Why is there no decent Garand-esque rifle in .223?

[twoblink]

In terms of semi-auto availability, as well as magazines on the market and in peoples hands; the .223 is the clear winner..

If you adapted the M1Carbine to a .223, you'd have a Mini-14, which isn't that great.

the price to make the receiver does seem to be the barrier..

I'll have to think of how to solve that problem..

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

what exactly don't you like about the mini-14 anyway? the fact that it shoots four inch 100 yard groups, like rack grade m-1s do?


What exactly do you consider to be "a decent garand type weapon"?


adjustable sights on a .223 aren't necessary(and are, in fact, counter-indicated, since they're not long range weapons, and a 200 yard zero means the bullet will be within a couple inches of the POA out to 300-350 yards. That's farther out than most people can shoot at their range, and adjustable sights will be un adjusted when you don't want them to.

the mini-14 gas system is okay, but it can be improved by making the gas block part of the barrel instead of something that's just clamped on. i think this would improve accuracy, as well.

the mini IS a decent garand type weapon, especially after you do what natedog suggests.

 

[cordex]

could an M1 Carbine be re-chambered to .223? what's the OAL of .30carbine compared to 5.56Nato? could you make AR mags fit with a bit of machining of the magwell?

Wait a second ...
What if we took the 30 carbine and necked it down to use a .224 bullet? We could call it the ... hmmm ... 5.7mm Johnson or ... hmmm ... maybe the .22 Spitfire?
That'd be really cool. Very original idea too, huh? *grin*

 

[Monte Harrison]

I really doubt the rifle was ever intended as a military weapon. It strikes me as less than wise to regard it as an example of such or to try to use it in that manner.

This may be a misconception of mine, but weren't these only available to LEO's when they first came out?

It would be interesting if the .223WSSM would fit and feed in a carbine. It would blow up of course, but that would be interesting.

 

[glockten]

I believe that the M1A is available in .243...don't know about magazine availability or price.

Would standard .308 M1A mags work for the .243 version? There is a .03" difference in case length; i'm not sure about average OAL.

Why not have a Garand chambered in 270 or 257 Roberts, 6.5x55, or 25-06?

Springfield offered the M1 in .270 until 1987.

 

[Jaywalker]

Monte Harrison:

This may be a misconception of mine, but weren't these only available to LEO's when they first came out?

Yes, they were. I bought the first one (SN 251XX) I saw on a gunshelf for full retail of $200. I always assumed that the first 25,000 were sold to LEOs.

It shot 3-inch groups with the adjustable sights, but as this was before the hugely-available cheap 5.56 ammo, it was all 20-round boxes of really expensive .223. I couldn't afford to shoot it much and sold it to someone who could.

Jaywalker

 

[Futo Inu]

hey cordex

Great idea. Yeah, nothing new under the sun. Actually, you can buy M1 carbines already chambered in 5.7mm Johnson spitfire (or just the barrel), and LOADED CARTRIDGES in this wildcat, right out of shotgun news! It's a very efficient cartridge, almost to the performance level of a .222 Rem. When I get some $, I'm going to acquire 2 companion guns in this caliber, a carbine and a handgun, by converting an M1 carbine (or buying one) to it, and taking a Taurus Raging Hornet, and reaming the chambers to 5.7 Spitfire, and using the Taurus Raging Thirty moon clips with it.

 

[twoblink]

I don't remember where, but I seem to recall that there are barrels that are sold for the Garand, in 308, as well as the 243, so you can do that right now already.

Decent rifle?

Basically, a mini 14 with suggested upgrades and smithing, but OUT OF THE BOX.

 

[BamBam-31]

I dunno. I kinda liked tweaking my Mini-14. It shoots 1" at 50 yds, just about 2" at 100 yds. Did most of what natedog wrote. I'm content.

Then again, sometimes I enjoy fiddling with my toys more than actually shooting them. YMMV.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

Basically, a mini 14 with suggested upgrades and smithing, but OUT OF THE BOX.

why not do it yourself? it'll be cheaper, and more likely to happen than ruger turning out a product bettert than "good enough".

 

[TODD3465]

With Rem/UMC the Mini-14 I currently have is shooting 2" groups with no mods other than a Choate frontsight/flash-hider assembly. And yes it's preban, a 181 series.