Madness? Garand with serial number under 2000

[browningautorifle]

Accuracy problems? Will you expound for me Bob?

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[Bob Seijas]

As you know, the gas plug was essentially a false muzzle that deflected the gas into the cylinder, and the bullet had to pass through it. This was not a problem with the Model Shop guns carefully constructed by JCG, but under mass production the tolerances sometimes slipped. When that happened, the plug could deform under the heat from rapid fire, and the bullet could make contact with it. Some early guns had real accuracy problems, and the new rifle was subject to severe criticism from many quarters, including a scathing article by the NRA titled "Wanted, A Rifle." It played right into the hands of the hardshells who hated the idea of a semiautomatic and people like Johnson and his supporters who had an axe to grind.

Garand knew all about tapping off the gas with a gas port, but he was concerned about fouling and erosion, so went with the trap method as more reliable. He had to go to a gas port in the face of all the criticism.

[browningautorifle]

I hadn't heard that but it all makes sence.

[RCS]

There was a gage to check the alignment between the plug and the bore but the GI did not have it, also very easy to loose that front sight screw in the field

[jmoore]

Was the reliability mod to correct the seventh round stoppage introduced after the beginning of the gas port production? Was skimming through Duff's book this morning, but the dates didn't stick.

Regardless, I don't think I'm even close to that level of "purist" to consider the lack of the fix a requirement for a fantasy build using new production parts. If I had a real gas trap front end in storage, then getting a proper reconstruction would be important. But that's not very likely...

Did find a "no pad" trigger housing in the stash. Looks like a machining error, but it's a "no dash" unit. Best trigger guard found so far is a -1, a bit late. Have an early op rod, uncut, somewhere. Think it's a -1 as well. Also too late. For sure it's not early enough, anyway.

BTW, the rifle looks ten times better now that it's wearing a different stock and handguards. With "no number" grooved bands for funsies. Stock is a spare OG/GAW assembly that's not as a tight of a fit as i like, but it's far better "eyewash" than the sanded and "Tru Oiled" mess that was on the rifle. Makes sense with the 1950 date barrel anyway.

Here's a new on on me: Bubba sanded all the way through the thickness of the end cap metal - in more than one place!:

[RCS]

Would suggest the purchase of Billy Pyle's book "The Gas Trap Garand" best book on this subject. Page 83 show s/n 338 that was overhauled during FY 1941 with the corrected guide ribs and still returned as a gas trap rifle or rebuilt still as a gas trap rifle


jmoore did you receive my email ?

[browningautorifle]

Bubba sanded all the way through the thickness of the end cap metal

That would take new 80 grit...and lots of it.