M1 Garand update

kamagong

kamagong

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Jan 13, 2001
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I received my service grade M1 from the CMP about a month ago. When I first received it I was a little disappointed. The metal work was okay, but nothing special. The CMP replaced the stock with a new one. It looked a bit off, the new stock with the old metal.

I tried to take it apart, but couldn't as the stock was very tightly fit. I failed miserably when I attempted to put the trigger group back in. Finally I just decided to take it to a local gunsmith. I guess I lucked out as the local gunsmith turned out to be something of a Garand expert. It seems that people from all over the Bay Area go to him whenever they need something done to their M1s. I dropped it off for a cleaning and de-cosmoline (I know I can do it, but why deal with the mess when this is a good way to support the local gunshop) and also asked him check out the parts and properly inlet the stock. I picked it up last weekend. I can take my rifle apart now.

This rifle looks much better now. It's not a looker by any means (I guess I lost the CMP lottery, some of the SGs are just gorgeous), but seems to be a fine, serviceable rifle. Service grades are classified as good to very good. I would describe this one as good. The serial number on the HRA receiver indicates that it was made sometime between 1954-56, but I'm not sure about the rest of the parts as this is a true mixmaster. The barrel and receiver are HRA, but the bolt and trigger group are SA. I haven't fired it yet, but there's a Garand match at my club in a couple of weeks. I'm planning on participating and hopefully I can get some tips from the veterans there.

The first thing I did when I got my rifle back was to apply Walosi's Tru-Oil treatment. It made a good bit of difference. The stock no longer looks as new, and it feels wonderful. I don't know what it is, but a couple of hours with a bottle of Tru-Oil and 0000 steel wool makes wood just incredible to the touch. I like this rifle much more now.

I'll post some pics later. It's been overcast the past few days so I haven't been able to get out and take pictures.
 
Sweet. I can't wait to see pics.
 
How long did it actually take?

The new wood might actually be a blessing. Love to hear your first shooting expedition and have some pictures.

Congratulations.

from the trend in everything else, buy surplus ammo NOW...in quantities you would not have thought of prior. I have a link for surplus NATO 7.62x51 which I identified as $32 per 160. Those days are gone.




Kis
enjoy every sandwich
 
Kismet said:
How long did it actually take?

The new wood might actually be a blessing. Love to hear your first shooting expedition and have some pictures.
Click to expand...
44 days from my mailbox to mugging the Fed-Ex guy as he delivered the package from CMP.

The new wood is so-so. I thought it was walnut at first, but it seems to be too fine-grained. I don't know, I'm no wood expert. But the wood is a CMP-stamped Boyd's stock. It is oversized and the channel is not-centered perfectly. I'm thinking of taking it down a little, but I'm scared of messing up the proportions. Maybe I'll just replace it with an older stock and keep this one as a spare.

The bore is bright and shiny though and the receiver is solid. I guess that's what's most important.
 
It's a Garand, a war-winning rifle made of wood and steel, carried by men. It's hand-held history; a destroyer of fascism and tyranny.

Imperfections.... are just personality. Mixmaster; they almost all are.

There is nothing like a Garand. :usaflag: Post some proud pix of this beauty, please.



pic of mine to hold us over.


Mike
 
My babies
CIMG8924.jpg
 
Danny, that has to be the best part about being back in the USA- getting your arms back! :D Well, probably Texas brisket is a close second.


Mike
 
Here are some quick pictures I took. Sorry for the poor quality, I'll try to get some better ones this weekend.

hrabarrelrj8.jpg


hrareceiverdo0.jpg


openboltnw1.jpg


hragarandco4.jpg
 
You have yourself a good working rifle, akin to a Villager HI blade. Betcha it will shoot rather well and in nice groups.

Enjoy!
 
That's a very servicable looking rifle, Kamagong. I wouldn't sweat the mixed bag of parts you mentioned, because even brand new HRA rifles might have had SA guts due to shortages and such. I will go out on a limb, so to speak, and say your stock looks like birch. Regardless, it will serve you well, enjoy it. My IH looks like a boat anchor compared to yours, but it will stay on a deck of cards at 100 yds if I do my part.
 
Most important thing about a Garand is the math:
BANG X 8 + Bliiiiiiing= good gun.
If it puts em all in tight, great gun.
All after that is trimmings and fluff.

Mark
 
That looks fine to me, much better than the one that was issued to me in basic training in 1960. A great rifle in my opinion, enjoy it :)
 
My three-year-old nephew visited today and my M1 was out when he first came over. It immediately caught his attention and you should have seen the way his eyes got big. I quickly grabbed the camera and snapped off this picture. Too bad I won't be able to bring him to the range for a few more years.

markanthonyee7.jpg
 
That is one firearm I have never been able to get myself to pull the trigger on. Maybe someday. Will probably pick up a good K98 that hasn't had its markings defaced first. Nice rifle though. :)
 
That is some very nice wood there. Boyd's Garand stocks are usually walnut. My new production SA I bought a couple of years ago came with a Boyds stock. I've been thinking about a Tru-Oil finish on it, but may buy an extra set and do it on that so as to keep the original setup

FYI, the trigger guard should be a bit hard to get back into place. You don't want it too loose...

Norm
 
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