Springfield Armory (Arlington Ordnance) M1 Garand T26 clone/repro.

[BradMacc82]

I’ve been waiting for more than a few years to get my chance at taking this one home - and I’m finally getting my chance to.

Springfield Armory M1, converted by Arlington Ordnance into the short-lived T26/'Tanker' configuration.

This short obnoxious bastard is still in 30-06, so it should make plenty of new friends at the range… lol

I’ve been thru it, and aside from the bolt and a few other small pieces, it’s mostly date/manufacturer correct - Receiver was July ‘43 (no signs of re-weld).

I’ll still need to get a correct M1 Garand at some point, but this one has been high on my priority list since I laid eyes on it 6/7 years ago.

 

[trailtoy]

Should be a nice flamethrower!

 

[BradMacc82]

Should be a nice flamethrower!

Indeed, from what I read, the original T26's weren't exactly the most pleasant due to the louder report and muzzle flash/blast and recoil - but I appreciate the more obscure guns that you just don't see pop up. And this one being in '06 instead of 308, just is another + in my book.

 

[joppaj]

That's... gorgeous.

 

[BradMacc82]

That's... gorgeous.

It caught my eye years ago when we moved a fellow mds'er from one house to another, and I've had to have it ever since.

More than welcome to put some rounds thru it J, should be a fun experience.

 

[mawkie]

Congrats! Know all too well the feeling of acquiring something you've lusted after for years. Deserves to be filmed at the range in lower light conditions as I'm certain it'll be spectacular.
Indeed, the next thing on the agenda is finding that proper M1 Garand. I've only got 2 in the herd, never been as keen on them as a collector. But as a shooter I love 'em. They are an imperative part of a fun day at the range.

 

[BradMacc82]

Hopefully this Dutch contract Breda goes before I get too tempted - it's a beautiful example...

 

[mawkie]

Hopefully this Dutch contract Breda goes before I get too tempted - it's a beautiful example...

The Bredas seem to bring a premium over the Beretta M1s. Starting to creep closer to $2k from what I've been seeing lately.

 

[BradMacc82]

Yeah, that's tracking - cause the one in the shop is all BMR, low 5k s/n, beautiful shape, and Perrin has that at $1999

 

[Busa]

Congratulations on your aquisition, sometimes a gun just has your name on it!
I have it's twin in 7.62, also an Arlington Ordanance with a Smith brake.
While a bit heavy, they are well balanced and I find very easy to point and shoot.
Accurate too for a Garand, with match ammo mines shoots just under 3" groups.
Enjoy!

 

[spoon059]

An M1 will almost always make you friends at any range.

 

[BradMacc82]

An M1 will almost always make you friends at any range.

An 18.5" in 30-06 may make friends for all the wrong reasons though... lol

Can't be any worse than when I have the .50Beo on the line though(?).

 

[BradMacc82]

Took it home on saturday. Test-fired yesterday, had some 1952 Frankford Arsenal '06 on links - figured it'd be safer to use than the commercial 150gr at 2910fps.

Can confirm, report is, uh, significant - hadn't had a boom like that since that chopped Finn I got from mawkie years ago. Can't comment on flash as it was still somewhat bright out for an overcast day in SoMD.

For shyts & giggles, threw a safe door downrange and tagged that twice with the vintage '06 (just FMJ, not AP) - blew thru the lock and door on the 1st round (door being thinner where the lock was mounted), 2nd shot on the 7/8" steel door got over halfway thru before coming to a halt. So, even at 18.5" - this lil bastard still packs a thump.

Spent the rest of the day trying to fit the replacement stock, inlet has to be fine tuned (and I'm admittedly not the craftsman with stocks) - guard gets to about the lower 1/3 of the trigger before a hard stop, wasn't going to resort to a rubber mallet. So I'll work on that. Probably grab a schuster plug so I can feel safer running moderate commercial loads.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

I used to own a T-26 made by the current Springfield Armory in .308...super nice rifle. Sorry I let it go.

 

[Sirex]

I got a M1 "Tanker" years ago, but mine is in 308. Charlie Maloney looked at it and tuned it up, and it works great. It is literally a blast.

 

[BradMacc82]

5 coats of boiled linseed oil on the replacement stock (GI surplus hardwood, surplus walnut options were too beat up for my tastes).

I think it looks better than the polyurethaned stock that had 2 cracks to be repaired.

Lock-up is snug, no need for a rubber mallet, but it’s a 2 hand deal getting the guard latched in (probably borderline too tight, but it can tuned if needed).

 

[Doco Overboard]

The TG should not easily be closed, a little effort up to smacking it with a mallet smartly is a good thing for an issue stock.
For an aftermarket too as long as the initial fitting is done relatively well.
Sometimes you see armory bedding added to increase lockup.

 

[BradMacc82]

The TG should not easily be closed, a little effort up to smacking it with a mallet smartly is a good thing for an issue stock.
For an aftermarket too as long as the initial fitting is done relatively well.
Sometimes you see armory bedding added to increase lockup.

Learned something new!

Action fit great, nice and snug before trigger group went in - I just wasn’t sure if I had the fit too tight when latching the guard.