M1 Garand rebarreling

[sigman4rt]

SARCO is selling a kit of Italian manufacture to convert a 30.06 Garand to .308. The parts include barrel, op rod, rear handguard and stock. All parts are 1/2" shorter than USGI 30.06 length. The Italians did a lot of stuff with Garands after WWII, could this be some of that. The barrel and op rod are Berreta or Breda manufacture, both quality names. I'm starting to wonder if I'm going to run into a nightmare when they arrive and I start swapping stuff around. Anybody here have any knowledge or experience with these SARCO kits. I just thought it would be a good way to replace a worn out barrel and rechamber to .308 all at once. Now I'm starting to wonder. TIA.

 

[nbkky71]

The only thing that you need to convert a Garand to .308WIN round is a new barrel. Some folks like to have a bullet guide block installed, but it's not required.

 

[sigman4rt]

According to the guy at SARCO The total barrel length is 1/2" shorter. Therefore you need a different op rod, handguard and stock. I question whether you need the 1/2" shorter stock, but oh well. If it turns out that I don't need them then they will be going back to SARCO. I could have gotten just the barrel about $100. cheaper. They told me I would have to cut down the other parts to fit, If I don't and all I need is the barrel then they misrepresentd the facts to me. Again this is an Italian barrel, I don't know if that makes a difference, will soon find out. TIA.

 

[Gator]

I don't know what SARCO is charging for these kits but all you need is a barrel. Champions Choice will rebarrel your M1 with a new Douglas .308 barrel and headspace it to your bolt for $260.

http://www.champchoice.com/index.html

 

[musher]

The sarco kits require shorter oprods and other parts because the barrels were originally chambered for 30'06. They've been trimmed and rechambered for 308.

I'd be pretty leery of that route since the geometry of the oprod is pretty critical to proper function.

I think you'd have better luck (and probably spend less) if you send your rife off to have it rebarreled with a commercial barrel of the proper length chambered in .308.

You can buy or fabricate a UHMW spacer to block the extra space in the magazine if you like.

 

[Swampy]

sigman,

On the M1 rifle everything indexes off of the lower band location on the barrel.

If you use the 1/2" shorter bastardized Iti .308 barrel (shortened from the REAR, chamber end), then you ALSO have to have the shortened handguard, buttstock, and op-rod to make everything line up properly again.

If what you want is a .308 M1, it's much slimpler just to send it off for a barrel replacement. Commercial .308 M1 barrels are standard GI length. Nothing else has to be replaced or modified.

Best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever

Owner Swampworks Inc. / JLK Bullets
JLK Bullets

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Don't be too hasty....

I would HEARTILY recommend sending your M1 out to DGR (Dean's Gun Restorations) to be rebarreled.
I did- it runs like a top, and I'm very happy.....and so are LOTS of other folks who have done the same.
Plain Old Bill

 

[sigman4rt]

Cool, I guess that is what I'm going to do. The SARCO way sounds too Mickey Mouse, Thanks for all you'se guys answers.