CMP Garand in 308?

calicojack · Dec 29, 2021

I am thinking about ONE LAST :rolleyes:

CMP Garand and am looking at the "Expert Grade" offerings. I have questions about Garands chambered in 308. Specifically, does the 308 chambering hurt their collectability? Another question, are 308 Garands any better shooting than one chambered in 30-06? Better being recoil, accuracy, barrel longevity, etc. What's the downside (if any) of the 308 Garand?

Busa · Dec 29, 2021

I have an Arlington Ordnance Tanker Garand in 308 and it is one of my favorites. Accurate and light recoil, fun to shoot and never jams. I have shot 30-06 full size Garands in competition and I think the 308 would compare favorably. In time, anything sold by CMP will be collectable in its own niche, you can't go wrong.

SKIP · Dec 29, 2021

I have both calibers and have nothing but good things to say.

Doco Overboard · Dec 29, 2021

Theirs a lot of variables that could could affect the accuracy part so I think it would be hard to differentiate by caliber only.
For instance you could switch a stock between one or the other and see a marked improvement just through a component swap.
For any chambered in 308 and collectable I wouldn't worry about it unless it was a Navy model with chamber insert or something like that for which one would do better to leave alone.
If I wanted to shoot a Garand these days I would strongly consider one in 308 just for the purposes of ammunition availability.
I also think for some of the expert grades and appearance/ substitution of parts to make then available I wouldn't worry about that either.
They're meant to be used and enjoyed with sales used to bolster the Cmp's mission not accommodate parts re-sellers or thumb nosing snobs who hardly ever shoot because their worried about how dark the park is or what type of oil was rubbed into the stock in 1943.
As long as the rear sight and stock lockup is good I would be happy but I'm not that hard to please when it comes to a Garand anyway just because I like them.

I'm thinking of getting another one myself just because I can although I think they may be getting backed up on orders already.

Catch-10-22 · Dec 29, 2021

I have a non-CMP 7.62x51 Garand (Breda) and love it. Ammunition availability is better and I love that I can use that old surplus NATO ammo in it. The days of cheap and plentiful HXP are over. The recoil and blast are less (but still enough to make it fun to shoot). You have me thinking about an Expert Grade as well…

Furious George · Dec 29, 2021

Collectability? No serious Garand collector would be interested in a Garand with a commercial 308 barrel on it (or the same in 30-06). That said, you are likely confusing "collectability" with "desirability." LOTS of shooters want Garands in 308 Winchester and there will always be a market for it. You are certainly not buying an oddball or future orphan.

Accuracy? It depends on the individual rifle. Any given 308 Garand won't be more or less accurate than any given '06 version. As others have said, lots of parts and other factors. At the end of the day, its a Garand so if you want the ultimate in accuracy, look elsewhere.

My perception is that the recoil on my 308 Garand is softer, but that is from a sample of one fired with light bullets.

Some want 308 Garands because of ammo availability. I reload and have a lifetime supply of 1X USGI '06 brass so its a wash for me. I can load either will equal ease.

cantstop · Dec 29, 2021

Oh darn. I've been kicking around the idea of picking up a .308 M1 Garand if and when they become available. At $50 more than my other M1 it is incredibly tempting.

I've been telling my wife we need to start downsizing though. This is going to be gnawing at me the rest of the day, I'm sure.

ken792 · Dec 29, 2021

Since the Expert grade is a civilian reworked M1 with a commercial barrel, no one cares about the collector value anyway as far as caliber goes. How the caliber affects the value will depend on whether it’s a caliber desirable to shooters.

Military 7.62 Garands like the Navy and Italian conversions are quite desirable to collectors.

An advantage of a .308 Garand with a new barrel is that .308 barrels typically come in 1:12 twist, which is generally better for the .30 cal bullets commonly used.

If you ever want to compete with the M1, .308 will put you into the Unlimited category in JCG. It is not allowed in As Issued.

The 7.62/.308 Garands seem to eject brass further though, which is expected for the lower mass.

SKIP · Dec 29, 2021

My 308 has an op rod marked 7.62MM/ on an H&R receiver.
Bolt is SA and barrel is SA with a date of 11/62 TS
Would that state it was Navy?

ken792 · Dec 29, 2021

SKIP said:
My 308 has an op rod marked 7.62MM/ on an H&R receiver.
Bolt is SA and barrel is SA with a date of 11/62 TS
Would that state it was Navy?

Does the op rod say “7.62mm/2?” Those op rods were cut down by the Italians to their Tipo 2 length. The Tipo 2 involved cutting the back of the barrel to rechamber it to 7.62 and shortening all other necessary parts. Are your stock and handguard normal length or slightly shortened?

Tipo 2 parts kits used to be very cheap, so there are lots of builds with them. A few places were also splicing the op rods back to regular length with mixed results.

What are the other barrel markings? I think I’ve seen 60s dated US barrels on Italian conversions before.

US Navy MK 2 MOD 0 rifles were .30/06 barrels converted by a chamber sleeve, but they were marked 7.62 on the chamber along with the contractor that did it. The MK 2 MOD 1 rifles had new made 7.62 barrels all made by SA in 1965 and 1966, so your 1962 barrel is definitely not a MOD 1.

SKIP · Dec 29, 2021

ken792 said:
Does the op rod say “7.62mm/2?” Those op rods were cut down by the Italians to their Tipo 2 length. The Tipo 2 involved cutting the back of the barrel to rechamber it to 7.62 and shortening all other necessary parts. Are your stock and handguard normal length or slightly shortened?

********YES 7.62MM/2
Stock is about 1 1/2 shorter.
Hand guard is the length of 30-06.
****************************

Tipo 2 parts kits used to be very cheap, so there are lots of builds with them. A few places were also splicing the op rods back to regular length with mixed results.

What are the other barrel markings? I think I’ve seen 60s dated US barrels on
Italian conversions before.

**************
Barrel is marked SA 6535448 11/62 YS Proof Mark and the Americn eagle stamp
**************
US Navy MK 2 MOD 0 rifles were .30/06 barrels converted by a chamber sleeve, but they were marked 7.62 on the chamber along with the contractor that did it. The MK 2 MOD 1 rifles had new made 7.62 barrels all made by SA in 1965 and 1966, so your 1962 barrel is definitely not a MOD 1.

***************
It also has the white block to prevent loading 30-06.
***************

calicojack · Dec 29, 2021

Furious George said:
Collectability? That said, you are likely confusing "collectability" with "desirability." LOTS of shooters want Garands in 308 Winchester and there will always be a market for it. You are certainly not buying an oddball or future orphan.

Not at all - I think that rifle pegs the "desirability" meter. But you totally answered my question none the less. This would be a good use of my money.

calicojack · Dec 29, 2021

Also - when you start an info thread that results in multiple posts stating the members have/ want the same thing - well - that cinches it.

Threeband · Dec 29, 2021

I've heard that .308 is slightly more accurate than '06 in a Garand, if anything.

It's not legal for official John C. Garand matches, though.

Gmercury2000 · Dec 29, 2021

cantstop said:
Oh darn. I've been kicking around the idea of picking up a .308 M1 Garand if and when they become available. At $50 more than my other M1 it is incredibly tempting.

I've been telling my wife we need to start downsizing though. This is going to be gnawing at me the rest of the day, I'm sure.

My 30-06 CMP Service grade M1 Garand. (1944 SA rcvr & 1958 SA bbl, CMP stock)
[dates may be wrong]

Your receiver dates to approximately May 1942 based on the 1st 3 numbers of the serial assuming it's 6 digits. If only 5, then approximately September 1940.

ken792 · Dec 29, 2021

SKIP said:
***************
It also has the white block to prevent loading 30-06.
***************

Sounds like it’s a Tipo 2 build from a parts kit based off the shortened parts. The Italian conversions had the receivers re-marked.

SKIP · Dec 29, 2021

ken792 said:
Sounds like it’s a Tipo 2 build from a parts kit based off the shortened parts. The Italian conversions had the receivers re-marked.

Thanks.

Sirex · Dec 29, 2021

Are you buying one AS a collectible, match shooter, or just a recreational shooter? I bought a 308 M1 "Tanker" because I wanted one in a caliber I already had stocked up for. I didn't have any .30-06, but wish I had bought an M1 decades earlier, with ammo. But for casual range shooting, I absolutely love my 308 Garand.

calicojack · Dec 30, 2021

Sirex said:
Are you buying one AS a collectible, match shooter, or just a recreational shooter? I bought a 308 M1 "Tanker" because I wanted one in a caliber I already had stocked up for. I didn't have any .30-06, but wish I had bought an M1 decades earlier, with ammo. But for casual range shooting, I absolutely love my 308 Garand.

Casual shooter that also would hold it's value should I decide to sell it.

calicojack · Dec 30, 2021

IDK I almost feel like all the CMP rifles are all collectible. Hell - maybe all Garands for that matter.

CMP Garand in 308?

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