First Garand today

Armadillofz1 · Mar 6, 2016

Just picked up my first Garand at the gunshow today. I know very little about them other than i got a good deal considering what ive seen them go for elsewhere. Springfield, looks to have been made in November of 1943. Bore is shiny and fairly bright. I dont know if the barrel is original. He said it guaged out well but didnt have the specs for me. While exiting the show someone stopped me and made a point to talk to me about the front sights. He claimed they were somewhat rare. Is there anything remarkable here? He also said to fire only M2 ball and not comercial 30-06.

Armadillofz1 · Mar 6, 2016

Armadillofz1 · Mar 6, 2016

I hate the paint on the stock. I'd like to strip it and put it back to original.

thomfantomas · Mar 6, 2016

Kool karma im in 762

todbiker · Mar 6, 2016

Congrats, I'm not expert enough to comment on the rarity of the front sight?
There should marking on the stock legitimizing it's USGI issue, if you refinish, try and maintain those. An original stock is worth $$$ all by themselves.My springfield is WWII, but the stock was a replacement Vietnam era. That being said, I was very happy to get it from CMP with extremely low barrel gauge numbers. There's still plenty of greek HXP (cmp) ammo out there and modern stuff for the Garand. Stick to that and you're fine,

Threeband · Mar 6, 2016

Today you become a man.

I don't see anything rare about the sights. More pictures.

Do try to strip the stock.

More pictures.

Disassemble it and photograph the side of the receiver below the stock line. What are the numbers there? Lock the bolt open, exposing the numbers on the barrel. What are they? What are the numbers on the trigger group housing, when you remove the trigger group?

Stay away from the Korean surplus ammo: it's corrosive. Buy as much of the Greek HXP as you can. Get it from the CMP: 200 mixed rounds in a .30 ammo can.

More pictures!

Try to save the stock, or just replace it.

rico903 · Mar 6, 2016

Nice pick up. I would order ammo from CMP. It's inexpensive and made for the Garand.

j8064 · Mar 6, 2016

Congrats You'll enjoy that rifle.
Yes: Get rid of the paint or get a replacement stock.
No: Do not shoot modern 30-06 in it.
Yes: Get some of the HXP Greek ammo and shoot that. The cases are reloadable.

In case it wasn't mentioned already

:
YES: MORE PICTURES... :innocent0

todbiker · Mar 6, 2016

j8064 said:
Congrats You'll enjoy that rifle.
Yes: Get rid of the paint or get a replacement stock.
No: Do not shoot modern 30-06 in it.
Yes: Get some of the HXP Greek ammo and shoot that. The cases are reloadable.

In case it wasn't mentioned already :
YES: MORE PICTURES...

replacement stocks can be a rabbit hole, decide what is important to you.
unless the stock is structurally unsound, don't f*** with it......
Shoot the rifle with greek hxp or garand new production stuff and enjoy it. These are not target rifles, so don't expect target rifle groups. With iron sights, be happy with 4 inch groups at 100yds

Armadillofz1 · Mar 6, 2016

j8064 said:
Congrats You'll enjoy that rifle.
Yes: Get rid of the paint or get a replacement stock.
No: Do not shoot modern 30-06 in it.
Yes: Get some of the HXP Greek ammo and shoot that. The cases are reloadable.

In case it wasn't mentioned already :
YES: MORE PICTURES...

I'll get some more photos when i get back from softball. Do i need to be part of CMP to buy ammo? I dont mind putting some money into it. Ive been wanting one for more than a few decades.

namrelio · Mar 6, 2016

http://www.garandgear.com/ported-gas-plug.html

I bought one of these for mine, was recommended by another member. Haven't tried it yet. It allows you to shoot other ammo in the M1.

j8064 · Mar 6, 2016

namrelio said:
http://www.garandgear.com/ported-gas-plug.html

I bought one of these for mine, was recommended by another member. Haven't tried it yet. It allows you to shoot other ammo in the M1.

Adjustable gas blocks will allow you to shoot "hotter" higher pressure in an M1 Garand. I purchased one and never installed it. I decided I'd rather keep mine in its original config and feed it appropriate ammo.

Armadillofz1 said:
I'll get some more photos when i get back from softball. Do i need to be part of CMP to buy ammo? I dont mind putting some money into it. Ive been wanting one for more than a few decades.

It's been a while since I stocked up heavily on HXP from CMP, but I think you need to be a"member" so to speak. I stacked deep with ammo on clips so I had plenty of clips available. I reload my Garand so the HXP is a non-need for me. We had my M1 out at today's Hooligan shoot and it was clanging the gong with reloads...

Fun stuff...

:party29:

Matlack · Mar 6, 2016

Minus whatever they did to the stock it looks nice. Hopefully you dont mind me asking but what did you pay and at what show?

rdc · Mar 6, 2016

The front sight is not Springfield they had nap rower ears. HRA and wind heater were wider and International Harvester wider still. The harvester ears often referred to as "dumbo" ears. From the angle it's hard to tell but they don't quite look wide enough for Harvester. Maybe Winchester. Could be wrong though.
Some info here
http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=3952

lee2 · Mar 6, 2016

any import marks?
that bedliner paint could be hiding sins in the original wood.
looks to be a fun project.

good guy 176 · Mar 6, 2016

Your front sight is the wide eared variety and commonly found on International Harvesters. The wider ears were used after some soldiers had difficulty making out the post from the ears. IHC used the widest eared front sights and they were about .875" wide.

I might be able to help you locate a stock for your rifle. I don't think that I would screw with that stock you have.

I have owned numerous Garands over the years, and I still own quite a few, but I did part with two nice H&Rs this weekend. They sold for $800 and $900 respectively and were service grade rifles that CMP had sold at one time. I do not buy directly from CMP.

I will be selling several more Garands (a few IHCs among them) in the coming months. I sell as Good Guy 176 on GunBroker, and I often sell FTF here in central Maryland.

Good luck with your new Garand and good shooting. I currently compete with a correct 1943 Winchester that's a real great shooter.

Lew--Ranger63

Threeband · Mar 6, 2016

I wouldn't worry about trying to find a "correct" original collector-grade stock for a mixmaster shooter. But you should be able to find a decent plain GI stock at a reasonable price if you can't save that one. But you might be pleasantly surprised if you can strip that stuff.

You can get clips from the CMP, too. Check on their requirements. It's worth getting in with them.

Be sure to lube it before shooting. Garands like grease. You can use Lubriplate or fancy gun grease or plain wheel bearing grease. Just not used french fry grease.

Garand Grease Points.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gar...hrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=0&ie=UTF-8

Disassembly: http://www.civilianmarksmanship.com/nomenclature.html

Jimbob2.0 · Mar 6, 2016

I wouldn't run super hot ammo through it but most shooter grade commercial should be fine. Mine eats a steady diet of PRVI .30-06 or CMP I don't waste any high end hunting ammo on it.

Armadillofz1 · Mar 6, 2016

Matlack said:
Minus whatever they did to the stock it looks nice. Hopefully you dont mind me asking but what did you pay and at what show?

$500. Pima county fairgrounds show.

Threeband · Mar 6, 2016

I think you did fine, assuming it's not a reweld. You could put a plain birch GI replacement stock on it and still have a good deal.

Still waiting for those pictures, though.

First Garand today

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