New to the Garand, few questions

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lpsharp88

lpsharp88

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My first question is about maintenance. I find the Brownells series on YouTube to be pretty good, so I won't ask about field stripping and all that, but I want some opinions about how often and how far. I have read that doing a complete field strip (taking the barrel/action out of the stock, gas system, etc) can cause things to loosen up, and may not be necessary after every range session. What do you all do? I don't care to just run some patches through the barrel if that is all that is necessary.

Next is about sighting in. My only experience with that is on the AR platform. Based on what I have read, you make sure you have the windage in the rear set to a battle zero (centered on the receiver) and that your front post is centered in the dovetail, which it is. Then you put your elevation all the way down, then up 7-10 clicks to start. Then start firing groups until you are printing where you want. Does that sound right? My other question is about my elevation knob. I have it turned all the way down, but the knob is showing "4" when it's down, shouldn't it be on "0"? Also, is there a way to do the zero at 25m instead of 100?

That's all I can think of for now, I'll put more in as I think of them. Thanks in advance!
 
The elevation knob showing 4 really means nothing. It's just how it came out when the rear sight was assembled. When you begin to set your dope you are only concerned with clicks. For example you are shooting a given load at the 200 yard line you note how many clicks of elevation, move back to the 300 and again note how many clicks of elevation and again at the 500. Got the idea? So the numbers don't really matter much. it's about the clicks of elevation at various distances using different loads.

As to cleaning? I clean my two after every session. Only because I don't shoot them as frequently as I once did and placing one back in the rack for what could be months or even another year just does not seem right. Now if I am shooting for several days? Then I will just wait to clean the rifles till I am done. You just develop good maintenance habits. Continue to visit the CMP website for a wealth of information. Your earlier threads have some great load data and links.

If the 4 on elevation bothers you you can re index it to a zero. Again, it's really about click count.

Ron
 
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Thanks sir! I'm kinda OCD so I may set the knob so it reads 0, it'll make me happier in the long run I think. As to cleaning, is the "loosening" that I read about a non-issue? I don't intend this to be a "shoot small groups" rifle, just plinking and maybe take a deer with it if I feel like it


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Well if a zero on the elevation knob makes you happy then absolutely make it a zero. :)

Not sure what loosening you refer to but as the rifle is fired and cleaned it will loosen up a little. However, the rear site should have distinct clicks for windage and elevation. Meaning the elevation should not for example just zip up and down freely or move under shooting conditions. Right from CMP your rifle should remain tight and fine for many, many years of enjoyable shooting.

Ron
 
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You can field strip your M-1 to its basic sub-assemblies after each range session---but you don't need to. A rod and patch session will do for most casual use. Make sure to keep her greased where needed on working surfaces. The thing I worry about is the gas system--I let it stay dirty and take it down only as needed. The gas system is the most delicate part of the M-1 and it's made (mostly) of stainless. If it is cycling well, I'd leave it alone. Mine gets cleaned (as in total tear down) only every 2 or 3 years. A real shooter will obviously need to clean more often. I don't like to take the bolt down every time, either. I used to be an over-the-top cleaning guy butr have learned from bitter experience you can dop more harm than good. Enjoy!
 
The "loosening up" you have heard about comes between the stock and the barrel/receiver group. Since there are no action screws securing the action to the stock, that is accomplished by compressing the stock wood between the trigger group spring and the receiver. Removing and replacing the receiver in the stock eventually will wear on the surfaces that mate the two. It is critical for accuracy if not function that there be as little slop or movement between these as possible and when the receiver is replaced in the stock it may require as many as a few shots to settle the two before best accuracy is attained.
I shoot 2-4 CMP matches per year and remove the receiver from the stock only after the season is over. In between, I swab the bore and chamber with powder solvent, wipe that part of the op rod I can see, grease those spots on the bolt and op rod as required and call it good.
You can get a rough zero at 25 yds; you'll be on paper at 100 if you're centered at 25.
 
This is why I love this forum, such a wealth of information. Thanks a lot everyone!


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The "loosening up" you have heard about comes between the stock and the barrel/receiver group. Since there are no action screws securing the action to the stock, that is accomplished by compressing the stock wood between the trigger group spring and the receiver. Removing and replacing the receiver in the stock eventually will wear on the surfaces that mate the two.
Click to expand...
It was standard practice during overhauls to take out a bit of wood just over the trigger housing group and replace it with a larger piece, to tighten up the stock fit. For a quick fit, a bit of card stock clamped between trigger housing group and stock will tighten up most stocks.

It is critical for accuracy if not function that there be as little slop or movement between these as possible and when the receiver is replaced in the stock it may require as many as a few shots to settle the two before best accuracy is attained.
Click to expand...

Another trick is to assemble the rifle with the trigger housing unlocked, and bang the butt firmly on the floor, then close the trigger guard.

I shoot 2-4 CMP matches per year and remove the receiver from the stock only after the season is over. In between, I swab the bore and chamber with powder solvent, wipe that part of the op rod I can see, grease those spots on the bolt and op rod as required and call it good.
Click to expand...

In general, my approach is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I swab the bore, clean the bolt face and internal parts without stripping, and grease the op rod hump. That's about all it needs as long as it is functioning.
You can get a rough zero at 25 yds; you'll be on paper at 100 if you're centered at 25.
Click to expand...
You should be on paper at 0 windage and 11-12 clicks elevation -- but many an M1 has been rebuilt to the point where that rule doesn't hold any more. Still, it's a good starting point.
 
I can tell you, from experience, that if you take the clip feeding mechanism apart pay very very very very very very very very close attention to how you took it apart. Even with the video and diagrams it's very easy to mix up and not put back together correctly. I did that once. Never again.

I've only taken my Garand apart once when I purchased it to make sure everything was in good shape. Now I just clean it with a rod, patch and cleaning/lubing oil. No need to take it apart otherwise.
 
For the truly curious at heart the nice people at the CMP publish volumes of text and pictures (I like pictures) about the M1 Garand. Little helpful things like M1 Garand Nomenclature which help us call the array of parts by their correct name. This helps considerably when we refer to the gizmo that holds the whatchamacallit in place being loose. Really, in your browser favorites create a sub folder and give it a name like M1 Garand and load it with useful links. Titles like Field Stripping The M1 Garand and How To Detail Strip An M1 Garand which results in a large pile of pieces and parts.

There are countless volumes of text written about the rifle. For the collector minded books by Scott Duff and Bruce Canfield are useful while for the technically minded a great book is The U.S. .30 Caliber Gas Operated Service Rifles (A Shop Manual Volumes 1 & 2) by Jerry Kuhnhausen. The latter is an excellent service manual and well illustrated.

Finally as Jackal mentions even if you do not plan to disassemble and reassemble M1 Garands even if only your own rifle there are some tools that are indispensable. Failure to use the correct tool in some cases results in broken parts and while we seldom need to remove a rear handguard band clip when we do it is easy to split the wood without the correct tool. Hearing that cracking sound sucks!

Then last would be How We Re-Assemble An M1 Garand which is very useful when looking at a pile of parts trying to recall how you took the rifle apart. :)

Ron
 
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Another tip to keep the action as tight as you can is to unlatch the trigger group if you plan to store it for awhile, like over the winter. This allows the wood fibers to decompress a little so it will be tight when you relatch it in the spring. A loose stock fit can result in inaccuracy issues.

Laphroaig
 
As to sighting in, YouTube has some wonderful historical films from US Army about how to use the rear sight. Circa 1942. Pretty easy to follow and understand. Enjoy your Garand. I plan on taking mine out tomorrow. Also, I did not see this in the OP but be aware that many types of modern 30.06 has pressures exceeding the specifications of the receiver and can damage the rifle. Try to stick to surplus M2 ball or do what I did and drop forty bucks on the garandgear gas plug and shoot anything between 150-168 grains.
 
The gas port of the M1 is near the muzzle (as anyone can plainly see.) This makes the M1 very sensitive to muzzle pressure.

Nowadays, commercially-loaded .30-06 ammunition uses slow-burning powders that boost muzzle pressures. Use of such ammunition can damage your op rod.

Stick with mil-surp, or use loading data approved for use in the M1.
 
I just do the bore, chamber, and mop up whatever I can reach with q-tips and patches. If I field strip it, I need to fire 2 clips before it settles in and starts shooting well again.
 
The Hogdon 9th Ed. manual has loading for the M1 Garand.
The youtube video below is part 1 for cleaning the M14 which is similar. He has some interesting gadgets to help cleaning from the bore and keeping the chamber clean. The proper M1 gadgets are available at Brownells.
Also tonyben3 has a video on peening the M14 barrel , which also transfers to the accuracy of the M1 Garand, and one shows where to use grease .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNKcWNeQzDE
 
Thanks for all of the help and links! I think I'll completely field strip it once to make sure everything is in good shape and greased properly, then not do it again until it gets a high round count.
 
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