M1 Garand

[RdrBill]

I like M1 Garands. I have several, enough to stand up a Marine rifle platoon. I joined the Garand Collector's Association a few years ago. I just got my "The Best of The GCA Journal Book 2". What I like about M1 Garands is that they take up time and money and keeps me from spending so much time and money on S&W firearms. I do not know if having a desire to collect 2 distinct types of firearms is an affliction or an addiction.
I was an M-14 era Marine and never used an M1, except for shooting with the local American Legion M1's while practicing for state High Power Match. I fired an M1 once across the NM course for fun. At the time I preferred my USMC match conditioned M-14.
Now days I have one M1A and several M1's, M1A leaves the safe once a year and every time I go shoot, an M1 makes the trip.
I am certain many of you have or want an M1. Anyone else belong to the GCA.
Bill

 

[MR .44 Spl]

I also got my "Best of ....Book 2" yesterday. I enjoy the history of the Garand both in terms of their development and their use. I'm not one to be able to quote you year and manufacturer just by the heat lot number stamped on a part. For me it's an opportunity to combine two of the things that interest me the most: history and firearms.

I've only got two Springfields so far. One WWII vintage and one Korea vintage. But I hope to add to my collection when I go to the GCA convention at the CMP in October.

Anyone else going to the convention?

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, the old M1 is my favorite rifle, period. I've shot M1s competitively in both JCG matches and NRA high power. In comp shooting, the M1 is more work than an AR, both to shoot and to maintain, but is also more fun IMHO.

BTW, the M14 is just a sporterized Garand. ;-)

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[Tam 3]

I'm a member of the GCA.

I argue that the M1 is the most operator friendly of the battle rifles.
One carries more than one shoots. Everything about the M1 is hand friendly. It is curved and round where you touch it. No corners, sharp edges, dent prone, bendable sheet metal magazines that give the carrier a kidney massage at sling arms.
It doesn't need cartridges to be an effective weapon.
Target identification at extreme range is more difficult for the M1 operator than striking that target.
The "ping" is an opportunity to lure the uninformed into a sight picture.

Regards,

Tam 3

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

I'm not a member of the collectors association, but my "association" with the M1 goes way back.

I was in Army basic training in the summer of 1959, fifty years ago this summer, and we trained with the M1. We were one of the earlier groups to use the then new, "trainfire" training and qualification system that was a departure from the older, "know distance" or KD range and scoring.

KD resembles how service rifle competition is done today. Scoring is different, but the idea is the same.

I acquired two M1s back in about 89 and 90. Back then you could only get one per lifetime...so my wife got one!

When the CMP first started the John C. Garand matches at Camp Perry, I participated in the first five. Somewhere in there, John Garand's son was at the matches and he handed my my t-shirt!

The Garand is a classic and their will never be another one like it. I have two SAs, one from July 1945 (very end of the war) and another from 1957 ( last year of production.) These rifles are pricelss to me and I would never part with them. If you don't have one...you've got to get one!

 

[Bat Guano]

Got a Lend-Lease flush nut Garand looking down at me from a glass case as I type this. Not a GCA member but do have the "whole set" plus a few extras. I was already well acquainted with the M1 long before I got my "greetings" and could do the manual of arms without injury.

I shoot the m4gery with optic more these days but still like the M1 lot; really can't choose between that and the M1A--so had to get both.

For sheer history, it's a slam dunk.

 

[sipowicz]

I'm a big fan of the GCA founded in 1968.

 

[dennis40x]

I'm not a big fan of the M1 rifle. Went through ITR at Camp Geiger with an M1 the experience was less than ideal. My last six months in The Corps was spent at GITMO with 3rd Battalion 8th Marines. Taught marksmanship training to the naval defense company component their rifles were M1 converted to 7.62mm NATO. They complained about the accuracy. Most of the sailors in the defense company contingent didn't want to be there and could care less about marksmanship. I fired enough of those rifles to know that there accuracy was adequate but nothing special. Much preferred the M14 over the M1.

 

[m1gunner]

Not a GCA member (yet?), but the Garand is my hands down favorite rifle.

It has perfect balance, is hand friendly (as mentioned above), and is a true weapon system.

The accuracy is outstanding. A Garand fired head to head with a M16 yields much smaller groups for me due to the balance and weight distribution of the rifle. I am not talking about match prepped rifles, just representative examples of what the green suits carried.

My deer rifle is a garand, but my favorite is a like new H&R M1 my wife gave me for Christmas one year. It appeared unissued with only test firing done. It is absolutely scary accurate.

It is neat to see honor guards from around the world still carrying the Garand. It is not only functional, but a thing of beauty as well.

 

[PLW45]

I've been a Garand owner for 2 1/2 months now and I love it. I don't belong to the GCA...yet. I just think the M1 is a neat, fun to shoot, good all around rifle. And it's got solid military history to boot!

I don't think I'll ever get rid of my M1.

 

[reddogge]

I'm a member of GCA and own 5 M1s. All of mine are WW2 vintage SAs. One has an original receiver/barrel combo but the rest are good old USGI mixmasters just as they evolved over the years and will stay thay way. I don't feel the need to spend a lot of money to artificially "correct" my rifles like some do. I also don't like the post war rifles that look too pristine. I like to think my rifles played a part in winning the big one.

 

[tops]

I don't own a M1 but I have shot them and know what they are. The gun is super dependable and the cartridge is large enough to get the job done. The people that think the gun and ammo is too heavy need to start eating breakfast and grow up. Larry

 

[Tony C.]

Just went out to the club and shot my International Harvester Garand yesterday, first time in a few years.

180 gr. bullets, 47.5 gr of IMR 4064 produce sub 2" group every time.

I also own other military semi auto, but the Garand is no doubt my favorite, perhaps a close second would be the FN 49, both of them are honest blued steel and walnut rifle, what not to like!

Tony

 

[PALADIN85020]

I've been handling and shooting M1s since my freshman year in high school ROTC, and have loved them ever since.

I wrote an article on the M1 in Dillon's Blue Press. You might want to read it - gives quite a bit of its background. Go to page 41.

http://www.bridleandbit.net/ebooks/bluepress/bluepresssept09/sept09/object_files/main.swf

 

[Dennis The B]

My first qualification in H.S. JROTC...

...was with a Garand. Managed to get a sharpshooter badge the first year, and then qualified expert the last two years. As a teenager, the length of pull was perfect. However, as time has moved on, I find that the pull is just a tad short, even using a shooting jacket.

That's more than offset by the fun the M1 is to shoot.

I'll be going to a gun show next weekend, and a Garand is on the list for exploration.

 

[bishopm14]

GCA member here. Down to two Garands, both post war H&Rs. Have had six, at one point it was five at one time. Decided it was time to diversify a bit.
As the daddy of the M14, I've got to like the M1.

 

[Duster42]

I'm a GCA member and have several M1's from each of the four manufacturer's. (Springfield Armory,Winchester,HRA,IHC)

 

[vrichard]

What type finish on A M1?

I have a new unfinish walnut stock for my M1,what should I use to match the
original dark finish that was on the M1?Thanks
Dick

 

[m1gunner]

I have a new unfinish walnut stock for my M1,what should I use to match the
original dark finish that was on the M1?Thanks
Dick

The original was Tung oil (pure tung oil, not the stuff sold at home depot or lowes).

Later Boiled Linseed Oil was used (this is available at HD, Lowes, etc).

BLO tends to sit on the surface, while Tung oil penetrates somewhat.

On Garand walnut stocks like those from Boyds, I use Tung oil from real milk paint dot com . Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, then once a month for a year.

These oil finishes are original and are easy to touchup if they get messed up.

If you must darken the wood, you can get dark tinted tung oil from those folks.

If you want a dark look with a reddish hue, stain the wood first with Fiebings dark brown leather dye (the alcohol based stuff).

Remember,you can easily remove the oil finish and dye it later if the color wasn't to your liking. Omce dyed, it is real difficult to bring the wood back to its undyed state.

 

[SWID]

I have three, my and my girlfriend's DCMs, and a like new (rebuilt) one that I bought other than DCM.

I know this is sacrilage, but I always wondered why they did not make it magizine fed. That would have eliminated so many parts and also the major complaint. (That you could not reload it until it was empty, or waste ammo.)

My girlfriend's (now mine, always was actually) is all Winchester, other two are SAs.

First shot one in '59 when I joined the reserves while still in high school. Still love shooting it.