Everyone here is correct, out of the 23 garands I have there is movement in the front hand guard on all of them, including my type 1 and 2 national matches. As for the accurracy, it can and will be effected if the hand guard is to tight or to loose. If its to tight the harmonics of the barrel are thown off as its not allowing the barrel to flex and move the way it wants. To loose and it will rattle the end of the barrel during firing and can move point of aim easily. They learned the same thing about the cone flash hider seen on M-1C's. As long as the gas cylinder is snug, and the gas lock is fully turned to its proper position you will be fine.
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