Any M1 Garand experts in here?

[georgerkahn]

Congratulations!!! Looks like you have a firearm which will be a delight to shoot. I belong to a club with a hi-power league, and quite a collection of M1s. Each and every one has had the op rod spring replaced, and the best-of-the-best are those which were custom made for Anthony Pucci, Jr. at his Long Island, NY business, Orion7 Enterprises. Sadly, Tony had some medical issues, but his son Michael now runs the business. You can get the springs from Michael (631) 205-1299, and/or through many after-market sellers who buy these in bulk from him for resale, on eBay and similar sites. (I have one in my Garand!)
I cannot recommend these highly enough!
BEST!
geo

[starnbar]

One parting note if you buy one from the cmp it will be a solid rifle and it has been inspected by knowledgeable armorers you apy a little more but the old addage is and allways true that you get what you pay for enjoy your purchase its one of the best deals you will ever get on a real rifle.

[samari46]

Blue Sky was one of the other companies that did import the South Korean M1's. Mine also came with a Remington national match op rod. Used to be you could go to a good gun show and always find a couple dealers selling op rods. The last two cost me $50 each. Haven't seen a dealer in parts selling op rods in years. That is why it pays to stick to standard powders, bullet weights. There was an article in the old Precision Shooting magazine on where the bends should be and and how to correct the bent ones. Rebuilding the gas piston usually involves removing the old one then silver soldering in a new one. I read a story about one machinist using the table on a bridgeport mill rebend bent op rods. Frank

[TNsailorman]

The last op rod for the Garand that I saw for sale went for over $200.00 and it was not a new one and was "sold as is". People who want to chance bending their op rod are free to do so as it belongs to them. However, they may end up with a parts rifle. It is not just a matter of high pressure but also mass(weight). The Garand was designed for a specific weight of bullets and the 200 plus weights were not in the design model. Someone may eventually start producing op rods again (hopefully) but until they do, they are getting almost impossible to find. Metal fatigues when bent and although an expert can bend them back properly, they will never be as strong again and tend to go right back where they were before being straightened. Bent barrels tend to do the same. I knew an old gunsmith who had an overhead press to straighten barrels, but he always cautioned customers that they tend to walk groups back to the original point of aim as the barrel heated up from repeated firing. He did a lot of business from people who brought in new rifles with slightly warped barrels. Todays high speed machines can do that to barrels, especially light contour ones. I don't consider myself an expert but there are mighty few "experts" on the Garand left. I am only passing along my 50+ years of shooting a Garand. I trained on one and carried one while in service. They are wonderful rifles when cared for and operated within their designed functions. I am one those old dinosaurs that think that the only combat rifle that comes up to the Garand level is the M14, which is nothing more than a improved Garand. james