Back about 45 years or so, I shot muzzle loaders with a friend who also shot with the National Guard. He had an M1 Garand with the same beautiful wood as the OP has. His was bought from the DCM. He stated that he had never touched the finish. They are out there.
M-1 Garand
- Thread starter andy52
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eclayton
Member
Yes! Closing the action on an unloaded M1, as after inspection arms, is a dicey moment for getting M1 thumb. I never experienced M1 thumb while loading a full clip. The heel of your hand should be in front of the op rod handle preventing forward movement until your thumb is clear, and the rounds in the clip prevent you from sticking your thumb deep into the receiver.
The worst M1 thumb I ever experienced was with an empty rifle that I thought was locked open. On some Garands, friction between the bolt and the rear of the follower will hold the bolt back when the action is not actually locked open. A slight bump or simply waiting for a little while will see the op rod spring overcome that friction and the action slams shut. This happened to me years ago while I was fiddling or reaching for something inside the receiver, and SNAP! The action closed on my finger like the jaws of an alligator. An old retired Marine on the range told me that I was now an initiated M1 shooter.
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kbm6893
Member
If loaded right, the thumb should never get slammed by the bolt. I have two M1's. My 1943 Springfield rarely requires me to bump the op rod, but it sometimes does. I put the clip in and I can feel and hear a click as it seats, then remove thumb in one smooth motion and the bolt goes forward. And even if it does go forward when you didn't want it to the heel of your loading hand should prevent the thumb from getting whacked. My 1955 HRA always requires me to slap the op rod to close the action.
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.38SuperMan
Member
I had one that I suspect had been rechambered in 308. I eventually sold it but have a DCM gun I bought thirty years ago that was made in 1944. It's very clean and I have no plans to sell it. Fabulous guns!
Dave from Pa
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
M1 thumb usually occurs to people with 2 thumbs on one hand or someone who does not pay attention to operating procedure.Regarding the wood on the OP rifle over the years I have seen many nicely figured stocks while at the CMP stores and time as a volunteer for CMP at Anniston. I have also encountered stocks that have been "boned". A chicken leg bone was run up and down the stock compressing the fibers and causing the stock to take on a sheen.Process was first described to me by my dad when they prepped for inspections.
bmcgilvray
Member
Here's your rifle's "brother." A DCM gun I took delivery on in March of 1987, it's taught me about the accuracy, reliability, and durability of the un-enhanced, non-gunsmithed, not upgraded issue M1 rifle for I used it extensively as-is in local high-power competition for over 20 years. It still occasionally goes to a match. Its stock received no special surface enhancement, but is worn smooth by match handling.
On the firing line last time it was out for an "airing."
jmace57
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It may just be a lucky, really nice stock. I picked up one of the Mosin-Nagant's back when you could buy them for $75 a piece. One of them I bought had a really ugly stock on it. I decided to strip and refinish. It had a gorgeous grain and was in beautiful condition after I strippe dthe old varnish off.
I was taught early on to hold back the receiver with the heel of the hand while pushing the clip down with the thumb. Soon as it begins to move forward release the heel, and give it a little final push forward. Never got the M1 thumb. I got mine originally from the DCM, prior to them morphing into the CMP. At that time they could only release 8000 a year and when that many were shipped they stopped and you went into a waiting pool. Took me 14 months to get it. (But it only cost $165. Which was about half for postage).
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austintexas
Member
Garands are a bad habit, drug one around in collage ROTC, Shot 30 carbine in the USAF before they went to ARs. Decided I needed one each in the 80s. I now have 24 Garands the earliest is 1939, and 14 carbines, one from each manufacturer. Military rifles are just a diversion when I can't find any Smiths to buy.
SWCA 892
SWCA 892
I expect that M1 thumb happens most when someone pulls the op rod back and instead of locking it to the rear they leave it hung on the back of the bullet guide. If you do that the slightest touch on the guide will release the op rod. Ask me how I know about this.
This was a 4.28 mil early post war that saw a LOT of use and went through rebuild at some point. It had some good figure in the stock as well.
This was a 4.28 mil early post war that saw a LOT of use and went through rebuild at some point. It had some good figure in the stock as well.
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My Springfield Armory sits in the 433,xxx range. Everyone should have an M1 once in their lives..
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I suspect it's too pretty and is a replacement. Someone put duct tape on it? Someone could have replaced the stock.
I got a Garand from the CMP a few years ago. I wanted a nice one so I ordered a 1950s H&R because they were said to be in better shape. Well mine has nearly perfect metal but the wood was a disaster. Not one square inch without dents. I picked up a walnut replacement at a show a couple years back and like it much better, now.
I got a Garand from the CMP a few years ago. I wanted a nice one so I ordered a 1950s H&R because they were said to be in better shape. Well mine has nearly perfect metal but the wood was a disaster. Not one square inch without dents. I picked up a walnut replacement at a show a couple years back and like it much better, now.
It's a beautiful stock with very nice grain figuring, but it's almost certainly been refinished. I can almost smell the LinSpeed; the area around the pistol grip should be a lot more crisp. I've been around M1s since I was 14, and once you get an M1 thumb, you'll learn very quickly the art of getting your thumb out of there before you release the operating rod handle with the heel of your hand. The IMPROPER method was taught by ROTC sophomores to freshmen to be sure they appreciated the power of steel on flesh and bone. By golly, it usually worked.
G.I. stocks, when new, had only been dipped in linseed oil after a final sand-down. This left a somewhat rough finish, although I've seen ROTC-issue stocks that were rubbed down with linseed oil once a week for years get a lot smoother, but a shine like that on your stock shows a purposeful refinish. I have a chromed M1903A3 ceremonial rifle that has a stock that looks like yours. It's glitzy; but combat rifles should not have glitz.
By contrast, this Springfield M1 that dates to 1941 has a stock that appears to be normal general issue.
Your rifle is sure pretty, but the stock has been worked over.
John
G.I. stocks, when new, had only been dipped in linseed oil after a final sand-down. This left a somewhat rough finish, although I've seen ROTC-issue stocks that were rubbed down with linseed oil once a week for years get a lot smoother, but a shine like that on your stock shows a purposeful refinish. I have a chromed M1903A3 ceremonial rifle that has a stock that looks like yours. It's glitzy; but combat rifles should not have glitz.
By contrast, this Springfield M1 that dates to 1941 has a stock that appears to be normal general issue.
Your rifle is sure pretty, but the stock has been worked over.
John
The '06 has wicked stopping factor compared to .223 NATO.
Our boys in The Stan would be better off with M1s and a modern opto-fibrolic snooper scope and maybe a lightweight poly stock. Maybe even give it a detachable 20 shot clip?
Our boys in The Stan would be better off with M1s and a modern opto-fibrolic snooper scope and maybe a lightweight poly stock. Maybe even give it a detachable 20 shot clip?
I think you just described the M14.
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