CMP Garand is Here!

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Homerboy

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I got super lucky as far as shipping. ordered a service grade M1 garand HRA and mailed off paperwork 13 DAYS ago. I got a call from the CMP last Friday (9 days after I mailed it). They said they were out of HRAS's right now but I could get a Springfield much faster if I wanted. I said OK. Asked for original GI wood while I was at it. Gun arrived TODAY 13 days after I mailed the paperwork. I don't know enough about Garands to know if this is good, but here's the info:

Springfield M! garand, serial number 1048268.

Muzzle: 2+

Throat-3+

rifle Grade G-3

Looks like original GI wood. Dark color, dings all over it, but not abused. Above the trigger guard on left side is a square with 3 stars, and behind the trigger guard underneath is a "P" in a circle

Cosmoline EVERYWHERE. I was hoping to avoid that. I've been reading how to break the gun down and while I am sure I will eventually learn, I know I gotta down to bear bones to really clean it out. Was hoping for a bone dry one that I would just do a basic strip.

So for the cosmoline, soak the metal in boiling water to clean/ for the wood, hair dryer on high with paper towels to clean?

Pics to follow. The one I took sucks. Still waiting on the ammo and en block clips I ordered with it.
 
1K, how'd you get the cosmo off? I see boiling water for the metal and hair dryer for wood? Did you spray everything with regular gun oil, then apply grease to the spots the manual says? When I look in the chamber, there's a big gob of cosmo just sitting there. Looking into the tray door of the buttstock, it's dry but looks like a bit of rust.

I'm psyched the more I think about it. There were 6 million garands made. Mine has a serial number just over 1 million. Has to be a WW Ii gun. Likely saw action SOMEWHERE. Piece of history in my hand. Now when I hold my AR, I feel nothing towards it.
 
Your receiver serno indicates it was made in December of 1942. The square DAS acceptance stamp indicates the stock was issued sometime on or after Sept 1953.
With the op rod locked to the rear you should be able to see nomenclature on the barrel indicating its manufacturer and date.

Enjoy
 
There are a million threads on cosmo removal, and a million methods. For metal I have used boiling water, hair dryer, hoppe's or other gun solvents, simple green, and/or mineral spirits. All work to varying degrees.

For wood I've done the dishwasher method (not recommended) and scrubbing with simple green or mineral spirits. Mineral spirits will probably do the least damage but doesn't work the best. You might also just do a boiled linseed oil scrub. If the stock is soaked in cosmo, you might try the black trash-bag in the sun method. Wrap the stock in paper towels or old rags and put it in a black trash bag in the sun, dash of car, etc. Wipe off the goo as it seeps out. Hair dryer probably works similarly but I haven't tried it.

Good luck!
 
you lucky dog, you!
I have been desperately trying to scrape together the funds for an service grade Garand (or two!) for the last year...

I have shot them and LOVE them more than an m1a or an AR. Probably my favorite rifle of all time.
 
Looks like original GI wood. Dark color, dings all over it, but not abused. Above the trigger guard on left side is a square with 3 stars, and behind the trigger guard underneath is a "P" in a circle.
Click to expand...

The stock sounds to be a 50s GI stock with the DoD cartouche and P (Passed) markings. During this time frame some stocks were walnut and some birch. Most of these GI stocks not only have cosmoline but years of soaked in oils. I can share one method I like for drawing the oils out of the wood.

I fill a deep sink with scalding hot water and add a few one pound cartons of TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) available from any Home Depot, Lowes or any home improvement store very inexpensive.

Stocks%20Sink%201.png

Yes, that is a rock holding the stocks down, the other lumber is floating around in there. The water is turning brown to black as the oils are drawn out. Every 15 or 20 min. I remove the lumber and use scotch bright to rub it down. All in all depending but about an hour in the water.

Then the lumber is set out to dry:

Stocks%202.png

The stock on the right is GI birch. After drying I use light sand paper and 0000 steel wool to get them smooth. At this point any dings or dents can be removed with a wet rag and steam iron. Long as the wood fiber isn't too crushed.

Next I use Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil per the directions and begin rubbing the new oil finish in by hand.

Stocks%203.png

Finally when all is said and done you end up with a relatively good looking finish:

Stocks%204.png

Because this stock was birch it does have the sort of orange cast to it. I liked that look for this rifle so never used a dark walnut stain after removing the oils.

Orange look:

DCM%202.png

Dark walnut and orange birch comparison:

Old%20and%20New.png

This is but one method of many available. The gun smithing sections of the forums give several great methods of working on lumber.

Ron
 
Agree on the Tung Oil, I used the Tru-Oil for the different look. Plug away there USSR, good stuff. :)

There are literally dozens of methods to do a stock finish. Some more work than others.

Ron
 
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