ANOTHER Garand.

[Uncle R.]

Well - they say that hope springs eternal - and I just ordered an M1 from the DCM. This will be my THIRD Garand and maybe I'll get lucky and this one'll shoot.

My first was a "Blue Sky Imports" belt-sander special. I bought it on a whim 'cause it was dirt cheap - and I got what I paid for. Arsenal refinished and the bore looked nice and shiny - no doubt 'cause they'd scrubbed it out with emery paste. That durn thing wouldn't hold a 10 inch group at 100 yards with ball and I couldn't believe that the bullets didn't keyhole - but they didn't. It was quickly traded off for something else that caught my eye - and good riddance!
My second try came a few years later when I traded for another M1 that had been rebarrelled (?) by the importer in a .308 chambering. I figured with a new barrel it was likely to be a shooter - right? Nope. THAT one did a little better - would usually stay under 6 inches at 100 yards - and that with match ammo that my M1A would hold VERY close to an inch. After several attempts to make it shoot I finally traded it off.
THIS one's coming straight from the DCM and it's their "special" grade - overall excellent condition with a brand new stock and barrel. I'm already getting my hopes up and I probably won't see it for at least a few weeks. If THIS one won't do at least 3MOA I'm gonna swear off the durn things forever!

Don't know why I even mess with 'em but they sure are intriguing and I LOVE the way they go bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang PTING!

Uncle R.

[fishhawk]

well hey why don't you rebarrel it if it doesnt shoot? im right here in wis and could do it all the cost would be to you is just a barrel. fishhawk

[NuJudge]

Before you mess with re-barreling, pay attention to the bedding in the wood, and the tightness of the gas cylinder. Make sure your rear sight holds elevation and the front sight is tight.

Cardboard shims can do a lot to increase tension when closing the trigger guard. For the gas cylinder, a VERY small amount of attention to the barrel splines will do the trick. Culver's shooting page is the place to inquire about specifics.

By the way, GI Match never shot worth a hoot in my Match prepped Garands.

CDD

[eka]

I'll have to say, my one and only experience with CMP was nothing but excellent. Friendly service and delivery on schedule. My M1 was a service grade and came to me in better than promised condition. Yeah, but how does it shoot, you ask. Well, I still can't believe that. 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards and 2 1/2 groups at 200 yards with the first load I tried in it. This was off sandbags, oh course. I used Varget and some old FMJ pull down match bullets, I want to say 173 grain? Anyway, the data is not with me right now if anybody is really interested I will get the specs for ya.

Keith

[garandsrus]

Eka,

If your Garand regularly shoots those type of groups you have a very rare Garand...

John

[eka]

John,
Haven't put the time in at the range with it to say that it will do that consistently. However, those were the best groups over the first hundred rounds. I only had a hundred of those bullets and traded for them years ago. Maybe, the magic bullets are gone? I saved the targets because I was afraid it wouldn't ever do it again. Honestly, I really don't think my shooting ability with open sights is good enough to tell if the rifle is that good or not. Anyway, nice folks at CMP and a very nice Garand. The load: 42 grains Varget, 173 grain FMJ, and mixed headstamp military brass.

Keith

[smokemjoe]

I have gotten 11 from the ocmp and just got 4 , 2 weeks ago. 3 service and 1 field,The field grade even has a good bore. I like the 311284 bullet with 40 grs. of 4064, Have shot 2 in groupes at 200 yds. with my IHC, But my Win. 8 in. at 100yds. with cast bullets. Hope this helps. Joe

[garandsrus]

Eka,

I purchased a couple thousand of the pulled down match bullets at something like 8 cents each. I probably still have 5 or 6 hundred. They shoot pretty well but the Sierra Match King 168gr bullet is considered to be a more accurate bullet. You could probably use your same load data to repeat the magic...

The CMP Greek ammo is also very accurate.

John

[Uncle R.]

Bump...
I just got word from the ODCMP that I made the cut... I was a little worried 'cause they only had 1000 "Special Grade" rifles available and they marked 'em "SOLD OUT" awfully quick.
The nice lady said that there were less than 100 left when my application made it to the top of the stack.

It should be shipped in 2-3 weeks now.
Got my fingers crossed that it'll be a good one. It sure would be nice to have a NICE Garand.
Uncle R.

[fourarmed]

I almost despaired of getting my Garand to shoot, but I stuck with it, and finally abandoned the bullets you would normally think to use. I wound up with the 150 Sierra Pro Hunter and around 50 grains of AA-2520, and could consistently shoot 8 rounds into fist-sized groups at 200 meters from prone with sling. I never got a semblance of a group with GI ball or Match Kings or anything heavier than 150. I did most of the usual match tuning processes, too.

[Ken O]

One bullet that seems to work in my Garands, '03s and K31s, is the bulk Remingtons 165 PSP. Midway used to put them on sale once in a while at a real good price.

[Uncle R.]

Well -
It's here, or rather - it's at home waiting for me. SWMBO called and said the FEDEX man delivered it this morning. Can't wait to get out of the office and back home to unwrap my Christmas present to myself...
Uncle R.

[Uncle R.]

Well, the DCM Garand is unpacked and it looks like a brand new rifle. It's a SA receiver numbered 2,655,xxx which means March 1944 if my quick check was correct. I'm a hopeless dreamer sometimes - but it's not hard to imagine this rifle (or at least this RECEIVER) landing at Normandy or being carried across Europe - eastward!
Now I have to decide if this brand-new barrel is going to be fired (at least for accuracy testing) with condoms, or if it'll be exclusively used with boolits.
Gee - what a tough spot to be in...

Uncle R.

[garandsrus]

Uncle R,

Congratulations on your Garand! It sounds like a winner...

I would try the condom bullets if for no other reason than that is what you would need to use if you ever enter a Garand As Issued match. I personally like the Greek ammo better than the LC.

John