I Finally Shot a Garand Today!

I don't know when I decided the M1 was so great to me. Was it after watching The Longest Day (1962) at a drive in in Michigan with my dad and brother on a boys night out? Or was it when I was in the Safety Patrol Drum and Drill Team Color Guard in 5th and 6th grade in California (using an M1 look alike parade rifle)? I just know that it is an American Icon that stirs the soul with patriotism. I have never owned on or fired one, but I did get me an M1A, the M1 Garand's younger brother. It (the M1) evokes a different feeling than the current batch of military type rifles. It is not an "assault" rifle, it is a battle rifle. Although many assaults were successfully made with it. The rifle of today (ARs, AKs, etc.) are cool and fun to shoot and endlessly able customize, but M1, M1A, even the M1 Carbine have a unique history that commands respect. Bottom line . . . I just like them. (throw in the M1911, too)
 
I really like the Garand. There are a couple things I'd change about it, like its inability to be easily topped off. Most, if not all, things I don't like about it were corrected in the M1a/M14.

The only thing now is the price. I don't have that much money! They might be worth it, but I have trouble justifying it.

Last time I shot one I was showing a kid how to operate his deceased grandfather's Garand. Load the clip, slap it in, slap the bolt. I showed the kid to keep this thumb on the bolt as I'm not as cruel as some Garand owners! :D

The clips were new and tight enough that I doubt "Garand thumb" would have happened, but ya' never know.

I heard later that the kid blew that rifle apart shooting his grandpa's handloads. I told him to stick to certain ones as it appeared his grandfather had been loading for some other rifles in .30-06, and he didn't listen... or something.

A real shame.

Regards,

Josh
 
Makes me feel like I just wiped out some Nazis.
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Edit: Just make sure you're shooting ball ammo or reloaded ammo that is specifically for the Garand. Don't want to shoot new factory, hotter, 30-06 rounds unless you swap out the gas system I believe.
 
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je25ff said:
Makes me feel like I just wiped out some Nazis.
ping.jpg



Edit: Just make sure you're shooting ball ammo or reloaded ammo that is specifically for the Garand. Don't want to shoot new factory, hotter, 30-06 rounds unless you swap out the gas system I believe.
Click to expand...

Just buy the adjustable gas plug.....they are like 40 bucks on midway usa then you can shoot modern loads
 
whacko said:
Just buy the adjustable gas plug.....they are like 40 bucks on midway usa then you can shoot modern loads
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Just a point to make on the adjustable gas plug. It needs to be adjusted for every different load you buy that is not known to be "garand safe" I don't see the point in the adjustable plugs. You will need to waste a few rounds to adjust the plug . The garand safe ammo out there is the same cost or less than most other 3006 I see on the shelves for current production.
Just buy as much of the surplus m2 ammo as you can. PPU makes a M2 load that is the next least expensive ammo out fhere
 
whacko said:
Just buy the adjustable gas plug.....they are like 40 bucks on midway usa then you can shoot modern loads
Click to expand...

or you can pick up a box of these, although the price is ridiculous. 150gr.

american_eagle.jpg
 
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Four Seasons sells that Federal American Eagle for $20 per 20 when they have it. $1 per round, while not as cheap as surplus, is at least more in the range of many rifle calibers.
 
The M1 Garand and the Men who carried them are two of the main reasons YOU are writing and speaking english today Vs. German or Japanese.
Arnaki
 
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enbloc said:
20 rounds for $30 bucks?

Man the CMP has spoiled me...
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No kidding. Especially since they are on the way to my brother-in-law's house, who we visit each year. It's nice to stop buy the North Store and grab some cans of ammo and fondle the rifles. I picked up some black tips last time I was there, just because.
 
Smokewagon said:
No kidding. Especially since they are on the way to my brother-in-law's house, who we visit each year. It's nice to stop buy the North Store and grab some cans of ammo and fondle the rifles. I picked up some black tips last time I was there, just because.
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The ferderal ammo in my experience is not worth 1$ per round. It performs as well as hxp. PPU can be found for 80 cents per round or less. You free starers can get some shipped right to your door for. 72 cents per round!
If your going to spend 30$/20 you might as well buy hornady m1 match ammo
the ppu is pretty darn good and I will say the stuff I had grouped very well vs the federal stuff.
If your blasting. Hxp is the way to go. If you want slightly better accuracy PPU
after that you should reload unless price is of no concern....well it doesn't matter then.
 
mac1911 said:
agree on that.... I did find 2 cans of korean 30-06 at a ma gun shop.... it was 250 rnds for 239$ extra 10$ for the ammo can,
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You might want to check for yourself, but I think the Korean 30-06 is corrosive. If so, I'd shoot it in the 1903 that can be more easily cleaned but would think twice before using it in the Garand where you'd then have to pay special attention to cleaning the gas system.
 
Claybreaker! said:
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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I have an 8mm Mauser that I make people shoot first. After trying to hit something with the sights, work the bolt, and feeling the recoil, I then let them try the Garand, which became the U. S. Army's standard rifle in 1937, about a decade before any other service.

So it isn't about comparing it to modern firearms. It's about appreciating the mechanical genius of the device, developed by one man working alone, who single-handedly doubled the firepower of an Army infantry squad.
 

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