The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Years ago I purchased an IHC Garand at an online estate sale. There weren't many pictures and a rather spare description, but I bid on it and glommed it for a decent price.

When it arrived, I noticed that it had an odd, hooded rear sight and later learned that it was a match sight. I also noted that the op rod was marked "NM", but knew that didn't mean much. I shot the rifle a little with LC CMP ammo, and it seemed decently accurate.

No indication on the barrel of it being NM, nor any other indication that I know of. I guess my question is, other than barrel, sights and op rod, what common modifications did gunsmiths of the day make to a Garand to match prep it?

Recently I've started shooting some of my safe queens and took the IHC and a few other rifles out to the range. I also took a box of the CMP Creedmoor Garand ammo and shot a clip of it through the IHC. I was impressed with the rifle and the ammo.


Here is the rifle...









Didn't have much time, so I was only able to get the rifle on paper at 50 yards and shoot an 8 round clip at 100 yards. At 100 yards, first two were off the 8" reactive target up around 11:00 o'clock. made a small adjustment and got the rifle on paper at 100...still up at about 10:30. Made an agressive sight adjustment and put it at 6 o'clock, at the bottom of the target.. Made a final adjustment and put the last 4 into nice tight group of a little over 1", just below the 10 ring.

Here is the 100 yard/Creedmoor ammo target. I think this Garand has potential

It sure sounds like a National Match Garand. Are there any signs of bedding in the stock? I know most National Match Garands I've seen will have some type of bedding material especially in the trigger lock up area to tighten up trigger group lock up.

By the way, that's a heck of a nice Garand!

No signs of any bedding.

The gas cylinder is extremely tight, though. No play at all.

I'm continuing to shoot my Garands in an attempt to determine what ammo they like.

I took a few more rifles to the range this afternoon, including the IHC with the match sights. I didn't have a lot of time, but did manage to shoot a clip of the Hornady M1 Garand match ammo. It is loaded with Hornady's 168 gr Amax bullet.



The "match" Garand liked it about as well as the Creedmoor match ammo

@100 yards

I remember a lot of guys back in the day who would build their own M1's. They started off with DCM rifles and built them according to what they wanted, being individual builds there was no set standard as to what was or wasn't done. That was back when men weren't intimidated by tools and hands on work, everybody had a home workshop and a gunsmith could starve to death waiting for the sort of jobs they get today. There was a local retired USMC armorer who while he wouldn't build you a rifle he would show you how, as in supervise you at your workbench using your tools. Years later he started building rifles when he needed spare cash, the wait was long but worth it.

I'm thinking that is what this is, JYD.

As far as I can tell, it will hold the 10 ring as is. The only thing, other then the sights and op rod, that mark it as a match rifle is the gas cylinder having no play, resulting in the front sight base being rock solid.