Finally My 1st Garand

[Singer B]

I think you nailed the stock finish. Nice work! That stock has a lot of grain in it. Lightening it up definitely brought it out.

[oldfoneguy]

I think you nailed the stock finish. Nice work! That stock has a lot of grain in it. Lightening it up definitely brought it out.

Thanks that was my goal and with the great help here I was able to achieve it. Thanks again to Jim whose advice kept me from sanding it and potentially ruining the contours. I knew it was nice wood underneath, I just don't understand the thought process behind that nasty dark stain.

[oldfoneguy]

Thursday 9/30 will be my 1st range day with it. I will update by Friday.

[oldfoneguy]

I couldn't make it to the range Thursday so I went today Friday 10/1 instead. What a sweet shooting rifle the Garand is. No wonder it has been gathering accolades for over 80 years.

I was using 2 different rounds some 1968 M72 National Match and my home baked M2 spec ammo in surplus brass. Both shot extremely well and I'm happy to say that my handloads slightly out shot the NM rounds. That was with myself, my brother and a RO friend all shooting it.

Stupidity I didn't photograph my better targets. I'm too old to have the phone in my hand constantly like the kids. Besides I was having too much fun! All I have to show for the day is this sighting in group. I still say not bad for over 60 year old eyes using an over 60 year old rifle all at 100 yards! Wish I had bought one of these 40 years ago when my eyes were young enough to be up to the challenge.

Going to have to try again for the picture, for some reason it won't work for me right now.

Got it to work!

[ssgross]

A tip from a brass miser...I invested in an adjustable gas plug https://www.schustermfg.com/m1-garan...able-gas-plug/. With it opened up, the rifle does not eject the brass By carefully tuning my load, I can punch holes in paper just as nice and small as the load I tuned for the original plug. Saving brass...especially the hard to come by original military brass...has the advantage of allowing me to shoot my garands more frequently.

[oldfoneguy]

A tip from a brass miser...I invested in an adjustable gas plug https://www.schustermfg.com/m1-garan...able-gas-plug/.

That is on my list of absolute must gets along with an M5 bayonet and a 1905 sling. Based on advice of a friend I removed the gas plug clocked the cylinder lock tight and used it as a straight pull. Of course after a few gas operated pings just for giggles.

I'm that anal guy at the range who never let's his brass hit the ground. Using mostly bolt and lever actions makes that easy. On rare occasions I drop one here or there which delights my RO buddies to no end. BTW thanks I do appreciate the advice.

[oldfoneguy]

Just for fun I installed this web sling I've had since '84 on the Garand. I believe this is proper for a rifle from this era. The maker of the sling is unknown but I did find this marking on the end tab. It appears to be MRT and dated 1/64. From the little I know it stands for Mildew Resistant Treatmant. Still saving up for the 1907 sling that I really want.

ETA: I know I have the buckle on backwards but I don't want to damage the stock with it.

[ssgross]

My favorite Garand is right now wearing the web sling issued to me on Parris Island and deployed with me, on my M16A2, to Kosovo, then Africa, then Iraq in the early 2002-2003. It's stiff and salty...just like me and just how I like it. I have it twisted and with the buckle on backwards, just how I like it so's it lays flat on against my right forearm when I do a quick wrap into a hasty sling. Kids bought me a new, authentic web sling one year because mine looks, well, pretty distressed. The new one looks good on my wall-hanger

[Hi-Lux Optics]

We picked up a Garand at CMP too! It shoots pretty darn consistently, but the cases we used all had to be full-length sized to even fit the chamber.

Good luck with the rifle - there's just something delightful about shooting a Garand.

[oldfoneguy]

My favorite Garand is right now wearing the web sling issued to me on Parris Island and deployed with me, on my M16A2, to Kosovo, then Africa, then Iraq in the early 2002-2003. It's stiff and salty...just like me and just how I like it. I have it twisted and with the buckle on backwards, just how I like it so's it lays flat on against my right forearm when I do a quick wrap into a hasty sling. Kids bought me a new, authentic web sling one year because mine looks, well, pretty distressed. The new one looks good on my wall-hanger

Thank you for your service.
Your issue sling deserves a prominent display because it has actual history. New and pretty is always nice but something you've lived with is special. Keep it in use until it's just threads.