.308 M1 Garand...Is this a good plan?

[TCW]

I was considering doing the following for a .308 Garand project:

1. Buy a Danish Garand from CMP for $300 (less wood)
2. Have it re-barreled w/ new Wilson .308 barrel here for $225:
http://groups.msn.com/WestTexasOrdnance/m1garand.msnw

...sell old barrel online for $$
3. Put a new stock on it... Don't know where to get it. but probably $100.

I would have a nice looking .308 Garand w/ a new barrel for $625.

That's $125 more than a Service Grade SA, but I get a new stock, new barrel, and cheaper/newer/more accurate(?) surplus ammo.

Any thoughts? Suggestions on where to get a stock?

Thanks for the advice,
TCW

 

[homeka45]

Good idea! Keep us up to speed on your progress, this is something I'd like to do as well.

 

[homeka45]

Good idea! Keep us up to speed on your progress, this is something I'd like to do as well. Did a quick froogle search and cabelas has one for about $75 and a guy on gunbroker has a ramline synthetic for about $50. Sorry for the dbl. post, I don't know how to delete a post.

 

[Swampy]

TCW,

Not a bad plan, but here's a better one...

Buy a CMP Greek RACK GRADE.... for $295 (delivered) to use for your project.

For less money than the "less wood" Dane return you will get a set of stock wood that very well might be good enough to use, and if not, sellable online..... you will ALSO get all the stock METAL parts, which DO NOT come with the Dane "less wood" option rifle. A full set of stock metal will set you back a piece too.... and I don't believe you figured that into your calculations of $625. Figure on AT LEAST $50 more for a full set of stock metal... maybe more depending on condition.

Just my thoughts.... after just doing a similar project of my own....

.... I recently took an old Dane M1 that had a poor tube on it, sent it to Clayton @ WTO for a full metal re-finishing and new Wilson .308 tube (last Spring I did this), then (just in the last 3 weeks) I did a full Match upgrade in my own little workshop. NM trigger mod, NM sights, new Wenig semi-fancy walnut wood, front end unitizing, and full, five pillar, extra strength bedding job.

Just finished it up yesterday.... Can't wait to get it to the range and see if it does as well as the Match Grade I had built 3 years ago by Ronnie Morris.

Best of luck in your endeavor....

Swampy

Garands forever

 

[TCW]

Thanks for the replpies!

Good advice, Swampy!

Besides the stock and poor barrel, is everything else mechanically sound on these Greek Garands (no deep pitting, etc)?

 

[Swampy]

TCW,

All CMP rifles are mechanically sound. The grading is done on condition of barrel and-or wood.

There should be no major rust or pitting in ANY CMP rifle.... However... you might find very minor spots of rust or pitting in ANY CMP rifle. After purchasing numerous rifles from them I've found very little of either.

Best to all,
Swampy

Garands forever

 

[oneshooter]

For the stock try Boyds.

http://www.boydboys.com/

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[TCW]

Another question:

1. Is there a difference in quality of the metal or parts between the Danish and the Greek Rack grades? I read that the Greeks didn't maintain the Garands as well as the Danes. The Danish rack grade M1 w/ wood is $50 more than the Greek. Hmmm...

 

[bigjim]

Everytime Somebody takes a Garand and turns it to a 308 I am going to kill a kitten.

 

[Steve in PA]

That's my plan, getting a Greek Rack Grade, if it shoots decent then I'll keep it that way for a bit. Then get it re-barreled into .308.

 

[Swampy]

Everytime Somebody takes a Garand and turns it to a 308 I am going to kill a kitten.

Sounds like a real personal thing to me....

What's so bad about an M1 in .308 anyway?? After all, the US Navy converted thousands of them to 7.62 Nato back in the early 60's. I'm not talking about the aborted attempt with chamber inserts either... I'm talking about the ones they did right, with new barrels chambered for the 7.62 Nato round.

Now the proud owner of TWO 7.62-.308 M1 Match Grade rifles.... among many others.

Best to all,
Swampy

Garands forever

 

[BamBam-31]

Yet another .308 Garand owner chiming in. Surplus .308 is easier to find and usually a bit cheaper than .30-06. With the Aussie ammo that's now prevalent (good quality, affordable, lead core), it's a no-brainer.

Good luck on your project, TCW. Hide the kittens.

 

[VG]

You can mess around trying to get Boyds stock sets to fit, or buy a wenig set fitted by Deans' Guns, $155 or $165 unfinished and worthe every penny.

I wouldn't buy [another] less-wood Garand because even if the wood is poor you get the stock metal.

 

[DMK]

Better find ya another kitten there bigjim.

Here's mine, the best rifle I own. It's a '43 Springfield with a Wilson barrel, Wenig stock, NM sights and trigger work (all done by DGRguns.com). It shoots like a laser beam. I actually bought this rifle as a service grade from CMP with the intent to keep it 30.06, but it didn't shoot well at all and the wood was hideous. I like it much more now.

BTW, the rubber pad on the stock isn't because of the recoil, which is mild, but because I don't want to scratch the beautiful parkerizing finish on the steel buttplate. My range has a concrete pad and no rifle rack.

 

[varoadking]

Skip the CMP all together. No need to piece something together - just buy one of WTO's complete Garand's.

My Service Grade 1944 Springfield M1 Garand in .308 with a new Wenig stock, new Wilson barrel and fresh park job, expertly assembled by Clayton Smith of West Texas Ordnance, is by far my favorite rifle. Best $800.00 I have ever spent...



I have another WTO Garand, this one an H&R, with Natonal Match front and rear sights and op rod, and a black moly coat. It cost a bit more, but it's every bit the bargain...



You cannot go wrong with a .308 Garand, or with WTO...

 

[Daniel964]

What is WTO?

 

[varoadking]

What is WTO?

http://groups.msn.com/WestTexasOrdnance/m1garand.msnw

 

[esskay]

Here are the rack grades offered by the CMP:
- USGI, SA or H&R, $400
- Danish, SA, $350
- Greek, SA or H&R, $295

For a project where the rifle will be rebarreled and the stock will be replaced, is there any reason NOT to go with the cheapest option, the Greek Rack Grade?

Also, does anyone have a preference between SA and H&R?

TIA!

 

[Dienekes]

I have almost enough M1s, but next time around I am going to do the same thing; get a Greek and build up a .308 on it.

Just got done rebarreling my favorite M1 shooter with a CMP Criterion barrel with my own sweaty little hands. I have a couple more that could use barrels, and I would like to do a .308. Unfortunately that would mean buying another reamer and gauges; but what a great project...