Anyone here hunt with an M1 Rifle?

[bernie]

I do occasionally, but I admit there are some limitations. Mainly regarding the sights, which are great, except during those last few minutes of light, which causes you to not be able to see the front site very well. If you do hunt with an M1, what modifications are made to it that are non issue. For Example, I was thinking about reaming a rear sight out to more of a ghost-ring configuration.

 

[Art Eatman]

I guess my main objection to hunting with a Garand is the total weight, and you still don't have a scope for those dim-light situations.

Practicality, I reckon. Just too many bolt-actions out there that fully dressed and ready to shoot will total 25% less weight.

Art

 

[bernie]

My hunting with an M1 falls into the realm of, that is what I shoot the most and am most comfortable with, being in my early 30's makes weight not that big of an issue. Plus, there is a definite "cool" factor in using the "greatest battle implement ever devised" as a deer rifle. Plus, it does do a great job of dropping whitetails. I know some other guys do it, because I have talked to them in the past. It is kind of like bowhunting or muzzleloading, there is just a little bit more challange to it (but granted, not much!)

 

[WYO]

I tried it once last year, but the thing weighed more than my scoped Ruger .338, which is no lightweight. Also, it started sleeting, and it didn't seem as impervious to weather as my stainless synthetic combo.

 

[hps1]

Bernie:
If you would like to open up your rear sight and still have benefit of an original sized aperature, you can purchase an extra sight and alter it and your current sight so that they can be easily switched out. I'll try to describe without benefit of pictures or even hand gestures .

Drill out your spare sight to suit you. You will notice the gears stop about 1/4" from bottom of the elevation arm. Grind this 1/4" long "boss" flush w/elevating arm(do NOT shorten the arm itself!). The boss is simply an "up stop" that prevents sight aperature from falling out when fully elevated. This allows inserting/removing the aperature by elevating it to the maximum and then simply pull one out and slip the other in.

You will, of course, have to disassemble the sight by loosening the spanner nut in the center of the windage knob to get the current sight out. This allows removal of the elevation spindle/knob and aperature. When re-assembled, elevate the sight to very near max and try to push down with your thumb. If you can push rear sight down, tighten the spanner nut 1/2 turn at a time until you are unable to push sight down. Over tightening makes windage knob very hard to turn.

Aren't Garands great?

Regards.
hps

 

[Captal_de_Buch]

I always bring my Garand along when I shoot pdogs.

Although it obviously isn't my main pdog gun it's fun to shoot and good practice for hi-power and John C Garand matches.

From the standing position, no sling, I've hit pdogs out to 150 yards with it. It took years of practice to be able to do that with just the standard peep sight.