Picking up an M1 Garand in 10 Days: what should I know

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Corpral_Agarn

Corpral_Agarn

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Hello THR,

My wife got me an M1 Garand from the CMP.
Its a Special Grade 308 and I am really excited.

Because of the dopy laws around here I can pick it up in 10 days.

This is my first M1 Garand but Pops has one and I love shooting it.

As a new Owner, what should I know?

Thanks All!
 
They show up without lube, and there are points on them that need some grease. On the bolt lugs and raceways, on the big spring inside, etc. Great excuse to learn how to tear it apart!
 
Yes. Learn to remove the cosmoline or grease and take it apart. Practice on your dads if you can. Youtube is your friend.

And you should know to properly thank your wife for that awesome gift.
 
Corpral_Agarn said:
As a new Owner, what should I know?

Thanks All!
Click to expand...

I'm not going to assume what you know and what you don't. So...
-don't shoot commercial ammo in it unless it is marked specifically as Garand-Safe.
-The trigger guard may be really difficult to take off or put on. For a new stock, this is normal. It will get better on its own
-For aftermarket stocks, (unless CMP does something different with the specials) get some BLO. Strip off the stock, rub in BLO, wipe it down with a cloth after an hour or 2 and let it dry somewhere warm for a day. Repeat 5-6 times. I rub in the first coat with 000 Steel Wool, the rest by hand (put latex gloves on first.) Don't leave the rags laying out, they can spontaneously combust (or so I have heard). Check the Internet for other folks' way of doing it...I'm not an expert. My CMP stock came in bone dry.
 
There is no rifle that is quite like an M1. I think it's the prefect balance.
Go here for a free .pdf manual. Tells you where to lube. Doesn't matter if it's .308 or not it gets greased the same(so are the clips.). Note the need for the provided UN & PW.
http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/
There's no greasing the op spring.
Use 168 or 175 grain Match bullets, 165 grain hunting bullets, 150/155 grain FMJ's for plinking. All with IMR4064, either IMR or H 4895 or Varget. Those aren't the only powders of course.
IMR4064 gives more consistent accuracy than the 4995's. There was no Varget 40 years ago. (No .308 M1's either though. Loading for a semi'd M14 is pretty much the same. Prefer the M1.). Any IMR4064 load data is fine. No need for special load data, but the Hornady manual has an M1 specific chapter. And you must FL resize every time, check case length and watch the OAL(2.800" with all bullet weights just works).
 
CMP will send a manual with the rifle that answers most of your questions. Remember Garands are designed to run on grease. The manual will show you where to grease. You will get all kinds of suggestions on what kind of grease to use. They all work. I use Mobil 1 grease as it doesn't harden and I can tell if there's grease there by the color (red).

You're only going to find ammo marked M1 safe in 3006. Being it's a 308 it's set up for NATO spec ammo. Don't use commercial 308 unless you install an adjustable gas plug. Commercial 308 can be loaded to a higher pressure. Use milsurp with the circled cross NATO headstamp or NATO spec reloads. There is plenty of affordable NATO spec ammo out there. The Lithuanian and Turkish runs fine in my guns and is relatively inexpensive.
 
maxxhavoc said:
I'm not going to assume what you know and what you don't. So...
-don't shoot commercial ammo in it unless it is marked specifically as Garand-Safe.
Click to expand...
I have heard this for the 30-06 models but the 308's should be able to shoot commercial ammo, yes?
maxxhavoc said:
-The trigger guard may be really difficult to take off or put on. For a new stock, this is normal. It will get better on its own
-For aftermarket stocks, (unless CMP does something different with the specials) get some BLO. Strip off the stock, rub in BLO, wipe it down with a cloth after an hour or 2 and let it dry somewhere warm for a day. Repeat 5-6 times. I rub in the first coat with 000 Steel Wool, the rest by hand (put latex gloves on first.) Don't leave the rags laying out, they can spontaneously combust (or so I have heard). Check the Internet for other folks' way of doing it...I'm not an expert. My CMP stock came in bone dry.
Click to expand...

I will take a look at it today and see what shape the stock is in. I am not a wood worker by any means so stripping stocks and what not might be out of my league.
 
GRIZ22 said:
CMP will send a manual with the rifle that answers most of your questions. Remember Garands are designed to run on grease. The manual will show you where to grease. You will get all kinds of suggestions on what kind of grease to use. They all work. I use Mobil 1 grease as it doesn't harden and I can tell if there's grease there by the color (red).

You're only going to find ammo marked M1 safe in 3006. Being it's a 308 it's set up for NATO spec ammo. Don't use commercial 308 unless you install an adjustable gas plug. Commercial 308 can be loaded to a higher pressure. Use milsurp with the circled cross NATO headstamp or NATO spec reloads. There is plenty of affordable NATO spec ammo out there. The Lithuanian and Turkish runs fine in my guns and is relatively inexpensive.
Click to expand...
Okay so adjustable gas plug it is.

Do you have any recommendations on a quality gas plug.

Also, where can I get lithuanian and/or turkish 308 ammo?
 
Schuster is one of those out there. Available from Midway and other places. That's what I have although I only shoot Garand pressure loads. Just in case I have to shoot something else. Will require adjustment if I do.

SG Ammo usually has a good selection of NATO spec ammo at good prices. The Lithuanians produce 7.62 NATO for the M14s we gave them.
 
GRIZ22 said:
Schuster is one of those out there. Available from Midway and other places. That's what I have although I only shoot Garand pressure loads. Just in case I have to shoot something else. Will require adjustment if I do.

SG Ammo usually has a good selection of NATO spec ammo at good prices. The Lithuanians produce 7.62 NATO for the M14s we gave them.
Click to expand...
Thank you, Sir.
 
Hopefully your right handed! I went thru ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) at Camp Geiger with the M1 after Parris Island qualifying with the M14. Being left handed and loading the M1 was awkward at best. Later on I instructed sailors that were part of the defense battalion at GITMO basic familiarization and qualification with the M1 chambered in 7.62MM NATO. Some of those M1 rifles were converted with chamber inserts others were re-barreled. It was not common occurence but on occasion the chamber inserts were reported to come out.
 
Corpral_Agarn said:
I will take a look at it today and see what shape the stock is in. I am not a wood worker by any means so stripping stocks and what not might be out of my league.
Click to expand...

No stripping needed. If the stock soaks up sweat, you probably want to protect it. BLO is just Boiled Linseed Oil. It is just an oil. The wood soaks it up and it polymerizes when it dries, hardening the outside wood a bit and making it water-resistant. All you would be doing is literally oiling the stock. It will also make it look way better, with better woodgrain. Read up on it, and if you go that route, just make sure to get BLO with no additives. They have it at Lowe's.

My Auto-Ordinance M1 Carbine needed it too.
 
Hangingrock said:
Hopefully your right handed! I went thru ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) at Camp Geiger with the M1 after Parris Island qualifying with the M14. Being left handed and loading the M1 was awkward at best. Later on I instructed sailors that were part of the defense battalion at GITMO basic familiarization and qualification with the M1 chambered in 7.62MM NATO. Some of those M1 rifles were converted with chamber inserts others were re-barreled. It was not common occurence but on occasion the chamber inserts were reported to come out.
Click to expand...
Left handed rifle/shotgun shooter here!

I watched a lot of COMBAT! as a kid and Caje could reload as fast or faster as any of 'em!

I believe the CPM only sends out re barreled ones.
 
maxxhavoc said:
No stripping needed. If the stock soaks up sweat, you probably want to protect it. BLO is just Boiled Linseed Oil. It is just an oil. The wood soaks it up and it polymerizes when it dries, hardening the outside wood a bit and making it water-resistant. All you would be doing is literally oiling the stock. It will also make it look way better, with better woodgrain. Read up on it, and if you go that route, just make sure to get BLO with no additives. They have it at Lowe's.

My Auto-Ordinance M1 Carbine needed it too.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
Remember as well that CMP itself (the forums) are a great resource with threads on every topic Garand related from feeding and maintenance to stripping a stock and re-finishing it (if needed). They're also a good source of ammo (both from CMP and through their classifieds from members). I've learned a bunch from them (about carbines -after the struggle I went through back in 1968 qualifying -then doing well with the M-14... it just never appealed to me).
 
Go ahead and get your frowning and crying over with now...because when your rifle gets here, and you get to the range, you'll be grinning for six months! They are cool rifles and fun to shoot! I'm glad you got one.

Mark
 
Corpral_Agarn said:
Okay so adjustable gas plug it is.

Do you have any recommendations on a quality gas plug.

Also, where can I get lithuanian and/or turkish 308 ammo?
Click to expand...
+1 on the GarandGear ported gas plug- no adjustment needed as it simply increases the piston chamber volume. A warning, though, be gentle during installation as it is made of rather soft material, also you'll want to acquire a gas cylinder wrench to avoid tweaking the cylinder.
 
Corpral_Agarn said:
Left handed rifle/shotgun shooter here!

I watched a lot of COMBAT! as a kid and Caje could reload as fast or faster as any of 'em!

I believe the CPM only sends out re barreled ones.
Click to expand...

CMP 308 Special is a new 308 barrel. No insert. The only differences in a 30-06 and 308 Garand are the barrel, a different size hole in the gas port, and a spacer in the magazine well. The spacer is not needed for functioning. It's there to prevent someone from trying to hammer in a clip of 30-06.
 
The 308 Special Garand will have a new production barrel chambered for 308 Win, a new production stock, and the rest of the rifle has been refurbished.

You won't need to clean off any cosmoline or other preservatives but you will probably need to lubricate it.

As noted, the rifle comes with a manual from CMP. Also, on the CMP web site, there is some good information on the care and feeding of Garands.

Enjoy your new rifle.
 
Thanks for the replies, All!

Got to look at them last night and there is no grease or cosmoline and the stocks look brand new, just a little dry.

Going to pick up a gas plug here soon.

I have a 1907 sling, clip pouch belt, and 20 clips on their way!

I plan to take this beauty out for a 3 gun match asap!
 
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