CMP Special FIELD GRADE 308 Question

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  • DutchV

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 8, 2012
    4,702

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    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    Found this posting for a Garand with a Criterion barrel:

    https://newmexicoweapons.com/2018/0...-cmp-special-excellent-condition-extra-items/

    Not sure of the caliber but CBI is plainly marked.

    That would be what the CMP has been selling.
    http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1-garand/

    RM1SPECIALFIELD (currently sold out)
    CMP Special FIELD GRADE (.30-06) M1 Garand. This is a completely refurbished rifle consisting of an original M1 Garand Springfield or HRA receiver, new production Criterion barrel, new production American Walnut stock and handguards, and new web sling. Receiver and most other parts are refinished USGI, but some parts may be new manufacture.
    Receiver will have considerable pitting above the wood line.
    Price: $830

    They offer the same thing in .308 caliber.

    RM1308SPCLFIELD (currently taking orders)
    CMP Special FIELD GRADE (.308) M1 Garand. This is a completely refurbished rifle consisting of an original M1 Garand Springfield or HRA receiver, new production Criterion barrel, new production American Walnut stock and handguards, and new web sling. Receiver and most other parts are refinished USGI, but some parts may be new manufacture.
    Receiver will have considerable pitting above the wood line. $850
    Free Shipping
     
    Last edited:

    Racer Doug14

    Thread killer
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Feb 22, 2013
    8,003
    Millers Maryland
    None of my 308 garands have a block, not because I am cheap its because they are not needed

    Those blocks may also wear out other parts on the rifle. I don’t have one in my navy garand.

    http://m14forum.com/m1-garand-accuracy/105241-308-garand-history.html

    So, did they come with one and you removed it? Or never had it? You know it has purpose. I'd rather have it, if I had several M1s in 30-06. If you only have one in .308, I can see not having it.
     

    mvee

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 13, 2007
    2,487
    Crofton
    So, did they come with one and you removed it? Or never had it? You know it has purpose. I'd rather have it, if I had several M1s in 30-06. If you only have one in .308, I can see not having it.

    I picked up the rifle from a gun shop. It didn’t have a block in it when I got it. I read up and saw Gus Fisher talking about the blocks and decided that I don’t need to have one in there.
    Gus Fisher was an armorer for the Marine rifle team when they were using M1s and M-14s and his postings very informative.

    I figure that I can be careful of what I load into the 7.62 garand. I figure the block was put there to “sailor proof” the rifle. (Not meant as an insult to any sailors)


    https://m14forum.com/steel-wood/126192-just-finished-usn-7-62-garand-2.html#/topics/126192?page=2


    Folks,
    PLEASE DON'T BUY OR USE those steel "blocks" in 7.62mm or .308 Garands.
    The way the follower arm flexes and rubs those things in recoil, it will wear out the parts that control timing MUCH FASTER than normal !! I have seen this time and time again. I HATE those bloody things the way they do damage to perfectly good parts.
    There is NO REASON to put a block in other than to keep from loading a clip of .30-06 ammo in a 7.62mm. The original off white plastic ones the Navy used, and Orion 7 sells and excellent copy of, were mainly just a reminder not to jam up the rifle with a clip of .30-06.
    OH, BTW, you HAVE to slightly modify the stock if you use an original or repro off white fiberglass block. The horizontal shelf ahead of where the front receiver legs contact is where you have to cut some clearances so the "feet" of the off white blocks don't get busted/cracked the first time you put the block in the rifle.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Have 26 M1 garands in 30.06 and 2 in 308. They never had the block no reason for them. Its impossible to chamber a 30.06 rd in a 308 chamber, rifle will not fire as the receiver bridge keeps it from happening

    Man I am glad you told me that you have 26 Garands. I have 2 and was thinking that getting a third was excessive. :D I would love to have one that has a SA receiver.
     

    Abulg1972

    Ultimate Member
    Hmm - now they have CMP special (308) grades with a Winchester receiver.



    This post reminds me of the days when surplus stuff was widely available for nothing and people were just buying stuff because they could.

    This rifle will never, ever be worth more than a legit military surplus rifle. As long as there are available M1 Garands in 30-06 that haven’t been messed with, you will never go right by buying a 308 Frankenstein. There are so many nice surplus guns that you could buy for the price of one of these.
     

    Allen65

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 29, 2013
    7,063
    Anne Arundel County
    For that matter, how does one tell the difference between a Garand that mas modified to shoot 308 and an original issue Garand 308 Garand? Don't they use the same receiver?

    The barrel markings. The conversions were stamped "7.62", while commercial 308 barrels are stamped 308. There is no such thing as an "issue" 308 Garand. The Navy conversions had 7.62 chambers, whether they were the original sleeved ones that failed, or the freshly chambered barrels produced for Springfield Armory (the GOV organization, not the commercial company).

    Receivers are identical. I have several Garands, some in 30-06 and several in .308. I actually find the 308s shoot slightly smaller groups, at least when good match-grade 168gr or 175gr ammo is used.
     

    Allen65

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 29, 2013
    7,063
    Anne Arundel County
    Have 26 M1 garands in 30.06 and 2 in 308. They never had the block no reason for them. Its impossible to chamber a 30.06 rd in a 308 chamber, rifle will not fire as the receiver bridge keeps it from happening

    The receiver bridge safety doesn't do much to prevent a floating firing pin from slamming into the back end of a 30-06 cartridge sticking out of a 308 chamber, though, even if the bridge and tang are in spec. That could end up in a very unpleasant out-of-battery experience.

    The Navy used the blocks to make the conversions sailorproof, to prevent operator headspace problems from becoming a safety issue.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    You're killing me. You know I want one. And if they bring back the 30-06 version, well, that's it.

    But -will there be another Winchester receiver offering?? I really want a Winchester receiver.

    With the CMP you never know. What I learned about CMP is buy it while you can. I have waited to long and am still waiting for things likely to never return.:sad20:
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    With the CMP you never know. What I learned about CMP is buy it while you can. I have waited to long and am still waiting for things likely to never return.:sad20:

    I have heard (via CMP forum) that there probably will be a 30-06 offering, and I agree with Abulg1972 that a Garand in 30-06 is more collectable/desirable (unless it's a Navy rebuild). I am sure the CMP Special 308's are very, very nice; but my personal preference would be a Garand in 30-06. My reasons for asking about the 308's were out of curiosity than anything else.
     

    K-43

    West of Morning Side
    Oct 20, 2010
    1,881
    PG
    If they have enough Winchester receivers to offer 308s then they will probably do 30-06 also. Things are always changing with CMP offerings.
    I got my CMP Winchester 30-06 back in the '80s when you had to shoot a clinic or match or have a DD-214. It was just luck of the draw. I didn't request a Winchester and I don't think back then you could choose what you got. I just got lucky. It was $265 or $285 as I recall.
    Things are always changing.
    Funny part is that about a year later I bought a Korean surplus SA barreled in 308 for about $265. It was an Arlington Ordnance "Blue Sky" rifle. It has the steel magazine block that is controversial in another thread. I probably got it at Atlantic in Silver Spring. I bought a lot of things there back in the day.

    One thing you may find about Winchesters is they were not the best in finish. Mine was pretty worn bright on much of the receiver. It has a blacker finish than any SA I've seen. And another thing, it has smoother surfaces than your average SA or HR. Just looks like it was machined differently or something. Maybe mine is just weird. I've never done anything to it other than clean and shoot.
    Searching the serial # I did find it was on a list issued to 6th Army in Okinawa and then again when turned-in at a base in Texas after the War.
    Go to Garand Collector's Assoc website and find links to known records.
     

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