M1 Rifle fans?

Puller · Mar 8, 2020

jake1945 said:
I have a WW2 era Springfield that Deans Guns reparked and added a new walnut stock/hand guards. It is mostly correct and is a beauty. I had an all correct WW2 Winchester which came from Denmark. Sold it to a friend for 2 grand.

A few years before Dean sold his business to a protege (and Dean has since passed away), he reparked and refinished the stock on a Springfield M1903 for me. Dean's Gun Restoration certainly does excellent work.

ACP230 · Mar 8, 2020

I bought mine in the early 80s from Woolworth. It has outlasted the store, I think. It was a re-import from Korea and shoots better than it looks. Different color wood in the stock and handguard. Scratches and nicks in the wood. Re-parked metal. I was going to have it fixed up
but decided to call it "The Old Veteran" and just get the trigger smoothed a bit.

I used the rifle in NRA Highpower Rifle Matches for a few years. Turns out the M1A worked better for me.

One thing I like about the M1 is that loaded en-bloc clips can sit for
years, ready to go. There's a couple of bandanas with en-blocs
sitting around here now.

AManWearingAHat · Mar 8, 2020

Somewhat. Ive had two. First one was a CMP gun that I ended up selling at a healthy profit to build my competition AR-15. It was an early fifties Springfield Armory gun.

Second I got in a trade for a beautiful DCM 1903 Springfield with paperwork that I absolutely hated shooting. I still have this one. '42 Springfield on the receiver, bit of a mix master on parts. It shoots okay. May re-barrel it to get it shooting better. Garands these days are expensive to feed so it doesn't get out as much. However I don't think Ill let go of this one!

BLACKHAWKNJ · Mar 8, 2020

I have two, Springfields, one made in May, 1942, the other-September, 1941.

Walter Rego · Mar 8, 2020

I have a nice Springfield manufactured M1 that was made in late 1952. It was purchased in the early 1980's through the DCM. It was all original except the trigger housing group was a mix master of WWII Springfield and Korean War era IHC and HRA parts.
The stock was birch and missing a big chip at the toe and the buttplate was beat to heck. I'll bet it saw service as a parade rifle and had the butt smacked down on the asphalt way too many times. I restocked it with a nice reproduction stock set from Fajen when they were still in business, found a new in the wrap buttplate and later took it to the late Don "Mac" McCoy, a retired Navy armorer and wizard with M1's. He went completely through it, tightened up the gas cylinder and replaced the springs and smoothed the trigger. I added an NM rear sight aperture but am not sure if my eyes can appreciate it any more and may reinstall the original. It would be a hard one to ever part with.

clang444 · Mar 8, 2020

I've still got 6 of them, all purchased at the CMP North Store. I used to have to travel to OH for business and would stop at the North Store in Camp Perry to browse the racks on a regular basis.

It wasn't too long ago that you could get a decent Danish or Greek return for less than $300. And ammo was 20 cents a round. It was hard not to buy something on a visit.

Nedroe · Mar 8, 2020

1941 Springfield Lend-Lease, all numbers match. Somehow avoided the armory.

A fantastic shooter.

Ned

Glashaus · Mar 8, 2020

I am in the club as well.

The top M1 came from the CMP a couple of years ago. It was a service grade that came with new CMP walnut. The receiver is April 1941 and it was rebarreled with a September 1943 barrel, the bottom M1 I have had since the late 80's

Mike SC Hunter · Mar 8, 2020

My best one is an H&R that looks like it was never issued. I once bought a barreled action from the CMP and built a complete rifle from parts on hand(head space was good). A Springfield out for the day.
I also shoot 150 gr cast gas checked spitzer bullets loaded in Greek XTP brass with no problems other than these create some smoke when fired.

GypsmJim · Mar 8, 2020

Grayfox said:
Is there anybody who doesn't love the Garand? I doubt it.

With all the kids carrying black plastic, I'm sure there are a bunch of detractors.

Mine is a 1943 Springfield, repatriated from Korea. It appeared unissued and never rebuilt. Even the stock was not dinged.

Because of the import marks, I got it for a reasonable price. One of the nicest and most accurate rifles i ever owned.

bgrafsr · Mar 8, 2020

I have had 3 N.M. Garands and sold them all. Have 2 now that are not N.M.

A Springfield #44393 which has been rebuilt. Has a VAR barrel on it. I have not shot it.
Well, obviously the above posted serial number is wrong. I will have to dig the gun out of the safe to get the correct number.

Also have an H&R with an H&R barrel and other parts from Springfield Armory.
Serial #5640029. Have not shot that one either.

opoefc · Mar 8, 2020

Had a Garand for some years back in the 90s, as I recall, that was in .22RF caliber. Ser. # 5 of 5 made by Marlin for a Gov't order to test as a training rifle, circa 1950s, I believe. It was a fun shooter that startled a lot of shooters at the range! Ed.

Mike SC Hunter · Mar 9, 2020

opoefc said:
Had a Garand for some years back in the 90s, as I recall, that was in .22RF caliber. Ser. # 5 of 5 made by Marlin for a Gov't order to test as a training rifle, circa 1950s, I believe. It was a fun shooter that startled a lot of shooters at the range! Ed.

Would like to see picks and lots of info on that....I never heard of it.

shocker · Mar 9, 2020

I borrowed a CMP Garand for a month to see if I liked it enough to get one. I didn't, at all.
As battle implement it was one war too late. By 1944 other armies already transitioned to widespread issue of assault rifles and submachine guns.
The Korean War, ouch. From Wikipedia on the PPSh-41.
"Though relatively inaccurate, the Chinese PPSh has a high rate of fire and was well-suited to the close-range firefights that typically occurred in that conflict, especially at night.[29] United Nations forces in defensive outposts or on patrol often had trouble returning a sufficient volume of fire when attacked by companies of infantry armed with the PPSh. Some U.S. infantry officers ranked the PPSh as the best combat weapon of the war: while lacking the accuracy of the U.S. M1 Garand and M1 carbine, it provided more firepower at short distances.[29] As infantry Captain (later General) Hal Moore, stated: "on full automatic it sprayed a lot of bullets and most of the killing in Korea was done at very close ranges and it was done quickly – a matter of who responded faster. In situations like that it outclassed and outgunned what we had. A close-in patrol fight was over very quickly and usually we lost because of it."[29]

murphydog · Mar 9, 2020

Well, as the noted philosopher "Yogi" Berra once noted, "the future ain’t what it used to be".

The Garand started development in the mid 1920s, the M1 Carbine in the late 1930s, and the Thompson had been used since the early 1920s (not to mention the WW I BAR). If we had military-issue crystal balls, US soldiers and Marines in Korea would have all been issued submachine guns with drum magazines too, except for the ones who had to engage the enemy at more than 50 yards...and your opponent always get a vote as to how battles are fought.

Wars are always "run what you brung" affairs. The Garand may not have been the perfect tool for Korean close-up firefights but it served well by all accounts.

brucev · Mar 9, 2020

First time I ever saw a M-1 was in 1980... Buddy's Bait Shop, New Orleans, LA. I was a struggling student in seminary. I didn't have the $1,000 (yeh... that's right) price tag. Year later ... my brother came down to the church w/ a nice SA M-1 in 7.62NATO... along with a case of German ammo. We fired the entire 1K rounds through that rifle in just two days. What a blast! I bought and sold several M-1's during the Blue Sky import days. Killed some fine deer w/ the M-1 hunting in woods and fields. Bought a couple of CMP Danish return M-1's w/ gorgeous VAR barrels. Fresh from Danish arsenal rebuild. Navy marked. One for me, one for my brother. After his death, got his. Had to sell mine. His is going nowhere. Have a pretty SA 1.0 rebuilt by Deans in .308 Winchester. FINE rifle! Wish I'd also bought a stock. Have a SA 1.0 rebuilt by RRAD w/ new 60's barrel. My match rifle is a SA 5.9 LEAD rebuilt w/ new 66 barrel. That rifle is without doubt the most accurate M-1 I've ever owned. It's first five rounds were under 2 inches at 100 yds. Its first 10 round string was 98 ... X's, 10's and two 9's. A little fiddling w/ the rear sight and it was centered up w/ a 6 O'clock hold. It has been infallible since 2000. I have a very nice SA 5.9 w/ 2/56 barrel. Got it as a service grade. Tried to get it fixed up for my brother but he passed before I could get it done. It is the M-1 that I most love. It is in very good condition. Stock is a very nice DOD marked walnut w/ matching handguards. It is my favorite. Recently bought a nice Ultimak scope mount. Have a Nikon 2x EER scope on hand. By next deer season I plan to have this rifle scoped up. Then I'll be carrying it out for hunting. Sincerely. bruce.

nodpete · Mar 9, 2020

I had one back in 1960 but after I carried it on a 20 mile hike in the hot (90+ degrees) in July in Missouri with a full back pack I lost my interest in it. I was very happy to give it back to Uncle Sam when I left basic training. Never had the desire to pick one up again.

Sistema1927 · Mar 9, 2020

My 5.9 million Springfield Garand is my only birth year gun (1956).

Funny thing, I was home on a comp day on 9/11/01. After watching the 2nd plane hit the WTC, I went to the safe, a pulled out that Garand and cleaning stuff. As I watched the rest of the news coverage I carefully cleaned and lubed that rifle, spending the rest of the day with it sitting across my lap. Strange behavior, for sure, but a great comfort during that difficult day.

Patrick L · Mar 9, 2020

I actually forgot to mention in my post that, like the OP, I got my first M1 from the old DCM. Yup, 1 per lifetime, and you signed a paper saying you'd never sell it. Oops, like a fool I sold mine.

Cost $165, took about a year, and I got a like new H&R. In my ignorance back in those days, I didn't even realize what I had.

bmcgilvray · Mar 9, 2020

shocker said:
I borrowed a CMP Garand for a month to see if I liked it enough to get one. I didn't, at all.
As battle implement it was one war too late. By 1944 other armies already transitioned to widespread issue of assault rifles and submachine guns.
The Korean War, ouch. From Wikipedia on the PPSh-41.
"Though relatively inaccurate, the Chinese PPSh has a high rate of fire and was well-suited to the close-range firefights that typically occurred in that conflict, especially at night.[29] United Nations forces in defensive outposts or on patrol often had trouble returning a sufficient volume of fire when attacked by companies of infantry armed with the PPSh. Some U.S. infantry officers ranked the PPSh as the best combat weapon of the war: while lacking the accuracy of the U.S. M1 Garand and M1 carbine, it provided more firepower at short distances.[29] As infantry Captain (later General) Hal Moore, stated: "on full automatic it sprayed a lot of bullets and most of the killing in Korea was done at very close ranges and it was done quickly – a matter of who responded faster. In situations like that it outclassed and outgunned what we had. A close-in patrol fight was over very quickly and usually we lost because of it."[29]

I'm gonna say that the M1 was not one war too late, but rather remained pretty "cutting edge" for the duration of World War II. Sure other nations had their own self-loading developments, from good advanced designs to haphazardly developed and inferior arms, but none were widely adopted, not to the extent of the M1. It was the M1 that was most generally fielded and that by the U. S. military.

Yeah, it would have been nice for the good guys to have had the M1 in World War I, but that was one war too early. As a battle implement, the M1 doesn't have to take a back seat for its World War II performance.

M1 Rifle fans?

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