for the wood. walnut or laminated. Web search for the stock metal or find a copy of Shotgun News {at wal-mart or other bookstore} there's several compinaes that sell like-new or unissued parts.

Hello,
This is all new to me. I've seen Garands that'double',fire two shots with one pull of the trigger. But never heard of a Garand that ejected two rounds whe it fired only one.
I think that it has to be a faulty clip.
Frank

I reload for my M1. The easiest way to catch the cases is to unscrew the gas port screw and the rifle will not self load. It will be a bolt action. It's not as fun to shoot this way but it will not throw the cases on the next guys head!

I bought a brand new Boyds military stock and handguards from Midway at www.midwayusa.com. It is the nicest stock I have ever seen for the M1 Garand and it was on sale. Replacement hardware is available from Sarco, Inc. at www.sarcoinc.com. All the best...
Gil

well..I bought a box of brand new ones (20 in all) and I haven't tried them out yet. It must of cycled it cause the brass was scored on the outside. Yes, the clip was an old one at the time.


Cris I don't think it ejected 2 at once. I don't think it is possible. Perhaps your hand pressed the clip ejector button on the left hand side??? In that case the clip and unfired round ejected.

Owned several M1s over the years and carried one after school for 4 years during JROTC drill team. One thing to remember is that the gas system is fixed and not adjustable as a FN. All factory ammo should cycle. You have to watch if you reload to make sure that the system will cycle with your bullet weight and powder. Most reloading manuals have a section on service rifle loads and I would suggest starting there. Also check out the DCM/CMP web site for I think theres info avaible there to help you out.

Has anyone here ever taken down big game with the M1 Garand? How does it perform out on the field in a hunting situation? Has there been any issues with stuck cases? I guess my thoughts are that if I am going to use this piece out in the field, I would like to know that I can depend on it when I really need to. I hunt big game up here in Canada and would like to try the M1 out on a bear hunt. Any thoughts here guys?


Cris
I shot a Boar with my Garand about 3 years ago. At the time it was the only rifle ready at the time(I did not have a scope mounted on my Savage 10FP). The rifle dropped the Boar with one shot in the neck. The only problem is the sling is noisy and the rifle is a little heavy.

"Has anyone here ever taken down big game with the M1 Garand? How does it perform out on the field in a hunting situation? Has there been any issues with stuck cases? I guess my thoughts are that if I am going to use this piece out in the field, I would like to know that I can depend on it when I really need to."
Remember the history of the Garand.
It was reliable enough all thru WW11 and Korea, under every imaginable condition. It'll function in any condition you're likely to be hunting in.

I have fitred some federal 180gr at the range and noticed that some of the rounds ejected unfired. There was no firing pin mark on the primer. It just ejected a case. Any thoughts here?

Cris

Some Garands do not like 180 grain and heavier bullets, stick to 165 grain category. I have had excellent results with 165-168 in the Garand, BUT, as the old wives tails say, don't load with 4350 or 4831 because of the differnt pressure curves. Use IMR 4895 and H414 instead, works great. As for Garands in the field, have not done that, .30-06 is too much for these South Texas deer.

Larry :)

Larry...thanks for your post cause I was just about to go the IMR 4350 route. I guess I need to slow down a bit here with the old girl. I wanted to reload soon since a box of 30-06 Springfield shells are $$$$ and one box of 20 just isn't nearly as fun as say....400 shell!!!!. Either way...spring bear just opened up here in Canada and it will be 4 weeks before I get out.

cris

Larry...thanks for your post cause I was just about to go the IMR 4350 route. I guess I need to slow down a bit here with the old girl. I wanted to reload soon since a box of 30-06 Springfield shells are $$$$ and one box of 20 just isn't nearly as fun as say....400 shell!!!!. Either way...spring bear just opened up here in Canada and it will be 4 weeks before I get out.

cris

Hi Chris,
Glad I caught you in time. Some Garands hiccup on 4350, some do not. I have one of the hiccup guns. Just stick with the medium speed powders and you are fine. The US Mil used IMR 4895 in their ammo for 25+ years and millions of rounds. Know what you mean about ammo quantity, especially with a M-1. Used to bang off a hundred rounds a day when I was shooting for the Navy, first .30-06, then .308 as the rifles changed. Oh, if you have not tried H-414, might give it a whorl in your M-1, it is an inteesting powder, meters Very well and is often less expensive. I have used a lot of it in the .308 for my match M1.

Larry

H414's burning rate is pretty close to 4350.....
Makes me wonder about using 414 in the Garand. WW 760, same thing.
If you want a ball powder with a burning rate close to 4895, try Accurate Arms 2520. They recommend it for the Garand, and I'veused it extensively in an M-1 - works great.

I've been shooting a National Match star gaged M-1 for years Got ahold of some 172 grain National Match Frankford Arsenal stuff while shooting in England, and tried to duplicate it here in the States, Wound up using Speer 170 grain flat point made for the 30-30, and H414 with Mag primers. 53 grains seems to duplicate the National Match stuff with 2740 FPS. At 600 yards can keep 5 shots in the black. I haven't used this load for hunting, but it would have to be from a stand. Too much weight to lug around the woods. The load is below loads listed for the 180 grain boat tail, and should be safe in most Grands.

Lee L.

Someone mentioned needing 5 round clips for hunting, check your local laws, not all places have magazine capacity limits for hunting. (Wyoming doesn't)

The American Rifleman magazine published many articles on loading for the M1. The issue of different loads seemed to be the burn rate of the powder, rather than the bullet weight. Heavy loads with slow powders as normally used for heavy bullet loads would cause high port pressure and can lead to bending the operating rod. There were loads listed with bullets up to 200 grains, but with medium burn rate powders. Try a search on yahoo or Google for "M1 loads" , "M1 garand load data" or similar. I've turnd up M1 specific loads on the net by doing this.

Have you checked your chamber to see if it's rough? I've only had scratched up brass from a rough chamber, a smooth clean chamber doesn't seem to scar them up much. should just be marks from feeding into the chamber.

Actually...the local authorities in this region (Canada) don't seem to have an issue with the 8 enbloc clips since this is part of normal operation for this rifle. I know that you can get the modified ones but prefer the thought of having 8 at my disposal.....Anyone try scoping the M1??? (I guess I may have blasphemed here)

K98cris

K98cris, they don't give you grief about the M1 in Canada? I called the Can. Firearms Centre to inquire about bringing some of my firearms through on the way to Alaska and they told me "No M1 Garand, has no 'sporting purpose'".

Malamute:

I do know that there is an issue over trying to cross firearms over the border. Anything relating to firearms has become an issue in the post 9/11 world. Last year I bought a scope from ebay from some fellow in the states and he mailed it as "rifle scope". It was turned back at the border and it took 3 months to get it. All he did was take out the word "rifle" out of the pakage. Imagine that! As far as "no sporting use".....what they don't know eh? I have just contacted a friend in the department to ask about the M1 and can get back to you with more info. Here's another piece of info for you....my M1 is not new but I have all of my firearms insured. The insurance company would buy me a BRAND NEW M1 from the Springfield Armory and have it sent directly to the local gun shop where I would them pick it up. It appears that registered local gun shops can bring firearms through....

K98cris

Thanks, I'd appreciate hearing any info about it. Looks like I may be heading up early this summer.

You've gotten great advice from some Garand shooters I can see. I'll offer some too:

the stock you are looking for:
http://www.boydboys.com/BrowseEbus/Militarym1garand.asp

or here:
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/107223

actually, the midway one is a good deal.

Brass:
Find some of the non corrosive Korean or Greek ammo and blast away. When you are done, de-prime it, swage the primer hole of it's crimp and reload to your hearts content. The mil-spec brass is really strong, and will reload about 7-10 times with alot less stretch than the Remmie or Winnie commercial ammo.

Just be careful taking the clip off your old handguard and installing it on your new one. installation can be tricky, and don't scratch that new wood.

cris- Remember that those old garands were designed for a 150 gr. bullet moving at 2700 fps., so that factory stuff may couse problems in the future.