M1 Garand help, especially in GA or SC

[No4Mk1*]

I have been given an M1 that has a few problems. It is USGI made in 1942, barrel 1967 with .308 chamber insert. The biggest problem is that it shoots 15" groups at 100 yards with slight keyholing occasionally. It is 100% reliable with South African and Australian 7.62mm ammo. The op rod is obviously bent though it still works. I can slightly wobble the front sight/gas tube on the barrel. I can insert a .308 bullet into the muzzle, but not a .311 bullet. Holding the stock, I can wobble the receiver up, down, right, left, and forward/back slightly. The trigger group can be rocked forward and back while in place. I think I need a gunsmith and would like to find a local Garand smith if possible, but will ship the rifle if I need to. I would like to go ahead and put a .308 barrel on the rifle as well as give it a good overhaul. I don't know who put the .308 chamber adapter in place, but might this be an original Navy M1? How would I know? Any suggestions for gunsmiths? Thanks.

 

[1911Tuner]

Garand

Howdy No4,

Sounds like your rifle is worn out. The front sight can be tightened up by removing the plug in the end of the cylinder and moving it further back,
but if the splines are badly worn, it may not help much.

The oversized bore is another matter, and the rifle simply needs a new barrel. A trigger group rebuild may tighten it up in the receiver, and it
may not. Only an armorer could give you a realistic assessment.

If it's beyond help, and is an original Navy Garand, it may be that you have a wall-hanger.

Luck!

Tuner

 

[HSMITH]

Your local highpower shooters will know where to take the rifle. They are the ones to talk to if you can find out what club they shoot at. You might start at the CMP website and see if there are any CMP affiliated clubs near you, or start with your state marksmanship club.

Hope this helps.

 

[Clemson]

Gunsmith for M1

This fellow advertises in the Garand Collectors' Association bulletin. Seems to be the closest M1 smith to Upstate SC. I have not used him personally.

Scott Woody
Hendersonville, NC
828-697-7039

Good luck!

Clemson

 

[Sunray]

The op rod is supposed to be bent. Don't fix it. If the .308 bullet goes all the way in, the barrel is toast and you need a new one. A .311 bullet would never go into a .308 barrel, even a badly worn one, so it not going into yours is irrelevant. Get a .308 cast bullet and hammer it through the barrel. You'll have to do this from the muzzle so be careful. Measure it with a micrometer. This'll tell you how big the bore actually is. You could use cast bullets of the resulting diameter, but at a reduced velocity.
"...I can wobble the receiver..." This is why you're getting a pattern instead of a group. The bedding is terrible. Glass bedding will fix this, but see to the barrel first.
It isn't likely to be a Navy rifle. Your Boat People stopped using chamber inserts as they tend to come out easily. Putting on a .308 barrel is your best bet. Dean has a good reputation. http://www.dgrguns.com/index.html

 

[Backwoods]

The barrel sounds bad. The best/least costly barrel replacement is from Champions Choice, LaVerne Tenn. They have a website with LOTS of stuff to look at. They've been dealing with match shooters for decades and know thier stuff.

Look into some of the Garand books available, plenty of stuff to learn about so you can make an informed choice as to how to proceed.

Don in Ohio

 

[No4Mk1*]

Thanks for the help. Since I need a new barrel I will not feel bad about changing the caliber to 7.62x51mm. I will consider Champion's Choice as well as an offer by a THR member to do the work. I hope to get a standard or maybe medium weight barrel on the rifle so that I can get it on the range where it belongs. Are chrome lined barrels a popular option? I don't see mention of chrome in any of the barrel ads.