Garand Questions

[mparris71]

Shot my Garand for the first time today! Shot ten clips threw it. This being my first exposure to the Garand I have a few questions for you more seasoned folks. The rifle ejected the spent brass in a forward direction from 1-3 O’clock 3-8 feet from the receiver this seemed odd to me, is this normal? Out of 10 clips I shot, one shell jammed above the chamber and pushed back the bullet in to the case, don’t worry I did not shot that one. What would cause a jam like this? thanks for your time
MP

 

[Matthew_Q]

Ok, ejecting at about 1 o'clock is perfectly normal.

As for the jam, maybe the bolt short stroked, maybe the shot before it was a little weak and the spring accellerated the bolt forward too fast... maybe the cartridge was seated too far forward in the clip? Just few possibilities.

 

[mparris71]

maybe the cartridge was seated too far forward in the clip

I loaded the clips myself this could have been the problem.
Thanks

 

[VG]

Garands in good operating condition and well lubricated throw brass at 1-3 oclock. If they start throwing at 4-5, they usually need grease, cleaning, or both.

 

[mparris71]

Okay now a noob cleaning question. When I first got this rifle a few weeks ago I took it down and clean everything and greased it well. This might be subjective, but how often do I need to actually break it down in the 3 main groups and clean it in detail

 

[cheygriz]

This is just my opinion, and others may disagree.

I was taught many years ago to field strip, clean, and lube my Garand every time I shot it. That procedure has served me, and my garand well for the last 40+ years.

 

[Steve in PA]

Once a year. I've read lots about the Garand on several boards since obtaining mine this year.

The serious shooter only break down thier rifles into the three main groups once a year. They do this because the act of disassembling the rifle compresses the wood around the trigger groups, receiver, etc.

I've taken to only punching the bore and general cleaning. I've read where serious highpower shooters have shot all year and only disassembled thier rifle at the end of the season.

 

[Sunray]

Hi, mparris71. Load the clips then whack the loaded clip on the bullet end on the butt plate. It seats the ammo in the clip. Just a sharp smack. You'll see some postings of pictures where the stock has dimples from this being done. Use the butt plate.
The only time you need to worry about field stripping a Garand is if you have had it customized for long range target shooting. Otherwise, it's a battle rifle that needs proper, regular field stripping, cleaning and re-greasing. Grease, not oil.

 

[Houndawg]

Or if you happen to be wearing a steel pot or kevlar, you can wack the bullets on your helmet. Be careful if you get used to this though. I've wacked M-16 magazines on my bare noggen before, forgetting I wasn't wearing a brain bucket.

 

[VG]

Sir, most Garand owners looking for accuracy just clean the barrel. Some unlock the trigger guard for storage, others don't.

Taking it down may cause your stock to loosen up over time (depending on just how often you use it!) and up to the first ten rounds you fire at the next range session will move as the rifle reseats itself in the stock. A chronic wear point is the pins on the trigger guard, and wearing those out will loosen the lockup.

This is all moot if you are just out shooting for grins on occasion. If you are competing it becomes more important.

 

[Garand'06]

Load the clips then whack the loaded clip on the bullet end on the butt plate. It seats the ammo in the clip. Just a sharp smack. You'll see some postings of pictures where the stock has dimples from this being done. Use the butt plate.

Ignore the above "advice" unless you don't give a hoot about accuracy/safety. Just because something has been done before, doesn't make it right or smart.

Just load the clips carefully and properly and LOOK at them to make sure you have no long rounds in the clip. If you do, take out the top round, push in the long one and replace the top round.

IF YOU MUST bang the clip on something to seat the rounds, bang the CLIP itself on the butt plate or whatever, NOT the bullet point. In addition to possibly/probably messing up accuracy, if you manage to hit it hard enough to push the bullets into the case enough, you may damage something due to excessive pressures.

 

[Swampy]

mparris71,

On an issue grade rifle you can break it down as often as you wish to clean & lube and you are not going to noticeably affect the wood to metal fit. The fit of issue grade wood is usually not that tight anyway... (I'm sure that this was the method taught to millions of GI's & Marines over several decades).

Match shooters with Match Grade M1's having bedded stocks are the only people who have reason to not break the receiver group out of the wood on a regular basis. Doing so degrades the metal to bedding fit and is usually only done once a year for a thorough clean and re-lube. The in-between times cleanings involve only removing the trigger group for maintenance and doing base clean & lube with cotton swabs from underneath the action.... also the bore & chamber in the normal manner of course.

Re compression.... the action of the trigger guard being closed causes compression of the wood simply by being installed correctly. Over time this can cause the wood between the receiver and trigger group to give a looser fit. This is seen a lot on rifles with older walnut wood, less so on those with newer.... it's a time thing. Some shooters will leave the trigger guard un-locked when the rifle is stored to releive the pressure on the wood.

When wood became compressed the US Arsenals sometimes did skim bedding on the trigger group recesses of the stock to tigten things up. The Danes cut slots and inserted plastic shims. You can do similar remedies if you want to tighten up an old stock, but beware that doing so DQ's a rifle from CMP John C. Garand events.

Best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever

 

[mparris71]

Thanks for the imformation guys!