It may not be love..............

[Terry G]

But it's a strong case of lust. I FINALLY got to shoot my M-1 Garand with the 1. Corrosive and inaccurate Korean ammunition. 2. The non-corrosive but inaccurate Korean ammunition. 3. The corrosive but accurate Korean ammunition. 4.The non corrosive and accurate Korean ammunition. Take your pick. I decided to treat it as corrosive but in cleaning it up I don't think it is. Anyway, it's pretty accurate stuff and the Garand is a jewel. Very light recoil for a .30/06, or maybe I'm toughend up from bolt Mauser's and .303 SMLE's. No malfunctions, I would have been very surprised if there were, and the trigger was good for a military rifle. It felt shorter and lighter than I thought it would. About 4 inches longer than my Colt AR-15, but not unwieldy. I didn't get M-1 thumb because I was VERY careful but I know I'll relax and get popped. The first five round group was to small to mention, but low left. Next ten shot's dialed it in. First group is seven shot's (I couldn't resist John Wayneing one into a stump) the second is a full clip of eight. I have some non-corrosive stuff coming from CMP, but I'm pretty happy with the Korean. The M-1 is definitely a keeper.

[RIKA]

Congrats. :beer: Glad you got a good one. Shooting the M1 just gets better and better.

RIKA

[Bainidh Sagart]

There are few firearms as sublime as the M1. You said it wasn't unwieldy, a little more description on its handling please? I've always found them very handy, just great balance, and to me they don't feel as long or heavy as they actually are. The M1 may be "obsolete" for military purposes, but as a civilian, there's few rifles I'd rather own.

On the Garand thumb: My father (WWII and Korea vet) told me that if the bolt releases when the clip locks in, the rifle's out of tune. He said that when their M1s were new, the bolt wouldn't automatically release when the clip locked in. It was only after a few years' use that they did that. Although no one really complained as it sped up reloads, you just took the chance that it might try to load your thumb.
What I usually do (since I'm not in combat at the range and absolute speed of reload isn't critical) is hold the op rod back with my right hand, load the clip with my left, and then let the op rod fly when my left hand is clear.

[Terry G]

The bolt on mine doesn't fly forward when you insert a clip; I have to bump it. The M-1 surprised me with it's handling qualities. I trained on an M-14 and the M-1 seems quicker to point and shoot. It also seems to recoil less. Maybe I was a bit lighter then? :cool: :cool:

[RIKA]

The M1 is slim and well balanced. It handles quick because it doesn't have the M14 mag in the middle. I wonder if the longer operating rod and dwell time gas mechanism doesn't make recoil feel softer. I dunno; like the M1 and the M1A both but the M1A's recoil feels sharper.

RIKA

[Bainidh Sagart]

The bolt on mine doesn't fly forward when you insert a clip; I have to bump it. The M-1 surprised me with it's handling qualities. I trained on an M-14 and the M-1 seems quicker to point and shoot. It also seems to recoil less. Maybe I was a bit lighter then? :cool: :cool:
EXCELLENT!
I may be a throwback, but I still think the M1 is at least one of the greatest battle implements ever devised. The only real drawback in my opinion is the relative fragility of the op rod. I just wish I had cashed in on them when they were really cheap.

[neolithic hunter]

let me know when you start to reload for it i have a ball load that will knock you socks off. it being a stock rifle just remeber to stay away from anything but military equivelent loads. the rifle will shoot stuff that weighs more than 150 gr's but it's not designed to. it's not really designed to shoot 173 gr military match ammo. but i have a load with a 150 gr bullet that i think you rifle will like. that is is you want it?

[RIKA]

Hey NH, please give your M1 Garand load. I have 1000rds of GI brass, loads of 150gr bullets and an M1 that I want to load for.

Thanks

RIKA :)

[neolithic hunter]

now if you just want to emulate a goob military ball load. i use 47.0 gr's of IMR 4895 with a 147 to 150 gr fmj bullet. i use federal 210M primes for all of my non-magnum loads. winchester mil brass appears to have the best life for loading. if you want an accuracy load try 45.5 gr's of IMR 4895 or 47.2 gr's of IMR 4064. one of these 2 loads should shoot really well in you rifle, you may have to tweek it a couple of tenths for the best accuracy. although the ball load ain't half bad. LOL let me know how you do with the loads. i haven't found but a couple of service rifles that won't shoot these 2 loads. they should be accurate enough for the 600 meter stage of nra highpower. :cool:

[RIKA]

Thanks NH, I'll give those loads a try. Any advice about which powder measure meters 4895 the best? I have a RCBS measure but have to throw into the pan and tweak the weight to get consistent loads.

RIKA

[Garand]

Hornady 168 grain BTHP Match with 47.5 grains of IMR 4895 is THE LOAD!!!!!

When I used to shoot the M1 Garand in 3 gun matches, I generally ended up in the top 5 competitors because I practiced. Yes the M1 is better balanced the M1A/M14. I have owned and competed with all 3 rifles. The more familiar you are with the rifle the chances of M1 thumb is reduced. Yes, back in 1986, I did have a moment of inattention. But everything was alright after the thumb nail turned black and fell off.

[neolithic hunter]

ya garand that load is a good one but it is a bit hard on the old op-rod. i've always oppted for a little liter load and more longgevity out of my match guns. but to each his own i guess. yes about the thumb thing. if you've never had a m1 thumb, you either don't own an m1 garand or haven't shot it enough to really know your rifle :cool: .

[B.FRANKlin]

Yes, the M1 Garand is a magnificent rifle. I have a Savage bolt action 30'06 that knocks my hat off, but shoots beautifully and is dead on accurate. I've shot my friend's M-14 and it kicks nearly as hard. But that Garand, what a sweetheart. Negligible kick, easy to shoot well. It took John C. Garand near 20 yr's to perfect it. Every second was worth his effort. Everything should be as well thought out The Garand is the Ferrari of the gun world. All the rest just wish they could be near as good as the remarkable Garand! AND, mine hasn't bit me (yet).

[B.FRANKlin]

Ya know Terry G, I think it IS love. I love mine over all others I have. I did buy some bad ammo not too long ago. It had foreign (Eastern bloc) writing on the brown boxes. Had 22 rd's per box. 5 out of the first 8 failed to fire in my Garand or my bolt action. So all 200 rd's went back to the store, traded for fewer in Garand clips that does go "bang" when it should. Have fun!

[Gunners762]

I have two Garands but only one ever bit me. OUCH! I use the side of my right hand palm to hold back the charging handle/op rod when loading a N-clip now. That was almost as bad as when the Farmall Super "A" hand crack kicked back on me. Both hurt like hell....