M1-related Christmas

[daekken]

Round of up M1-related questions I've thought around this Christmas season.

I'm asking for a couple of M1-related books and other items for Christmas since there's not much else I feel I need that's firearms related. If anyone feels inclined to respond, that's cool. If not, that's OK, too.

1.) What lubricants are you guys using on your M1s? I use ballistol generally and Hoppe's oil on rails and things. Thoughts?
2.) Are any enblocs better than others? To rephrase, are there any manufacturers to avoid, and how can one tell who made the particular clip? The last things I read were that there's not much difference. Since the ones I've seen are inexpensive, I guess you could just toss any that don't run well.
3.) Are there any consensus best choices for providers of the one and two round clips used for the matches?
4.) For those who have Ron Brown slings, do you simply write what you want on a piece of paper and mail it to him? It's not clear to me on his website.
6.) Anyone able to successfully change their password on the e-store? I get the "password successfully changed" message and an email, but the new password doesn't work and old one still does. Not a big deal, but odd.

Last two:

7.) Besides books, a sling, enblocs and lots of ammo, anything else an aspiring M1 owner should acquire?
8.) Why is the estore so evil? I have another HXP can on order.

 

[dw617]

1> Mobile 1 synthetic grease. 1 quart will last you a lifetime. Don't overthink this one. Any grease will do, really. Garands need to be greased, not oiled.
2> Aggressive Engineering makes good new production en blocks (marked AEC or AEC3). The CMP made clips are also good.
3> AEC. You can buy them at ammogarand.com
4> Yes, just write him a note with what you want. If you have a question, send email and his wife Linda will respond. Edit, I think creedmoor also has RB slings on sale now too.
6> Email CMP
7> Think about buying a glove. Creedmoor sports has gloves on sale, and as of the email they sent this morning, are offering free shipping on all gloves.
8> The e store sucks, they should have stayed with the older version.

 

[Arto]

A bayonet
2 more M1's so you can use the stacking swivels

 

[BillO]

I use Mobil 1 Synthetic grease per tips posted on the CMP forum. As for clips, I find that "SA" and "L&H" enbloc clips work well. Clips marked "SF" caused the elusive "7th round stoppage" in my M1 and frequent jams. Use a pencil eraser on the back of the clip, in the circle center to easier read the manufacturer's letters.

 

[daekken]

I was thinking grease was the better call. I know lots of folks that grease their AKs and I thought about trying that, too.

 

[Mountain]

+1 for Mobil1 grease.
AE clips, don't forget a single loader too. Biggest improvement for smooth running clips was to run them in a case tumbler until slick. Edit- if you don't have a tumbler I will run them for you.
Bought a Ron Brown from Creedmoor. Great sling, though I'm just as happy with my Turner.

 

[majspud]

I use those little cups of original grease; my Springfield has the black M14 grease tub, and I used the yellow WW2 Lubriplate grease on the Winchester. You don't need much.

T

 

[dw617]

I am working at home today, so I went downstairs to look at the 4 en bloc clips I used throughout this last match season. In theory, you only need 2 full en blocs for the rapids.

3 "AGE2"
1 "CMP3"


I also have AE 2 and single loaders.

 

[Stape]

What about the cleaning kit for the butt-stock? Some cool WWII Garand recruitment/bonds posters?

 

[daekken]

I'll keep any eye out for the grease.

I grabbed three surplus enblocs at an LGS a couple of weeks back just for kicks and to practice loading them up with HXP. I'll order a couple two rounders and a single rounder as well. I don't have a tumbler yet as I'm just taking baby steps into getting setup for reloading myself.

I'll send an order for a Ron Brown around New Year's I think. Maybe a nice dark brown leather.

I would like a bayonet at some point but it's low on the list.

Lots more things needed for matches, too, that are less exciting (from my perspective).

First match in April, maybe? Already looking forward to it, even if it will be with a loaner again.

 

[majspud]

I have PKW44 original web slings on my Garands and 03A3. The Winchester is a Danish return, so I have a Danish sling on it. LTC has Korean War era slings for $24. I have complete plastic oilers in all of the rifles, save a nickel one in the M17. The M17 has a reproduction HOYT 1917 sling with brass fittings, and the M03 has one with steel fittings.

T

 

[mac1911]

you can go retro and buy the correct stuff for lube....honestly im still using the "marine grade" grease tub that has been in the family for about 45 years!
https://www.amazon.com/Lubriplate-L...TF8&qid=1481913200&sr=8-2&keywords=lubriplate
CMP sells reproduction clips for about 1.50ea shipped last i seen.
The thing with clips is buy several if they give you issues either turn them into single round clips or throw them away. I tossed my 2 round clips in the trash also. I just cross the rounds in a regular clip. for matches you load 2 rounds and it must be 2 rounds first in the rapids.
Hatchers book of the garand is good as is Jerry Kuhnhausen books.

butt stock cleaning kits a cool. I have korean war ara ones. I dont actually use them and Really couldnt even tell you where they are. Im a shooter bayonets are cool but for me if they didnt come with the rifle i dont buy them.

Slings....i dont think there is much of a difference in price from odering direct from brown vs a distributor.
I coud be wrong.
M1907 reproduction slings are to short for competition and in general kinda suck. A brown or turner SERVICE RIFLE sling m1907 pattern is what you want I have a 54" its good for both AR and M1,1903a3 and so far anything i have used it for. Some web slings can be short. I bought several of the "danish" slings from gun parts corp. They are very good and the latch is much better than the USGI slings i have.
The new production web slings suck also. I have given or thrown away the ones i have had.

if your going to shoot matches a good mat is in order. Although the midway mat is somewhat inexpensive i found it to to suck. one its kinda slipery. it gets hot in the sun and mine started falling about after 5 months. I bought the mat that creedmore sells and i like it.

spare parts are always good. At least a complete spring and bolt kit from Orion7 87a i think the part number is?

 

[413dan]

I was thinking grease was the better call. I know lots of folks that grease their AKs and I thought about trying that, too.

a shop teacher once told me "if it slides grease it, if it rolls oil it"
hasn't ever given me any issues. fwiw, i use grease and oil on my m1, different lubricants for different parts…

 

[majspud]

I've heard the same phrase, except "turns".

A little too cold to take the family outside. I had to keep shooing the bunnies away - don't want them chewing on these. I'd like to get the canvas muzzle covers for the remaining rifles; originals are getting a little pricey at $25 each.

I got the slings from World War Supply IIRC, and a Mauser sling from Pacific Canvas and Leather. PCL makes a very good sling.

All my clips are USGI with a variety of stamps. I have about two dozen, and only one ever gave me trouble.

I've a flash hider on one M1 Carbine. Stock pouches are cool to have. Just remember to put a piece of electrical tape over the button inside to keep your stock from getting scratched, as they were made to snap onto the web belts, not the carbine.

T

 

[samandglove1]

Most of your answers are contained in the previous posts. One thing you should pick up, though, is a Paratrooper jump bag for the Garand and Carbine. Its a nice bulky accessory that looks great in pictures. They are not that hard to find and usually go for $75-125 each.

 

[dhuze]

1) I use Grease, Rifle because I have two 1lb cans of it. Or I'll use Lubriplate because I have a case of it in the little containers.

2) Don't get caught up in the grease. Grease is grease. Go to the auto parts and buy a can of whatever they have.
You don't oil an M1 you grease it. Look online and find all the grease points.

All enblocs are the same. I have never had one not work in my M1's, but if you do find one toss it and use another one. There are stamps of initials on the outside bottom of enblocs that will lead you to the mfg. There were a lot.

3) As far as two shot clips I only have a couple and I bought them years ago and don't remember who made them. They all tend to work. If you want to be cheap you can find directions to make your own from an 8 shot clip. I don't have the inclination so I bought mine.
If you need two shots for a competition you can always twist two rounds in a standard 8 shot enbloc. They will line up when inserted and work quite well.

8) The estore isn't evil, it's tempting.

 

[majspud]

There are also 'scabbards' for the Garand and Carbine. There are several types of 'M1' bayonets - those WW1 pieces cut down to 10" and those made at 10". There are several makes: American Fork and Hoe, Union Fork and Hoe, Utica Cutlery, etc.

This is an original 'Engineer's Holster'. They run between $2-300. Someone had the bright idea that Engineers needed to keep their hands free so they might need something like this...until someone else realized that the carbines already had slings. You also had to be tall I would think; I'm 6'1" with a 30" inseam, and the tip comes down to my ankle. It seems like something you'd trip over frequently - at least I would.

On the bayonets, note the two M1s. The top one with the 'blood groove' running to the tip is a cut down WWI bayonet (AFH42). The other is a UC. The carbine bayonet is a UC, and the M17 Bayonet is a 1917 Remington - also used on the M97 Trench Gun (shotgun).

Last is an original Garand scabbard on eBay - note the metal riveted reinforcement groove for the op-rod handle.

T

 

[daekken]

I was going to ask about sling length, sounds like 54'' is the answer, which is what I was thinking.

What do you guys put on your eFA10s? The milsurps I've done myself I used the arsenal as manufacturer but I noticed the ones I've bought at stores use the country, like "Yugoslavia" as opposed to "Zastava Arsenal" for the SKS. Do you put "United States"? I figured I'd put Springfield Armory or H&R Arms Co and the model as M1 or M1 Garand. Maybe it would be fun to put U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1.

 

[majspud]

I put Springfield, Winchester, etc., then M1 Garand.

T

 

[mac1911]

1) I use Grease, Rifle because I have two 1lb cans of it. Or I'll use Lubriplate because I have a case of it in the little containers.

2) Don't get caught up in the grease. Grease is grease. Go to the auto parts and buy a can of whatever they have.
You don't oil an M1 you grease it. Look online and find all the grease points.

All enblocs are the same. I have never had one not work in my M1's, but if you do find one toss it and use another one. There are stamps of initials on the outside bottom of enblocs that will lead you to the mfg. There were a lot.

3) As far as two shot clips I only have a couple and I bought them years ago and don't remember who made them. They all tend to work. If you want to be cheap you can find directions to make your own from an 8 shot clip. I don't have the inclination so I bought mine.
If you need two shots for a competition you can always twist two rounds in a standard 8 shot enbloc. They will line up when inserted and work quite well.

8) The estore isn't evil, it's tempting.

i use the cross cartridge method i find it works better fr me that the 2 round clips...I have had enough issues with the 2 round clips not ejecting clearly to toss them. I have "hunting" clips for the M1 also they limit you to 3 rounds and do not eject...you need to remove action to remove the clip.

 

[dw617]

I was going to ask about sling length, sounds like 54'' is the answer, which is what I was thinking.

.

50 on my Garand, 1903, 1917
54 for ar15, but I could have gotten away with a 52.

Can always buy a 54" and trim it down too.

- - - Updated - - -

Mac I had to use a file on the 2 rounders to make them work properly. There's a sharp notch on the clips that should catch the clip release and that notch was rounded on the 2 rounders.

 

[dw617]

Here are a few more items you can buy from the CMP E-store for your Garand.

The tan case in the center, $25. Fits Garands and 03s. I think Creedmoor makes them, or at least the same mfgr, because they look identical to my Creedmoor ar15 case. However, Creedmoor cases retail for double the price. The red case is the CMP M1 Carbine case, same price.:

Tan case: https://estore.thecmp.org/Catalog/Item/846

Rifle cases: http://i.imgur.com/gB0hEXi.jpg

 

[majspud]

You can get bayonets from the eStore; both of mine are from CMP ($55-65). I saw the same ones on eBay for $225 (!).

T

 

[daekken]

Here are a few more items you can buy from the CMP E-store for your Garand.

The tan case in the center, $25. Fits Garands and 03s. I think Creedmoor makes them, or at least the same mfgr, because they look identical to my Creedmoor ar15 case. However, Creedmoor cases retail for double the price. The red case is the CMP M1 Carbine case, same price.:

Tan case: https://estore.thecmp.org/Catalog/Item/846

Rifle cases: http://i.imgur.com/gB0hEXi.jpg

Are the hard cases they come in any good? I think the last picture I saw had tabs for locks. I have a case with the pluck foam inside that I use for my carbines, and a longer hard foam one for my SKS and Mosin.

 

[dw617]

The hard cases are good for shipping but impractical for day to day use.

They take up a lot of space in your car and are difficult to carry around, especially if you're already lugging around a ton of other gear.

 

[majspud]

I use a Koplin soft case with handles for everything I take to the range, save the K43 sniper, for which I use a smaller $20 Plano hard case. The case fits easily on the floor behind the front seats in my GTI with several inches to spare. It's about 10-15% smaller than the CMP case. There is enough room left inside for three boxes of PPU ammo as well.

T

 

[daekken]

I've heard the Orion kits mentioned here and elsewhere. What's the deal with them? Do they result in better function?

 

[mac1911]

I've heard the Orion kits mentioned here and elsewhere. What's the deal with them? Do they result in better function?

the springs in a CMP rifle can be anywhere around 40-75 years old. Also if you shoot your M1 sometimes that 45 plus year old extractor or Firing pin may break....

this one

http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_complete_recommended_spare_parts_kit.html

or this one will do also
http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_garand_spring_kit.html

I have posted but have no real proof that new springs increase accuracy...... well maybe not but I do notice a distinctly better sounding function of the action with new springs.

I took the advice from one of the more knowing M1 guys at one of the clubs..... new springs wont hurt but old springs are old.

 

[mac1911]

All I want is more range time....

 

[daekken]

the springs in a CMP rifle can be anywhere around 40-75 years old. Also if you shoot your M1 sometimes that 45 plus year old extractor or Firing pin may break....

this one

http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_complete_recommended_spare_parts_kit.html

or this one will do also
http://www.m1garand.com/store/m1_garand_spring_kit.html

I have posted but have no real proof that new springs increase accuracy...... well maybe not but I do notice a distinctly better sounding function of the action with new springs.

I took the advice from one of the more knowing M1 guys at one of the clubs..... new springs wont hurt but old springs are old.

The first kit says it's USGI, are they originals or just in spec? I tend to hold onto everything. I have my old Glock internals laying around even though everything's been replaced. I would set aside the old pieces just to have them.

All I want is more range time....

That's one thing I've got pretty good. I'm averaging once every 10-15 days this year since I can go on lunch. Trying not to take it for granted since circumstances can always change. The outdoor range is supposed to be year-round but was closed the other day for some reason...it did look icy out there but I was still surprised, maybe since it was so overcast it tripped light sensors making it think it was past dusk. I was using the indoor pistol range anyway so it wasn't an obstruction. But I do like the occasional snow shoot.