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Is there a forum out there dedicated to M1 Garands i can ask about the rifle i just bought? Till than ill ask here...
Well I just bought this M1 Garand at a gun show today and all i ever see are crazy prices from $1000 and up... So I couldnt say no to $585...
This is what i was told and you tell me what you think and please add your knowledge on what you see...
6 Digit...1941 Springfield receiver and the barrel was changed out in 1953 and has British markings which he said it was a lend lease... No import marks...
The handguards have some nice repairs which i like...
He put a bullet in the muzzle to show its not shot out...
The wood has no markings/cartouches...
So what you guys think did i get a fair deal? And what can you tell me about this rifle... thanks...
If the headspace is good and the receiver has no sign of it's being welded together then you did OK. There are a lot of other checks to do on a Garand, gas cylinder needs to be checked to make sure it's in spec, throat and muzzle erosion check, the headspace. Nice find
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Very nice, I'll take 2 of them at that price please. Check the things that JYD told you and you'll love your M1 Garand. Be careful of over the counter ammo as things inside can be damaged if loads are to hot.
A LMR barrel to boot, damn, I opened probably 40 rifles looking for one of those while I was at Camp Perry.
Here's your M1 Garand forum to find out more about your rifle. Be warned those guys there are not as friendly as you'll find on this fine forum. Some can be down right azz holes but there's also good guys there that have taught me a lot. http://forums.thecmp.org
You did extremely well.. Congrats . British Nitro Proofs (BNP) definitely say lend lease to me . Serial number puts its born on date at November of 41. As the others have said, do the normal checks then go enjoy it. One shot and you will be hooked. Insofar as ammo goes , you will best served to shoot Surplus .30-06 in it a s the pressures will be correct. lots of it available out there . Have a look at the CMP . Great info there as well as ammo.
You can stick with surplus or you can get an adjustable or garand gear gas plug. Personally I bought a Schuster which I hate so replaced with a Garand Gear plug. Worth every penny. Now I can shoot any ammo I want with little concern for the op rod. Nice find!
Vendetta wrote:You can stick with surplus or you can get an adjustable or garand gear gas plug. Personally I bought a Schuster which I hate so replaced with a Garand Gear plug. Worth every penny. Now I can shoot any ammo I want with little concern for the op rod. Nice find!
That's what I was about to tell him, I'm thinking the last adjustable type plug I saw like that was just over $30.oo and well worth it. YouTube is a good place for M1 Garand info of all sorts even showing how easy is to adjust this plug. When I picked out my M1 at Camp Perry I also bought 2 cases of ammo thinking that would do me a lifetime. That's a laugh now looking back, I cleaned the brass and now reload for this rifle and it's very accurate.
Reloading is not recommended unless using the right primers to avoid slam fires but after a couple hundred shots through mine I've had no problems.
Yeah I think the Garand Gear is $36 or $38, and it doesnt have to be adjusted. You dont have to worry about what youre sending through it because it drops pressure levels to a safe level.
Vendetta wrote:Yeah I think the Garand Gear is $36 or $38, and it doesnt have to be adjusted. You dont have to worry about what youre sending through it because it drops pressure levels to a safe level.
The adjustable one on Youtube was pretty neat, the guy just kept adjusting it shooting it single shot until the action started working to load the next round....I think if I had a really nice war time high dollar rifle that I shot I'd have one of those just to make it easy on the rifle parts... Some of those Winchester pieces are very expensive if you can find them.
I remember oiling and greasing the crap out of my rifle getting things to work well as it was like new... Called my dad asking if he had to oil his that much when he was in the service. He said " NO, only when you showered " I said say what ? " Yep, out in the trenches and mud your rifle went right in the shower with you, if you ever found a shower "
After seeing this rifle posting I'm getting the fever again...
Yeah the Schuster is the adjustable one. It runs like a single shot as you dial the pressure up and then all of the sudden it will strip the next round. It was great the first time I had it out and then I realized that it wouldnt stay put and had to constantly be fiddled with. No thanks.
US M2 Ball, that's what GI Joe used, not any of the commercial rounds. If you can't find it then reload it.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Junk Yard Dog wrote:US M2 Ball, that's what GI Joe used, not any of the commercial rounds. If you can't find it then reload it.
I have No room to reload... Damn didn't know garands were that high maintenance lol... From having to use grease instead of oil to ammo...
Thats why i love buying firearms and learning all i can about the history...
Well guess im gonna have to look online for ammo since there is only commercial around here... Wanted to go shooting today oh well...
What about the days we didnt have internet how wouod people know what to do... About using grease and soecific ammo... Any stories of people at the time having problems..
You have room, all you need to reload this cartridge will fit in a shoebox. Lee loader kit ( size of a pack of smokes) rawhide hammer, a few small case prep tools ( optional) powder can, bullets, primers, brass. http://leeprecision.com/lee-loader-30-06-spring.html
Or for a tiny bit more space you can have this hand press, I have one of these, still use it sometimes, both of these press kits work, but you will have to add a die set to the hand press. http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html
I started with tools like these, you can live in a box down by the river and still have room for tools this small.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Awesome..And ya you need to find ball ammo for it " sucks i know" Cause the new 30.06 is pumped up for bolt action hunting rifles with no care for gas systems..lol a over powered 30.06 can bend the operating rod in a m1 garand...But they do make M1 garand ammo on the shelf still, a bit limited and hard too find sometimes, but it is still being made for those who do not reload...I found a few boxes at cabela's few months ago..But it will say in pretty big letters.."M1 garand" on the box.
The grease, a very small amount of grease, is for the op rod slide , and inner bolt rail only, in cold, or very dirty conditions you dispense with the grease entirely.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
My guess is you did just fine, I'd sure be proud to own that one. 
