My mistress, Lady Garand

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PhilA

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I'm in love. Stopped by the Valley Forge Gun Show last night and brought home a 1954-born Garand in very nice condition. Good wood--some lovely character dings, but nicely conditioned. Barrel grades a 2/2, so I'll get some mileage out of her. 5.4million S/N, so she never saw war service unless some grunt brought her to 'Nam for me. But she's beautiful. And, to quote Ringo, she's mine.

I cleaned the grease out last night and re-lubed with Weapon Shield. Bought a bandoleer of ammo at the show to tide me over until my CMP spam cans get here. Ordered the field manual from Midway, a soft U.S. fleece case from Cheaper than Dirt, and a repro leather sling from Sportsman's Guide.

Any other thoughts from the Garand experts around here? Anything I should know, read or otherwise absorb?

First range trip will likely be tomorrow. Until then, I'm enjoying the lingering scent of her cosmoline and oiled-steel perfume on my hands.
 
Who was the manufacturer?
In 1956 the USMC issued a new International Harvester M1 to me. I sure hated to give it back three years later.

If you had your M1 a couple weeks ago you could have shot it to commemorate Jun 6, 1944.

I've had this one for some years.
Just nothing like shooting that M1.:)

June 6, 2008.
M1buckshooting.gif

M1Garandbuckshooting2.gif
 
in the meantime, I love mine,

Its a M1 Garand made by Beretta, after WWII, with the Winchesters machine tools , when Beretta was elected to build the M1 Garand for NATO forces in europe. Mine was than given to Danemark... and it ended with me (no idea how it came in Switzerland though).

The mechanic parts are like brand new, but I had to restore the wooden parts, since it was quite marked. Now it's beautiful, and damn precise (I shoot it at 300m)

I use home reloaded 30-06.

ww2st110.jpg
 
M2Carbine,
What can you tell me about the International Harvester M1? I just got mine and while I am not accurate with it, it is me and not the gun. I know they were made for only 2-3 years, between 43 and 45 I believe. What else can you tell me?
 
What can you tell me about the International Harvester M1?
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Not much really. Pretty much like any M1. I've never got into the manufacturing dates, etc.

I do know the one I had was accurate. At that time the USMC qualified out to 500 yards, shooting at a 20 inch bullseye. That IH would lay the shots in that bull all day long. Even the first time I qualified with the rifle it gave me a high Expert score.:)

I wasn't much for taking pictures in those days. This is the only picture I have of the rifle.
(What's worse is when I first joined the USMCR (1955) I was in a F4U4 Corsair outfit and didn't get one picture of the Corsair and the one picture that was taken of me beside the plane I can't find. :banghead: )

BuckM1USMC.gif
 
I got my Garand a couple of months ago and I also have a love affair with it.

I have a bunch of semi-automatic rifles but this is my favorite to shoot.
I also shoot this gun more accurately with open sights than any other gun I own, even with Greek surplus!!
 
A portrait of Lady Garand

OK. Spent some time in the studio this morning. Try not to drool. ;)
 

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M2 Carbine--It's a SA. Yes, I sat there on D-Day this year wishing I'd already had mine in hand. I had the CMP paperwork all complete, but hadn't gone to have it notarized yet. Not that it would have helped me on June 6. Next year. :)
 
I have two nice M1s: a Springield and an H&R. They are so fun that I often look to my Colt AR-15 and ask myself, why do I even have this? Problem is, if I sold it, I'd miss it too. Next purchase will have to be a nice Winchester and an I.H. :D They're catching, aren't they? Nice pictures!
 
That is a nice lookin Garand.

The Garand is my favorite broomstick. It is good for almost everything!
 
Hey, M2 Carbine! Looking at your pictures I just realized why the US won WWII: just seeing an American with an M1 Garand in the exact pose you depict would scare the beejeezus out of any Kraut or Jap. Heck, I'd quit too.

Good for you lucky M1 Garand owners! The M1 is just the cat's pajamas!
 
It is one of the finest rifles I've ever used, and through iron sights, it'll shoot on point all day long. (It has some of the best sights ever for that matter).

Too bad I don't have Garand money
 
The Culver Shooting Pages (www.jouster.com) are the best online source of info for all things M1, M1A, and M14. Some extremely smart guys hang out there, and know stuff that isn't in the books. Five stars.

Some good books out there, and some recycled blather. Hatcher's "Book of the Garand" is dated, but good. Walt Kulek's book on the Garand is very good. Kuhnhausen's book on Service Rifles is graduate level and the last word on the subject.

They are indeed lovely rifles, and a significant chunk of history.

Have fun.;)
 
I was in a F4U4 Corsair outfit
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The only thing I love more than my Garand, is the F4U Corsair. If ever I win the lottery I'll buy me one......and then if ever I win it again I'll fly it cause AVGAS is so dang expensive ;)

ChanceVoughtF4U_1.jpg
 
Hey, very sexhie pix of the garand man! lol!

I just picked up two HRs from the CMP - the wood matches my walnut stock of my M1A....

I read up on the m1 garand on Surplusrifles.com and I'm still in the process of cleaning mine up...I'm personally paranoid about slamfires and stuff so I took my trigger assembly and bolt apart to inspected/cleaned it of the cosmoline...they don't smile too kindly on "rapid fire" here in california so I wanted to make sure I didn't raise any eyebrows at my range heh :)
 
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