New(to me) M1 Garand Rebarreled to .308Win(7.62 NATO)

[Der Gebirgsjager]

There are plenty of books that show the disassembly of the M1 including those by Scott Duff, Bruce Canfield, and even The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly, Part IV Centerfire Rifles, by J.B. Wood (one of the best, least expensive, and probably easily found on the internet), and a diligent search might even turn up the U.S. Army Training Manual or a replica thereof. Start with e-bay.

[Ford SD]

Per the title, I just acquired an M1 Garand that has been rebarreled to .308 Win. When I say "rebarreled", the description does not include that word. It says "mfg by Springfield Armory in April, 1942 with Criterion 5-18 .308 barrel".

My first question is: Can I use information in the BruceB thread concerning the M1A? If not, any information about reloading for this rifle would be appreciated. The description also includes a note that the "magazine has plastic insert to allow for either 7.62 NATO or .308 Winchester ammo to be used". This confused my because I could not understand why the use of either would involve the magazine. Does this mean that enbloc clips can or cannot be used?

I haven't really sat down and examined the rifle or compared it to the other Garand that I have had for a few years. I haven't done any reloading for the .30-06 Garand yet but don't expect the .308 to not have unique requirements.

Any insights would be helpful and appreciated.

I have a 308 and a 30-06 M1 Garand and also a M1A Clone (308)

and Yes I have shot Cast in the 308 M1A Clone ... 400 cast loads with out cleaning ... then got rained on and had to clean it ... No Lead

Yes Use Bruce B thread.... just be aware that your barrel is prob a 1/10 twist

Bruce B was using a 1/11 twist so his velocities / accuracy node will be higher than yours ....

So do not try to acheve his velocity (less 180 +- fps) ....
Best results will be with dacron and one of the powders Bruce B tried

I would use a heavy cast bullet and Look for less than 1950 fps ... Just stop when you get good accuracy (with function)

And if your rifle went through a recent rebuild it might need a bit of working in

[bob208]

those are the ones I use. have not found any better.

[alamogunr]

There are plenty of books that show the disassembly of the M1 including those by Scott Duff, Bruce Canfield, and even The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly, Part IV Centerfire Rifles, by J.B. Wood (one of the best, least expensive, and probably easily found on the internet), and a diligent search might even turn up the U.S. Army Training Manual or a replica thereof. Start with e-bay.

Thank you for reminding me. I've had the J.B. Wood book for a long time. I just looked up the M1 in it. I also found a big NRA book among my gun books that also had instructions for many arms including the M1. I need to be more attentive to what is on my shelves.

[Sig556r]

I've seen one that still chambered in orig 30-06 but was fitted with a breech sleeve to accommodate .308/7.62 round. The loading chamber has a block that will not allow a 30-06 cartridge. Ingenious, yes...safe, not sure.

[SOFMatchstaff]

I have two Garands in 7.62, both navy trophy rifles. The barrels are marked 7.62 and AMF with installation dates. They shoot very well with GI ball ammo and my match loads, without the use of any spacer block, IMR4895 and 4064 , 173 gr ball or 168gr bthp. the hang tags were marked grd 2, match prepped with the serial Number inscribed on the trigger . Just shows the difference between a govt conversion and a later civvy or CMP job. I have several receivers that I thought of barreling with the Criterion tubes, but dont need to now..

[country gent]

If by breech sleeve you mean the little bushing the navy used to convert to 308. This sleeve was pushed into the chamber with a light coating of red Loctite. They did work and saved replacing a lot of barrels.. It had the neck shoulder of a 30-06 on the outside to git in the chamber and the neck shoulder of the 308 inside to set correct headspace.

This little bushing creates a long throat from the rifling. It also is dependent on the fit in a given chamber to maintain concentricity. I have see rifles converted with them and while they are safe. accuracy isn't quite as good as the ones rebarreled.

Several times on the local range we have found 308 brass with no neck shoulder left when a members rifle had the bushing pulled out with a fired case under extraction. A few years ago these chamber inserts were being sold in several magazines.

[edp2k]

The Navy did a lot of testing with these 308 bushings in 30-06 Garands and concluded that they were a huge problem,
since the experienced a lot of the bushings ejecting with the brass, and neither knurling nor anything else they tried
could guarantee (in their tests) that the bushing would always stay put.

The Navy then abandoned the bushings and rebarreled all guns that had the bushings and all future 308 conversions got a new 308 barrel.

[Bob Busetti]

Just as an aside, back in 1967 I was going through gunners mate school in the Navy. If I remember correctly the Navy conversion consisted of a chamber insert to allow the use of the 7.62 round & the plastic spacer in the magazine. Both items were handed out like crazy in case the chamber insert came out. The plastic spacer was not a problem. However once in a blue moon the chamber spacer would come out. When it came out on the range you put another one on a 7.62 round & slammed the bolt closed, them fire the round and it would tightly seat the insert. As a matter of fact I still have one of the chamber insets some where in my stuff.

[derek45]

.... The description also includes a note that the "magazine has plastic insert to allow for either 7.62 NATO or .308 Winchester ammo to be used". This confused my because I could not understand why the use of either would involve the magazine. Does this mean that enbloc clips can or cannot be used?.....

The M1 Garand magazine, and follower, is internal, and stays in the rifle.

Here's a pic of my M1, which is 30-06 and has no spacer.



here's a pic I stole from google, showing the 308 spacer

[W.R.Buchanan]

Alamo gunner: You can find so much info by Googling "M1 Garand .308" that you will never be able to read it all.

Virtually everything there is to know about Garands is contained in American Rifleman Archives.

The CMP has been doing .308 conversions for many many years. My Garand came from the guy who refurbished all the surplus guns for Arlington Armory in the mid 1990's. He offered .308 or .30-06, in either Full Length or Tanker models. $400.

He re-did about 25,000 guns and he told me @20 % were .308's.

My standard .308 load is 45 gr of IMR 4895 with a Recycled M80 Ball 147 gr.FMJBT bullet .

Randy