Question About Garand Replacement Stock From CMP

I have a 5 series Garand with an aftermarket birch stock.
Well, like that Johnny Cash song, I really have a 3, 4, 5 series Garand.

I have ordered a replacement walnut stock with metal from CMP.

Were there any major variations during the manufacturing life of the Garand
such that there may be something I need to look out for when fitting the new stock ?

Or were all Garands pretty much the same shape and any old Garand stock will pretty much fit onto my Garand ?

I will say this :
Even if it is a Mixmaster with a big ugly orange-ish colored stock, this is one of the two best rifles I have ever used.
The other best is a 1903A3.

...Well okay, the third other best is my Marlin 30-30.


Thanks,
Charlie

5 series? I think that you have your Garands & your BMWs mixed up.

CMP has never sold USGI replacement stocks. They have always had more metal than wood, which is why they contracted for commercial stocks stamped with their "cartouche" & logo. You should get a nice walnut stock, but it will still be "aftermarket".

Any M1 rifle stock that comes with metal will be close to "drop in". The only fitting that is occasionally required is to get good lock up when you close the trigger guard. You may have to take a little wood off the angled flats on either side of the "mag well".

Okay, thank you for the reply.

Can't remember if the stock is supposed to be plain or stamped with the CMP logo,
(I think there was a choice) but I don't really care either way.
This rifle was put together with parts from who knows where so there's no collector value,
but it is a first-class piece of machinery and deserves a good piece of walnut.

By 5 series I meant the serial number starts with a 5, so it's seriously post-WW2.


Thanks,
Charlie

Hvae you tried the stock on it yet? It may or may not just fit up easy...

No, it's on order and will probably arrive the day after I go back offshore.

Over the 20+ years of production, the M1 stock and hand guards got beefier. When you compare a WW2 stock to a post war stock, it is quite noticeable. IIRC this was done to make the stocks stand up to grenade launching better. I seem to remember being told that there were on the order of 11 revisions to the M1 stock drawing over the years.

The stocks that have been produced in the last several years, primarily by Boyds, are fatter still, with a pistol grip those with small hands might consider too large. The current CMP stocks are slimmed down in this area to WW2 dimensions.

Most M1's will have trigger guard trunnions that are worn flat by years of field stripping. This reduces clamping pressure. I believe that Boyds is making their stocks larger in this dimension to compensate for this wear. This is evidenced by the fact that if you try to close the trigger guard on a Boyds stock with a trigger guard with new round trunnions, you will not be able to latch it. (see photo)
Both trigger guards were bought back in the 80's through the DCM and were shipped to me from Rock Island. The one on the left is new. The one on the right is heavily worn, but looks new due to being refinished. Most trigger guards will have a flat spot that is between these two examples.
Don't forget to grease the trunnions!

Your new Boyds or CMP stock may not be a complete drop in and may require a minor amount of fitting to properly assemble. Here's a tutorial on what to look for and how to do it.
The stocks shown are CMP stocks.

How to Make an M1 Shoot Better

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/03/T13-1.jpg

Thanks for the reply no4mk1t.
I've had it apart a couple of times, and now I'm looking forward to more.


Charlie

The CMP new wood is very good and rub her down with linseed oil. If you want that nice red hue rub some red food coloring on it till you get it then linseed for a few weeks. OOOO steel wool will take the nap of and use it very slow and lite. Then linseed agian. I use raw linseed oil not boiled.

I've read that artist supply stores have the best quality linseed oil.
Don't have first-hand experience with this, though.

Fiebings Dark Brown leather dye from Tandy Leathercraft is a good stock color. You can get it on line.

I was told flax seed oil is raw linseed oil. I found mine in the vitamin isle at Walmart. The bottle said refrigerate after opening and I did after using once and months later looked and it was gone? Been using my boiled ever since.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DaveN

I was told flax seed oil is raw linseed oil. I found mine in the vitamin isle at Walmart. The bottle said refrigerate after opening and I did after using once and months later looked and it was gone? Been using my boiled ever since.

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I buy mine from Walmart also, but I get it in the individual capsules form. One capsule holds enough oil to do one coat, one stock. Just poke a hole in one end and squeeze it out- no muss, no fuss.There're a whole bunch of them in one jar, enough to last a lifetime, I would think. My jar is well over a year old now and shows no sign of going bad.

I have used BLO, but have switched to Formby's tung oil. (Both were used by the US military.) I usually thin with a little mineral spirits.

Although some repair facilities may have used stain, USGI stocks were not stained by the manufacturer. Walnut always darkens when finish is applied. Future repair of scratches & scrapes will be more difficult if you stain the wood.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b225333g-1.jpg

Neal

Bob great idea. I think you only have to refrigerate if you are ingesting as a vitamin supplement. But I guess if you have them in capsules they would last at least my lifetime.

I have always been under the assumption that BLO was not used until after the war but instead RLO was. Have I been wrong all this time? I wouldn't doubt it :banghead: :rofl:

Bill you are most likely correct. I suppose if you want to do it like they did back then,then RLO is the way to go? If you just want to preserve and protect the finish I suppose they both work as I've used both and find no harm or for that matter no real difference with either.

The stock arrived a few days ago.
It's a little on the dry side so I'll be oiling it.
I'm not sure what was used already though.
I wonder if there is any harm to use something different than what's on there now.

I won't strip it, just add some oil.