I Finally Shot a Garand Today!

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Claybreaker!

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So I headed to Braintree with a buddy and finally shot a Garand. He took me as a guest because I can not shoot some of my rifles at my club and wanted to shoot some of mine. The Garand was fun to shoot and had more kick than I thought but I do not get the whole obsession and cult following of these guns. I like old guns like anyone else but I don't get it. Is it because they are used in CMP where you can use a Garand or AR or is it because they made so many of these guns that everyone has one? Either way, it was fun to shoot and I'm glad I had the experience but I still don't get the whole cult of these guns. Anyone want to explain?
 
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You either get it or you don't. Can't really be explained, but just try to think about the history of what you were shooting.

I actually thought it had far less kick than I expected. A 30-06 bolt gun has a kick more like I expected.
 
As a lover of history I can understand that part.That does make it pretty awesome although I would rather have a Carbine as my family fought in the Pacific.
 
I grew up on band of brothers and history channel worl war 2 specials. This gun has been the dream of mine to own and I always knew I would have one eventually. It's historical and emotional for me
 
PATRON said:
I take that this gun thing is kind of new to you?
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I just started buying guns a few years ago but I grew up with them my whole life. Years ago in college, when I was pondering a major in History, I took a few classes titled The History of WWI. I would like to get my hands on some of them. I get the history part of the Garand but it just seems too long to me. Sorry, the gun itself just seemed too big. Like a small cannon. BTW I am not small.
 
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I'm 24 years old. The history of the rifle is cool, but that is not the only thing. To me they are a tough, useful piece of art. Just a beautiful gun. As soon as my LTC arrives I'll be putting in an order with the CMP

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
 
It was cool to shoot one and I love the historical aspect of it but I doubt I'll ever be owning one. I'm glad people and my friend enjoy them so much but this particular gun is not for me. Like I said I like shorter guns. If I can get the shorter 30 cal carbine which I have shot before I would pick one up. I also would like a MIA as it is the M14 my dad carried. This has roots in the Garand so I hope that will appease some of you. Ha. No disrespect to the legions of Garand people.
 
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Claybreaker! said:
I get the history part of the Garand but it just seems too long to me. Sorry, the gun itself just seemed too big. Like a small cannon. BTW I am not small.
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They experimented with a shortened version of the Garand, but found that it had a greatly increased muzzle flash and kick.
 
No disrespect taken. I had a ball on Monday at the range ringing a 24" plate at 225 yards off-hand with my 7.62 NATO Garand. They are spectacular shooters.

You seem to respect the history and significance of the M1... the first widely issued semi auto main battle rifle, though, it just doesn't suit you to own or shoot. I can understand that. I have respect for and recognize the significance of many things that I have no desire to own, operate or partake in.

Yes, the M14 is an evolution of the M1 and also a great rifle. The M1 can be built in 'tanker' form to shorten it up. I think they look a bit odd but...

Remember, the M1 Carbine is a completely different machine from the M1 Garand.
 
It is the Cadillac of semi-auto rifles. The last rifleman's rifle. A tactile connection to the past. A quote I like goes as such:

"It satisfies the eyes. It looks warm, robust, serious, and capable. It looks like victory, freedom and liberation. It looks friendly. It does not look evil. It does not look delicate. It does not look cheap.

It satisfies the ears. The clocklike schnick when you pull the bolt back. The warning click as you shove home another 8 round clip. The massive solid slam as the bolt rams another round into the chamber. The deep throated bark of the muzzle as you fire away. The final Ka-Ting as the empty clip is ejected. The horrifying scream of agony as the guy four benches down learns never to hesitate when removing his thumb from a freshly loaded clip.

It satisfies the touch. The warm sculpted wood. The curve of the stock.The curl of the bolt lug. The take-up of the trigger. The robust, solid, yet unsharp push of the kick.

It satisfies the soul. It is the defender of liberty. It is the champion of victory. It is the guarantor of freedom. It will not be used to rob banks. No terrorist will unleash it on a crowd of unarmed victims. No gangster will use it to shoot little girls while missing his imagined gangster enemies.

It is the good guy's weapon. It is just the ticket to liberate a country. It opens the doors of concentration camps. It saves people from tyranny. It topples dictators. It squashes fascists. It pushes communists behind their walls. It defends the homeland. It provides for the common defense. It is necessary for the security of a free state.

It brings joy to women and children as they fire it. It strikes fear in the hearts of those that oppose freedom. It makes friends at the shooting range. It reminds us of the cost of freedom. Its lavish expense is appropriately justified.

It is your duty as an American to own one. Get one now. Buy ammo. Use it. Never mind the price, find the best one you can. You have no excuse. The time is now!!!!!! "
 
Woodstone said:
...just like Jeeps, Harleys, etc..."if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand"... [wink]
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I've been a motorcycle guy my whole life so I get that part but the Jeep thing.... That's a bit much. Hey you bought a jeep too. Wave! Hahahah. That said my buddy did have a 50's Willy years ago when I live in CO. It was fun.
 
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Just to put a punctuation on a point above, it really is a conversation piece at the range. Many times I have been to the range with something from the odd collection of firearms that I have but always the Garand will bring a "Nice rifle" or "what is that." My reply is always the same, "Wanna shoot a few rounds?" It really does open people up.

anim_sniper2.gif
 
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Lucky! I've been cruising through my stash of 30-06 lately, so I've taken a break from shooting my Garands for the time being. M1 withdrawals!

Claybreaker! said:
is it because they made so many of these guns that everyone has one?
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This is an interesting statement. Lets look at the numbers here for a sec. There were roughly 4.6 million M1's manufactured in total. If every single rifle were still in existence, and all of them were in private hands in the US, less than 1.5 percent of the population would be able to own a single M1 rifle.

However, we all know that many M1's were scrapped, lost in war, given away to allies, etc. Also, there are many collectors that own dozens of these rifles. So, in all probability and unfortunately, only a very small fraction of 1% of the population owns an M1 rifle.

US manufacturers pump out a few million AR15 rifles every single year. The Russians produced 16 million mosin rifles. IMO M1's are comparatively rare and if you own one, you are a part of the lucky few.
 
I meant in gun circles it seems to be a popular gun. I know a bunch of people that own them and they do love them. I was also under the impression that many people who do the CMP end up purchasing one? If they don't get the AR that is. Obviously I am not a Garand nut so I do not even know if they make re issues of these like they make Springfield Armory versions of the M14. Do they do this?
 
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Claybreaker! said:
I meant in gun circles it seems to be a popular gun. I know a bunch of people that own them and they do love them. I was also under the impression that many people who do the CMP end up purchasing one? If they don't get the AR that is.
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Keep in mind too that M1 prices are, IMO, artificially low due to the CMP low prices for very high quality rifles. When M1 Carbines dried up at the CMP, the prices went high. It's also an investment to a degree. It's like the 10-22, gunnies like 'em so if you talk to enough guys most will say they have one.
 
Claybreaker! said:
As a lover of history I can understand that part.That does make it pretty awesome although I would rather have a Carbine as my family fought in the Pacific.
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There were quite a few carbines in the ETO as well as many Garands in the Pacific. I like both (and own both) but if I were going into a serious fight in open land I would take the Garand.
 
Claybreaker! said:
As a lover of history I can understand that part.That does make it pretty awesome although I would rather have a Carbine as my family fought in the Pacific.
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That is a great gun as well, I've got one of each. Totally different but both are just so much fun to shoot and their history just makes them that much cooler. Definitely get yourself one.
 
xcom said:
Were the commercial ones cast or forged? I thought they were casts.
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Yes, they were cast. There are still a lot of receivers out there. Fulton's M1s are built on USGI receivers and therefore are C&R eligible. You pay a premium but you essentially get a new M1.
 

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