[jsalcedo]

I looked it up and it shows 1945 MFG date from Springfield armory.

Picked it up from a pawnshop this morning. All the metal is perfect but the wood near the muzzle has a few gouges.

I took it to the range immediately and fired some surplus middle eastern ammo I had lying about.

At a hundred yards 5 shot groups were touching, functioning is flawless and I'm very happy.

I may have paid a little too much but the shop guarantees all their guns to function properly or they will repair or replace.

[bigjim]

Oh boy...... you think 1911's are bad. Hope you don't plan to retire soon!

[Nick1911]

*ping!*

:D

-Nick

[Roadrunner]

Congrats on the Garand purchase. I got mine years ago through CMP and it's one of my favorite rifles to shoot.

[jefnvk]

Heck, I got my CMP less than a month ago, and it is already tied for favorite.

[homeka45]

Just got my second one today, one is simply not enough! :D

[varoadking]

At a hundred yards 5 shot groups were touching...

Not sure I understand - the 5 shot groups touched (still don't understand this) or all 5 shots in a group were touching each other at 100 yards?

[oneshooter]

You have yust started your journey twoard the truth. The 30cal M1 Garand is the perfect rifle, rugged, powerful, historical, accurate. ALL others will pale in comparison. :evil: :eek:

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
(with 5 Garands)

[jsalcedo]

all 5 shots in a group were touching each other at 100 yards?

Sorry, I meant that the bullet holes were overlapping at 100 yards grouping at just over an inch.

With iron sights and crappy ammo this rifle shoots better than I can

[WhoKnowsWho]

Woohoo, I actually got my Garand before somebody else! See what you have been missing! And I waited a few years too.

So where are the pics?

[monsternav]

I just got my second one about 20 min. ago. Thank You CMP!
Looks like late March '44 production. Barrel is stamped 1 SA 4 44. Front handguard is an obvious replacement (color not even close). It has some cartouches on it, does anyone have a reference for them? The Parkerization is almost completely gone, and the lower sling swivel is loose in the stock. Those are the only things that appear to be "wrong" with it.

[alamo]

I gather a cartouche is some sort of symbol stamped on the stock or metal parts by a manufacturer or repair facility?

car·touche or car·touch

n.

1. A structure or figure, often in the shape of an oval shield or oblong scroll, used as an architectural or graphic ornament or to bear a design or inscription.

2. An oval or oblong figure in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics that encloses characters expressing the names or epithets of royal or divine personages.

3. A heavy paper cartridge case.

[AZ Jeff]

US military firearms built in the days before the M16 often had markings applied to the firearm after final assembly (or reasssembly following rebuild). On rifles, this was typically on the stock. Most often, they consisted of some sort of initials of the senior military officer in charge at that facility at the time. Later on, they went to a standardized type of nomeclature with initials of the depot or the like. There is a whole subcult of followers who track cartouches on US martial firearms.

[30Cal]

How'dya like that *PING!*????

Cartouches
The Acceptance cartouches went on the left side under the windage knob. Up till the end of the war, they consisted of an ordnance wheel (crossed cannons in a circled belt w/ flame at the top) and an inspectors mark (boxed, with mfr initials over inspector initials i.e. WRA/GAW for Winchester/Geo. A. Woody). Post war used only the Defence Acceptance Stamp--boxed eagle grasping 3 arrows under 3 stars. The only time a rifle got these stamps was at acceptance--when it originally rolled off the assy line and the government inspector agreed to purchase it.

Proof marks went on the grip--P's circled or boxed. Anytime the stock was on a rifle that fired a high pressure proof round (initial build or rebuild), it got one of these.

Also, during rebuilds, the different arsenals might apply their own stamps. The original acceptance stamps more often than not got sanded off during rebuilds.

See articles at www.jouster.com for more info.

[HankB]

Post war used only the Defence Acceptance Stamp--boxed eagle grasping 3 arrows under 3 stars. The only time a rifle got these stamps was at acceptance--when it originally rolled off the assy line and the government inspector agreed to purchase it. Not quite.
According to Canfield, DAS stamps were also applied to the stock on Springfield Armory rebuilds during the 1955-1960 time frame.

[alamo]

Thanks for the info., I'll check my CMP Garand for those. Funny, I didn't even think to look for those but I was checking all over my Luger & 98K. They don't seem to call them cartouches much on those forums, usually "markings, "symbols" or "stamps".

[varoadking]

Sorry, I meant that the bullet holes were overlapping at 100 yards grouping at just over an inch.

Congrat's - you have the 1 in 7 million or so Garand's that will shoot MOA - with iron sights and MilSurp ammo no less... :eek:

Pick up some match ammo - it ought to shoot one hole for you... :uhoh:

[Texian Pistolero]

I thought cartouche was Spanish for "cartridge".

[jsalcedo]

Congrat's - you have the 1 in 7 million or so Garand's that will shoot MOA - with iron sights and MilSurp ammo no less...

I am not a good rifle shooter and I was really surprised when I looked through the spotting scope and saw the tight cluster.

I tried a clip of remington 150 grain soft points and the results were much less impressive with groups opening up to about 2 1/2 inches.

Had no idea that Garands weren't MOA rifles.

[MAUSER88]

Best I can do is 2" groups with mine at 100 yards.

[jrhead75]

Looks like late March '44 production. Barrel is stamped 1 SA 4 44. Front handguard is an obvious replacement (color not even close). It has some cartouches on it, does anyone have a reference for them? The Parkerization is almost completely gone, and the lower sling swivel is loose in the stock. Those are the only things that appear to be "wrong" with it. I've got a 5/44 Springfield myself. What cartouches are on your stock?

As for the parkerization, there are a lot of variables involved. The late war rifles seem to show a somewhat lighter gray park than do the earlier ones. Mine is pretty light

[Jmurman]

Way to go! This one wont be your last for sure.

Now, you say that you shot soem Middle Eastern ammo? I would immediately scrub your bore with an ammonia based cleaned to make sure you didnt use corrosive ammo.

There are threads here that detail what needs to be done.

Enjoy!

[monsternav]

jrhead75:
Let's see here, there is one on the tang(?), below the serial number there, looks like an "8"
There is the "P" , on the grip, also one has been stamped into the barrel.
On the bottom of the pistol grip there is something unrecognizable. It is roundish though, an "8" or a "g". Then there is something that looks like a diamond, and then "18" below that.

[Justang]

All this talk has got me interested in one! I just found CMP and it says $500 for the "Service Grade." What's the difference between the Service Grade from CMP and the $1k Garands in the Springfield catalog?

[VG]

Best I can do is 2" groups with mine at 100 yards. If that is an 8 round group with milsurp ammo that's phenomenal.

The best shooting Garand I've owned (of 10 or 12) shot one 2.33" 8 round group with Danish ammo. None of the others do as well. I'm about to send my Dane/VAR off to DGR to get it tweaked so we'll see what that can do.

[Swampy]

What's the difference between the Service Grade from CMP and the $1k Garands in the Springfield catalog?

The rifles from the CMP are USGI rifles taken right out of US Army inventory.... inspected, graded, and sold to deserving US citizens.

The rifles currently being sold as "new" by SA, INC. are newly made cast receivers, new commercial barrels, and new wood by Boyd's mated with a bunch of used and refinished surplus kit parts. This is where all those $129 M1 parts kits that were common a few years back ended up. The Reese family (SA, INC.) bought up umpteen thousands of them for making into these "new" M1's and dried up the market.
No history, no collector value, no soul.

Best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever

[Justang]

So you have to join a CMP organization to get one through them right? I might have to do that.

[jsalcedo]

Does the NRA or TSRA count as CMP affiliated organizations?

[Swampy]

Does the NRA or TSRA count as CMP affiliated organizations?

The NRA is NOT a CMP affiliate organization.... so your NRA membership doesn't help.

By "TSRA" I'm assuming you are referring to Texas State Rifle Assoc.???

If so, then you'll have to contact them and ask or check the CMP association files. Most state rifle orgs ARE CMP affiliates... I think a very few are not.

Best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever

[joegerardi]

The Garand Collector's Association is the best. They are electronically linked to the CMP, and when you join them, your name is automatically registered at the CMP. $25.00/year dues, and their newsletter is one of the best sources of neat info for the M1.

http://www.garandcollector.org/

..Joe

[jsalcedo]

Thanks for the Info.

I hope to buy my allocation of 8 Garands this year :D

[jrhead75]

Monsternav...The "p" signifies proof firing. Is the one on your stock in a circle, a square or just by itself? The little round deal on the bottom of the pistol grip sounds like a small (3/16") ordnance wheel which was found on '44 and early '45 stocks (approx 1.8mil-3.6mil s/n), so it's possibly the original stock and definitely USGI. It should also have the SA/GAW and Ordnance Wheel cartouches on the L/H side of the stock right above the trigger guard, but they didn't survive too often.

A good online source of info, if you don't have your books handy is: http://battlerifle0.tripod.com/

Jsalcedo...congrats on your first Garand, sounds like a beauty! Bet it won't be your last! ;)