What M1 Garand was called

When reading a recently closed thread I started thinking about how those that carried the M1 Rifle in the military referred to it. As it was the "only" rifle we had there was no need to identify it any further than simply calling it a "rifle". You would be told to "fall out, with rifles and cartridge belts". If you were to ever call your rifle a "GUN" you would find yourself receiting "This is my rifle and this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun." Can't explain this in any more detail :D. We went to the Rifle Range and fired and cleaned our Rifles. In any case, all I ever remember it being called was a "rifle", nothing more, nothing less.

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Originally Posted by Joe W

...all I ever remember it being called was a "rifle", nothing more, nothing less.

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Joe...

I'm inclined to agree with you.

That's what I've heard all the way up here in Canada too. The other thing I heard was it was called your M1, as the smaller one was called your car-been (by pronunciation). In the Canadian army it's the same. Whether it was the FN C1 or the Colt offshoot, it's called either by the number assigned (C1's or C7's) or rifle.

I never heard anyone in the military call the M1 rifle a "Garand" either, I first heard the name Garand from my father who remembered the Garand/Johnson testing in 1940

I agree wiith RCS, I never heard the M1 called a Garand until recent years. I was an active high power competitive shooter during the hey day of the M1 and I never heard it called anythkng but "M1". I know that in pre-M1 days the M1903 was never called anything but a "Springfield". Of course in my active M1 days I ws associated with mostly militry shooters. In those days the military teams could shoot either a bolt gun (usually a M70) or the service rifle. The question usually asked was "Are you going to shoot the M1 or the bolt gun today?"
FWIW

I can understand calling the M1 rifle the "M1", in the setting of which you speak, as you had to distinguish between two (2) rifles, the M70 and the M1. I had said in my original post that the M1 "was the only rifle we had" but in thinking about it, we did have two rifles, the M1 and the BAR. So rather than having to say " fall out with your M1, and you BAR men fall out with your BAR", simply, "fall out with your rifle" worked. I too don't recall ever hearing the M1 rifle called the Garand back in the 1950's military, but then again, there is an awful lot I no longer recall from those days. :lol:

My dad was in the Korean War and I never heard him say Garand once. Ever. All I remember was "M1" or "Damned heavy M1" -

He was a sergeant with the First Armored and he referred to his rifle as a "car-bean" - Never heard either of them called anything else, and the only other weapons I remember him talk about was a "B-A-R" and "MAH-DOOS".

In basic at Ft Leonard Wood 1960 it was a rifle, nothing more or less. On my USA badge the attachment is RIFLE and the next attachment is M1 RIFLE. I bought my M1 some years ago (love it!) but only recently have I heard the term "Oh you have a GARAND". Didn't carry it in SE Asia I carried an Underwood and sometimes a Royal. Have to go now - FIGMO.

For God and Country

My Father was in the Marine Corps just after the Korean war. When I showed him My M1 Garand,he refered to it as " Old 9 pounds"

My Dad was in the army during the korean war. The first time I called an m-1 a Garand he ask what that was. He always called it an m-1 and the carbine a 30 carbine.

My neighbor 90 year old WW2 80 mountan division called them M1's

So it appears it was either called the "M1" or just "rifle" and very few, if any, ever called it a "Garand". And I would guess that all learned real quick to never call your M1 rifle a GUN. :D

Although 4-F, I was in high school ROTC from 1951 to 1955. Like other responders, we referred to "M1,"
"car-been," and "B-A-R." "Garand" became popular only in recent years -- but most mispronounce it
"gah-RAND," whereas I think it should be "GEH-rand."

So, does the Garand Collectors Association need to change its name??

:D

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Originally Posted by Amsdorf

So, does the Garand Collectors Association need to change its name??

:D

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Hell no. I think we ALL agree that the term "Garand" for the M1 Rifle is pretty well set in stone at this period of history. What we were discussing in this thread was what the M1 was called 50 plus years ago or at least what it was called by those in the military services.

I have talked and interveiwed dozens of WW2 and Korean War vets while doing research for my reenacting unit. Almost with out exception they all called Garands....."M1's" and M1/M2 carbines "Car-beans". The BAR was the "BAR", and any 1911 pistol was a ".45" Keeping with the "what did they call them theme" M3/M3A1's were quite often called "grease guns", any and all Thompsons were refered to as "tommy guns" or "Thompsons". The belt fed 1917A1, 1919A4's, or 1919A6's were just refered to as " thirty cals" or " machine guns".

I was talking to a couple down at Ft Hood at the snack bar not to long ago, telling them that I carried a M1 for a few years when I was in. One guy spoke up and said "you carried a tank?"
O course we were at Ft Hood.

Again as I have shown back when it was made and into the war it was called a Garand or in this case a Garands Semi-automatic rifle. Just because we colect 70 year later and think we know, the documents I have been showing say it was called a Garand way back. All of the pictures I have shown in another thread show this also as does more I have here. And yes it was called the M1 also so either name could be correct.. Rick B

http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/d...e_Inventor.pdf

---------- Post added at 02:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 PM ----------

Revisiting the Name of the Garand rifle

When I first enlisted in the Army, most M1s were referred to as M1 or Rifle. The International Harvester version of the M1 were nicknamed as a "Grim Reaper." I guess that's based on the fact International Harvester also producing farming equipment.

--fjruple

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Originally Posted by Rick B

Again as I have shown back when it was made and into the war it was called a Garand or in this case a Garands Semi-automatic rifle. Just because we colect 70 year later and think we know, the documents I have been showing say it was called a Garand way back. All of the pictures I have shown in another thread show this also as does more I have here. And yes it was called the M1 also so either name could be correct.. Rick B

http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/d...e_Inventor.pdf

---------- Post added at 02:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 PM ----------


Revisiting the Name of the Garand rifle

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Very interesting documents Rick. I have no doubt that the term "Garand" was in use by many at that period of history. I am just pointing out what those young, at the time, soliders and Marines that carried the M1 rifle called it. For the majority, they had no more idea who John C. Garand was than who the inventor of the 3.5 rocket launcher may have been. Nor did they care. They saw "U.S. Rifle Cal. 30 M1" on the heel and that was about it.