[eclancy]

Hi all,
....was "condemend" for use in the M1 Garand Rifle, how did Ordnance get rid of the stockpiles on hand? Hint: dated is 1940.
See told you it would be easy.
Have fun
Thanks again
Clancy

[DMK]

I remember reading somewhere that it was issued to troops armed with 30 cal machine guns and those still armed with 1903 Springfields.

Didn't the Army Air corps get stuck with a bunch for their 30 cals?

[VG]

This is a pretty arcane question for a general forum. Wouldn't it be more helpful to explain the development of the M1, selection of 30-06 for the production rifles, and the reasons, dating back to WWI, why M2 ball supplanted M1?

[MLC]

In a book I read years ago about Vietnam the author recalls arriving in his new camp and hearing repeated ongoing gunfire nearby.
He investigated and found that the soldiers had been ordered to clear a grove of trees. Being the early stages of the war they were without many supplies, including a chainsaw. They were using their antequated Garands and otherwise useless 30'06 ammo to fell trees.

[eclancy]

VG,
I have already written two books on the M1 Garand. The books are the Ordnance files in order by date. Vol.1 cover 1920 to 1937 and Vol. 2 covers 1938 to 1939. These are copies of the real Ordnance files orders by orders as well as many papers and letters by Col. Drewy and other Officers on the Garand Project, which by the way in the early stage was know as Project 5.
I also have two sites up on the net to give people some idea of what the files look like. It's not what I wrote by what they ordered. Here's one address to one site:
http://www.garandm1rifle.com
The sites are linked to each other
I post these quiz questions to get people into the real data on the M1 Garand.
Thanks again for the comeback
Have fun
Clancy

[Mike Irwin]

I seem to recall hearing that a lot of it was designated for machine gun use only....

[eclancy]

Hi all,
Ordnance went to Congress for funds for the new M2 Ball. Congress said that Ordnance had to use up the 10 MILLION rds on hand before new funds would be used. Ordnance could not let it stay to be used in the Model '03 or the Bar because it might find its way into some M1 Garand. Soooooooo Ordnance gave all of it to the Army Air Corp (USAF today) to be used in the aircraft, fighters and bombers, cause back then 1940 they only had .30 machine guns in the fighter and bombers. Now Ordnance got the new funding.
Hope you had fun with this on. Want more??
Thanks again
Clancy

[NEtracker]

Interesting history.
Makes me wish my Dad was still around to talk to about this kinda stuff.
He was Army Air Corp, Lieut., 20th Div., 58th BW, then Air Force Reserve, Capt. Also, explains all those .30 ammo cans I now have..;)

[DMK]

The M1 Ball was hotter than M2 wasn't it? If so, it sounds like it would probably be better for aircraft ammo.

[eclancy]

DMK,
It had a 12 lb bolt lift abd the powder was dirty for the Gas Traps. The New M2 Ball only had a 2 lb Bolt lift and had new powder.
Thanks again
Clancy

[DMK]

Not their fighters, but a lot of their other aircraft still had 30 cals, like the SBDs, PBYs, TBFs, Kingfishers, and such.

Plus, they didn't get Garands until after WWII did they? All the WWII pics of Navy guys with rifles I've seen, showed them with '03s.

[eclancy]

Hi all,
I have update my two sites on the net with data on the M1 Ball question. Both sites have been update. If you want to check the M1 Ball data. I have posted just a few of the many files I have on the M1 Ball to M2 Ball. For the rest of the data on the M1 Garand you just have to buy the books I sell. Have fun. Here's the site that has the M1 Ball data:
http://www.garandm1rifle.com
Then just click on the M1 Ball data on the front page.
Thanks again
Clancy