Questions about my M-1

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Originally Posted by Charlie59

Well, we'll have to wait for the pics, but why not hunt with the stock that's on it, and put the new stock on for match shooting? Are you going to try and refinish your stock?

I have a rifle with a new Criterion barrel, and it isn't much better than the one I have with the loose muzzle. Of course I'm not a great shot, either. If I had it to do over, I would not have spent the money. It sounds like the guy you got it from knew it was a good shooter, esp. if he used it in matches. I think you got a super deal on it!
CXharlie

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Thanks bud, yeah i am going to the range soon. My shoot partner and I are heading up to his farm soon so we can shoot 1000yds with his Styer. And that is where I am going to put my rifle to the test. I shoot pretty good for the exp I have I am only 23 and with my Bolt rifles I shoot -.5 moa at 100. My stock on the M-1 is in amazing shape I might refinish it but I dont know just yet. The reason i want the new stock for hunting is if I fall or something i wont hurt the wood.

Again thanks
Randy.

You have asked a lot of questions, and are getting a lot of info. Let me add my two cents.

Do not be overly concerned with rifle/part numbers matching. Most all Garands went through a field or regular armory sometime in their lives so original parts are few ...if not, a rare bird indeed!

As for best load, first of all, make sure you do not overload for the Garand. Start at a minimum or medium load and work slowly up or down to get the best groups at the range. The Op-Rod is what you want to protect....I load everything for my M1's and I want to keep the pressure and velocity down so that I get good groups at all distances, 200-600yds. I use primarily 147-150gr bullets and work on my loads carefully, using a chronograph as I cannot test pressures. When I look at loading books, I look for books that have loads specifically for match shooting. The Accurate manual used to have a section toward the end specifically for match rounds. For the M1, I try for muzzle velocities well under 2700 fps. Remember, each new lot of powder, primers, and brass require a back to basics testing. Also, after each test load, I watch primer and brass for issues.

As you are not really clear on what use or purpose you intend for your rifle, I am not sure what to say further. If your intent is to shoot CMP style matches, then you should read the rule book. Many of the changes that you mention would disqualify you (muzzlebreak, synthetic stock, scope mount). Changing a barrel to a national match grade if you are not looking to be a CMP NM shooter, seems a bit like over kill.

If you are looking to go to F-CLASS, again look at the rule book. I am questioning the reason for a muzzle break? A synthetic stock is nice, but again for what purpose? Often they are much lighter than their wood counterparts, and you will get hammered in recoil.

In either case, if you are looking for info on match shooting with your M1, consider talking veteran shooters at a CMP match. Most of the seasoned veterans have been there and done it, so you will not have to reinvent the wheel.

As both a CMP match shooter and hunter, I use different rifles for each job. I consider my match rifles finely tuned instruments that I carefully take to the range. My hunting rifles, on the other hand, while I value them dearly and take care of them, I know full well that they might get dropped, banged around, etc. While I suppose that I could, I do not take any match gun into the woods.

Hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by hipowershooter

You have asked a lot of questions, and are getting a lot of info. Let me add my two cents.

Do not be overly concerned with rifle/part numbers matching. Most all Garands went through a field or regular armory sometime in their lives so original parts are few ...if not, a rare bird indeed!

As for best load, first of all, make sure you do not overload for the Garand. Start at a minimum or medium load and work slowly up or down to get the best groups at the range. The Op-Rod is what you want to protect....I load everything for my M1's and I want to keep the pressure and velocity down so that I get good groups at all distances, 200-600yds. I use primarily 147-150gr bullets and work on my loads carefully, using a chronograph as I cannot test pressures. When I look at loading books, I look for books that have loads specifically for match shooting. The Accurate manual used to have a section toward the end specifically for match rounds. For the M1, I try for muzzle velocities well under 2700 fps. Remember, each new lot of powder, primers, and brass require a back to basics testing. Also, after each test load, I watch primer and brass for issues.

As you are not really clear on what use or purpose you intend for your rifle, I am not sure what to say further. If your intent is to shoot CMP style matches, then you should read the rule book. Many of the changes that you mention would disqualify you (muzzlebreak, synthetic stock, scope mount). Changing a barrel to a national match grade if you are not looking to be a CMP NM shooter, seems a bit like over kill.

If you are looking to go to F-CLASS, again look at the rule book. I am questioning the reason for a muzzle break? A synthetic stock is nice, but again for what purpose? Often they are much lighter than their wood counterparts, and you will get hammered in recoil.

In either case, if you are looking for info on match shooting with your M1, consider talking veteran shooters at a CMP match. Most of the seasoned veterans have been there and done it, so you will not have to reinvent the wheel.

As both a CMP match shooter and hunter, I use different rifles for each job. I consider my match rifles finely tuned instruments that I carefully take to the range. My hunting rifles, on the other hand, while I value them dearly and take care of them, I know full well that they might get dropped, banged around, etc. While I suppose that I could, I do not take any match gun into the woods.

Hope this helps.

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Thanks man this helps a lot. I will look at the rule books and see what they say. This is a very insightful post and i appreciate it a lot from you and all the other members on here. All of you are great people.:beerchug:

Ok so here is what i have figured out on about my gun. It is Danish from what I can gather. The reason i say this is the sticker that is inside the stock is all Danish writing and words. So here are the numbers.

The op rod # D35382-9-SA length is 23 almost 5/8.
Barrel # d653544a-37-MC-2and there is a M stamped also and maybe a K and on the side of the barrel is SA 8-50
Receiver # A 4 and below that is D28291-14-SA
Trigger housing# D28290-14-SA
And the trigger group dosent match but hey i got a good bit of matching numbers in the gun. About the barrel is the 8-50 is that the date.

Thanks Randy.

Yes, 8-50 is the date. Nice looking rifle; you got a great deal!! Anxious to see the pics of the targets. Wish I could shoot like that!!

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Originally Posted by AlReiter

Yes, 8-50 is the date. Nice looking rifle; you got a great deal!! Anxious to see the pics of the targets. Wish I could shoot like that!!

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The only reason i can shoot like that my dad pounded it it my head that i should shoot right if i plan on getting shot at. If you know what i mean. I am in the process of becoming a Marine. And another thing he taught me was not to jerk the trigger i got smacked in thee back of the head for that. lol. Thanks on the date also. There is another gun on here that posted a gun with the same serial number on the barrel and it had the same lot numbers. But how mine is a d28290-14 his was a 19. Just pretty amazing that they are that close together.

Hope yall like. Here is the link M1 Garand pictures by FishinMarine09 - Photobucket

Very nice!! Thanks for the pics.

You have gotten some good words to think about here. As others have said you need to figure out what you want to do with the Garand. If it is match shooting understand that the vast majority of Garand shooters now compete in John C. Garand matches only. The competitions have very strict rules as to rifle modifications as they are intended to be as issued and eliminate the rat race of match grade this and match grade that parts. If you do make modifications most likely you will have to shoot in the high power class of match rifle, service rifle if the Ref doen't know what to look for. You will have to compete with other Garand shooters in this class as everything else on the line will eat your lunch and only by fluke will you ever come close to winning a match.

The best you can get to with a Garand in match rifle configuration is 1 MOA or just a tad under and that is with a very large amount of money, time, and practice and it will not last long. It is next to impossible to keep a Garand tuned to 1 MOA for more than a few hundred rounds and then you have to go about retuning it just to have it spread out again there are always exceptions. You can replace the barrel with a good quality though I question the quality of a $ 275.00 “match grade” barrel. Find someone that knows exactly what they are doing and have them stone your trigger group out to produce a clean two stage pull that breaks like glass at 4.5 pounds min. This does a great deal in making groups get smaller. If you can get it to settle in at 2 MOA or just under and stay there then grin a lot. Your best bet before changing any parts is to slowly work up a hand load the rifle loves.

I really think stock fit (bedding) has more to do w/ Garand accuracy than barrels (within reason). If the stock is glass bedded already, don't remove the action from the wood unless absolutely required! If it just fits well w/o bedding, then its not quite so important to leave assembled, but its still not a good idea to pull the rifle apart more than you have to. In either case, when the rifle isn't being used for a while you might consider just opening the trigger guard to relieve pressure on the wood, but some won't even do this to avoid potential zero changes. Back in the fifties/sixties some top shooters would not pull apart their rifle for the entire season unless it either quit shooting well (time for a complete rebuild!) or something broke.

If it shoots 2 MOA or better, don't mess w/ it! You're just as apt to be worse off than when when you started, unless you're into spending cubic money.