I've been down this road before......

[eb in oregon]

1. The first thing I did upon gaining possession of this Garand was to order a new stacking swivel, screw and operating spring from Fulton Armory and replace said parts. And as I've been shooting, repairing, and owning M1 Garand's for about 40 years I'm quite familiar with needing to give the bolt handle a slight whack for the first round. This one requires a hard whack as the bullet tip hangs up and it shouldn't. And yes, I tried multiple clips to include clips produced during the Korean War.

2. If I were to glass bed the stock (which is really impossible to confirm or deny as the "original" stock as it being birch (or possibly walnut sap wood) on an early 1954 SA I'm thinking not) I'd do it myself but not to NM standards. I'd only bed under the receiver and the trigger guard, thus restoring the "original" fit of the action and trigger guard. There are zero cartouches or any other means to place the manufacturer of the stock, but like I said I'm convinced it isn't the "original" stock but a replacement that has been thru multiple re-finishing's.

3. I don't shim anything. The stock works as intended or it is repaired or replaced.

However I did say originally I had two choices. The first was to bed the action only enough to return the fitment of the action to the stock. The second was to replace the stock. As the supposed "original" is out of specification I chose to replace the stock with a new CMP walnut stock. The old one will go into a well marked box and is available to go back onto the rifle at any time as changing a stock is easily reversible, so there would be no permanent changes to anything. I'm all about history, but I'm more for functionality and adherence to the "original" specifications than keeping something "original" with flaws.

Regarding this "--The loose trigger guard in the butt stock because of sanding/wood shrinkage? That will degrade accuracy." It does more than that. It changes the relationship between the action and the trigger guard as the sanding has reduced the dimension between the action and the trigger guard bringing them closer together thus changing that relationship and raising the clip higher in the stock which changes the "sweet spot" that the bullet tip hits upon the action of chambering. I think we can all agree having a loose action can led to multiple problems.

Lastly, I hesitated in starting this thread as I already knew there would be those that say "oh wow, you must keep it as "original" as possible as it's history." Now please explain how changing a stock to return the rifle to it's original specifications and is completely reversible is "changing history." I'll also say that this rifle has all Springfield parts with the exception of the hammer which is a WRA hammer. As is the CMP purchased Greek return Springfield I got from them in 2008, in it's "original" walnut stock and finish.

Edit: This will make me no friends, however I'd like to point out that firearms are a tool, and as a tool it was expected that they be maintained and repaired as necessary. Here's where the "no friends" part come in. "Originality" may be preferred by some, but then you shouldn't shoot it as that wears the tool out. If a person returns a tool to original specifications, that was the original intent. Maybe some people should collect stamps or salt and pepper shakers.