MY NEW GARAND!!!! PICS

[Zullo74]

200 Yard Range 2 hours from Savannah

Hardhit7777 wrote.....

Oh, that reminds me, does any one know of any shooting ranges in south east Ga with a rifle range over 100 yards? I live 50 miles NW from Sav. Anything within an hour or 2 would be nice.

Come down to Gateway Rifle and Pistol Club in Jacksonville Florida. That should be about 2 hours from you. We have a 200 yard range and hold Garand matches twice a year and highpower matches twice a month, Here's a link. Click Here

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[GRIZ22]

There's nothing wrong in refinishing s Garand stock to improve it's appearance. What you are doing is making the rifle appear like it did when it was new. The first thing you need to do is determine if there are any rare cartouches on the stock. Google "M1 stock cartoughes" and you'll get several sites that will provide information. The circled P is not a rare cartouche.

If you go to the CMP website you can get a great deal of advice on refinishing a Garand stock. A easy method to strip the stock is to run it through your dishwasher. You can steam out dents but don't use filler. The only two finishes used from the factory were boiled linseed oil (early in WWII) and tung oil.

http://www.jouster.com/TOC.html

They also have a lot of Garand info here.

There's a lot to learn about Garands have fun doing it. You'll enjoy the rifle more.

 

[Zullo74]

If you go to the CMP website you can get a great deal of advice on refinishing a Garand stock. A easy method to strip the stock is to run it through your dishwasher.

Here's the CMP link to stock cleaning. They don't recommend the dishwasher method........

Click Here​

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

nice...where did you buy it?

 

[James T Thomas]

pics worth a thousand posts

That third frame of your pics; the front sight in focus, the rear sight blurry and the brick wall out of focus, but in view, is just the way it should appear
when the shooter is sighting properly.


For those who ask questions on sighting technique.

 

[Zullo74]

If this is the one you are referring to it is the fourth frame, and yes, that's a prooper sight picture........

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[Blackfork]

Congrats on a great rifle.

First, just wipe it off with a rag and some furniture oil. You can clean it, and clean it out of the stock, but no sanding, no filling, no steaming...nothing. Just clean it. You'll need q-tips and toothpicks to run some of the edges and corners. No scratching, just break the crud loose. Wipe off the stock.

Grab the front sight and see if it and the gas system has any wiggle in it relative to the barrel. If so, (and that's likely) you are going to need to peen the barrel splines to re-seat the gas system. It will shoot a lot better after you do that. Search the web for the process, or ask here, or ask the Garand experts at the next match.

Next, SOMEONE is going to need to stone the trigger a little and clean up the pull. Not you, but someone who has done it lots. It's simple, and someone will know how to do it. Takes five minutes by an expert. Make sure you get an expert and not a loudmouth who wants to learn on your trigger. You'll be happier with the trigger.

I know you don't know what I'm talking about YET...Peening the barrel splines to re-seat the gas system or stoning the trigger, but they are simple and effective ways to get it shooting as well as it can.

I've got a Field Grade Garand that shoots touching holes. Shot two does with it the last two years, plus it medaled in the CMP Garand Match at NM Camp Perry, was second in the Texas Garand Championship. Good guns.

Congrats again and happy shooting.

 

[Blackfork]

Couple of notes:

Its got an early milled trigger. Those triggers are fine but were replaced by a stamped trigger guard later. Most of the trigger pieces will have the maker stamped on them as well as the bolt. The later trigger with the stamped trigger guard is considered more desireable, but as long as it locks up tight you are OK.

Pull the op rod back and lock it and read the barrel date inside the stock in front of the receiver. It will have the maker, the month and the year of manufacture. If it doesn't have much it might be a Greek re-barrel. Usually that's not the case. VAR is a Danish barrel maker that made good barrels.

On the web you can find several sites that will give you a date of manufacture for the receiver. Try www.biggerhammer.com. Or google it.

It's got a Springfield front sight I think- the Winchesters have wider ears.

The back sight has some windage on it. I'd start the zero process with all the elevation out of the peep sight, (on the bottom) and the windage hash-marks all lined up in the center.

NEVER clean it with anything but a dewey or otherwise fiberglass cleaning rod. Cleaning rods have killed more barrel crowns and rifling than anything else. Get a pull-through until you get the right rod. No metal. Ever. The last thing your bullet touches is the crown of the barrel. The USGI issued sectional rods are useless.

SA= Springfield Armory
WRA= Winchester
IHC= International Harvester
HRA= Harrison and Richardson.

 

[Kymasabe]

An easy to make hand-rub paste is equal parts of: boiled linseed oil, turpentine and beeswax. Warm over a flameless heat to melt the wax, stir it all up and let it cool into a paste. then, you can hand rub the paste into the stock. Warmth from your hands melts the paste and it melts right into the wood, gives it a nice weatherproof finish and a nice satin/non-shiny finish look to the rifle.

 

[Blackfork]

Practice

Charge the op-rod and mount the rifle in your shoulder. Put your finger on the trigger and pull the slack out. Now let the slack off, now take it up again. Notice you have a VERY nice two-stage trigger. When you pull the slack off the first stage and it firms up...that's where the second stage is going to break and the rifle goes BOOM. Or CLICK if there isn't any ammo.

Dry firing doesn't hurt a Garand. Practice dry firing, pulling the slack out, then focusing on the front sight and breaking the second stage and making the hammer fall.

WHEN THE SECOND STAGE OF THE TRIGGER BREAKS AND THE RIFLE GOES OFF (I'm yelling on purpose), HOLD THE TRIGGER ALL THE WAY TO THE REAR UNTIL THE RECOIL SETTLES OUT. (This goes for rifle, pistol, muzzle loader and shotgun by the way. I bet it even goes for suicide vest bombs, 155 Artillery pieces and sidewinder ATA missiles.)

Then release it. If you are shooting a rapid fire string, just release it JUST enough to feel it reset..(makes a distinct click that you can hear and feel)..not all the way off the first stage!....then pressure it up again until the rifle goes off HOLDING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE REAR UNTIL THE RECOIL SETTLES OUT.

When I am shooting Highpower Rifle standing, (or Bullseye pistol), and let me mention that I am a High Master Distinguished NM team shooter, a repeat state champion, blah, blah, blah, (since you asked), I hold the trigger all the way to the rear until I take the rifle out of my shoulder or in prone until the target goes down. Quit moving your trigger finger so dang much! If you want to feel it, mount the rifle, pull off the first stage, focus on the front sight, break the second stage, (CLICK...hammer falls) hold the trigger all the way to the rear, re-charge the OP-rod with your non-trigger hand, then slowly release the second stage of the trigger until you feel it reset. Hold it at the firmness of the reset. Then focus on the front sight and pressure up the second stage until it breaks again.

That's the way to control a trigger.

With ammo in it on a range, the Op-rod will reset itself. Gets down to just you, the front sight, and the second stage of the trigger. Front sight...trigger. Front sight...trigger. Front sight....trigger.

Wait till you try this with a Glock, a Highpower or a 1911. It's cool.

And while you are dry firing, charge the op-rod, put the safety ON, (backwards inside the trigger guard) then try to fire the rifle. It shouldn't fire. Then flip the safety forward and try again. It SHOULD fire. Check that safety!

OK, now you know everything I know. That will be five bucks please.

 

[lionking]

excellent rifle and pics,all of them.I have never been able to do such close up photos like you did with the sight-aperature photo outstanding!

 

[jwood]

Wood Job

OK I know this is going to sound nuts but it works! Take the wood off the rifle take the metal off it also, then remove the top rack out of your DISHWASHER and place the wood in it load dishwasher soap in and fire it up! I used the pots and pans option and ran it through twice. It was
incredible!!! All of those dings and dents were gone! The stock and top handguard which looked totally different before now match in color! I let it sit for a day lightly sanded it smooth using 300 sandpaper, then applied 3 coats of Tung oil with a coat of paste wax on top. What a difference! Now I would not do this on a collectors grade stock of course, but for your run of the mill M1 stocks it works wonders!!!
(The pics below are small but if you click on to them they will enlarge some, the first is a before shot, the second an after shot)

 

[hardhit777]

Zullo74, I have no idea when i would be able to make it down to Jacksonville ( I work 6 days a week) but if i ever get a weekend off ill dang sure come down there.
Back to the wood on my rifle. Ive decided all i want to do is match the hand guards to the stock. Can yall recommend a good wood cleaner? Not a stripper(no not that kind ) more of a soap i guess. Maybe Murphy's oil soap?? I don't know anything about wood or wood cleaners for that matter (I'm a mechanic by trade).
I'm a little hesitant to put my stock in the dishwasher, my girlfriend would kill me
Thanks for the advice on shooting i will have to remember it next time i get out to shoot. I hope it will be this weekend. I found out that a friend of mine has never shot any type of firearm before. I am going to have to fix this. Hes not anti or anything like that he has just never had anyone to teach him before. And he has plenty of land with a good back stop to shoot on to boot. Thanks guys,

Andrew

 

[ScottsGT]

Yea, go ahead and put that stock in the dishwasher! You'll be buying a new dishwasher! It took me two days to get all the cosmoline out of the dishwasher. I almost tossed it out on the curb and bought another one. Just soak it in lacquer thinner in a wall paper pan.
BTW, the only thing that would clean the dishwasher was Tide laundry detergent. Purple power, Simple Green nor anything else would even come close to cutting that crud in the bottom of the dishwasher.

 

[offthepaper]

Yea, go ahead and put that stock in the dishwasher! You'll be buying a new dishwasher! It took me two days to get all the cosmoline out of the dishwasher. I almost tossed it out on the curb and bought another one. Just soak it in lacquer thinner in a wall paper pan.
BTW, the only thing that would clean the dishwasher was Tide laundry detergent. Purple power, Simple Green nor anything else would even come close to cutting that crud in the bottom of the dishwasher.

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I agree you should not use the DW to remove cosmoline. Clean the cosmo off the stock BEFORE it goes into the DW.
The DW method works wonders for removing dings from the stock (AFTER COSMO HAS BEEN REMOVED), but to use it for removing cosmo is just asking for trouble, yes the DW will be ruined, but you may also need a plummer to replace some pipes in the house before it's all over.
Oh, did I mention what cooled cosmoline will do to your septic system? :banghead:

 

[GarandOwner]

Answered my question scott I was going to ask about ruining the dishwasher, I "cooked" my stock in a pot on the stove, worked good, but had to toss the pot......$10 for a pot at wally world is alot nicer than $300 for a new dishwasher

 

[ScottsGT]

Thank goodness I don't have a septic system! But now you have me worried about those pipes! Funny thing is that the stock looked clean, no build up.

Answered my question scott I was going to ask about ruining the dishwasher, I "cooked" my stock in a pot on the stove, worked good, but had to toss the pot......$10 for a pot at wally world is alot nicer than $300 for a new dishwasher

that must have been one big pot!

 

[doubleg]

I want one. What EXACTLEY do I have to do to become a member of the CMP. I've been to their site a couple times and after reading how I was confused out of my mind.

 

[30Cal]

hardhit77--
First thing I would do is wrap it in paper towels, put it in a brown paper bag and leave it on your dashboard. Wipe off the cosmoline with mineral spirits once or twice a day until it stops sweating cosmo. Then see what you have. If' you've got cartouches, I'd stick with BLO or pure Tung Oil only. If you start to steam out dents or sand small areas, you'll end up with a blotchy, bruised looking piece of wood.

If it doesn't have any cartouches, then I wouldn't feel bad about going further. I've tried both easyOff oven cleaner, and the dishwasher. The dishwasher is the better route of those two (I won't go into it, but I would never use oven cleaner again)--it'll lift out dents and a lot of goo. I personally think that once you've started down this path, you're committed to sandpaper. And if you're sanding you have to sand everything and sand it down all the way otherwise the stock will come out blotchy. Be careful that you don't sand it down to the point where the metal overhangs the wood.

The best results I've gotten have been by using a furniture restorer (I guess it's a stripper) with a synthetic steel wool pad. And then steaming dents out with a wet towel, sanding, etc. This takes a lot longer (i.e. a half dozen+ rounds of soaking and steaming the stock), but it's worth it.

One last comment--even a nicely refinished stock looks odd if the finish on the metal is worn. I like the stock and metal to have a... seamless feel to them--if the parkerizing is worn, then the stock should show some appropriate mileage as well IMHO.

Ty

 

[30Cal]

I want one. What EXACTLEY do I have to do to become a member of the CMP. I've been to their site a couple times and after reading how I was confused out of my mind.

http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/eligibility_requirements.htm