M1 Garand Clip: Loading Basics and Troubleshooting Tips

[M-Tecs]

https://gundigest.com/military-firea...WgX_EfYbeYaa5Q

Nothing can cause the new Garand shooter more headaches than an intractable M1 Garand clip. Here’s how to load it and troubleshoot it.
Basics of the M1 Garand Clip
The M1 Garand clip is stamped steel. It holds 8 rounds of .30-06 Springfield (or .308 Win. for M1s so chambered). 5-round clips available, but the standard 8-rounder can be loaded with fewer rounds. The 5-rounder isn't necessary.

The clip is … not a magazine, for it does not completely enclose the cartridges. In fact, the Garand has a magazine, it’s integral to the receiver and receives the clip.

The last round fired ejects the clip. That creates that signature M1 Garand stripper clip sound characterized by a “ping” that alerts you it’s time to reload.


When you shove the clip down into the M1’s magazine, and then release pressure, the bolt grabs a cartridge and slams it into battery.

Myth: One claim is that you can load 8+1 into the Garand. You can’t do it.


Myth: The “ping” sound was not something that alerted enemy troops that a soldier’s rifle was empty. A Military Channel documentary spawned this cliché. It’s almost laughable to think the ping sound could be heard at distance among the thunderous roar of a firefight—or that a soldier would pop his head up and provide an easy target when his rifle ran dry.

Loading Garand Clips
There is a correct way to load the clip so that you don’t slam the bolt down on your thumb and earn the coveted “M1 Garand Thumb” Award.


Just make sure you use the side of your hand to keep the bolt retained while inserting the clip.

Here’s an excellent video on loading:



Troubleshooting
Seat all the rounds fully. If they're not, you'll have a dickens of a time inserting the clip.

From GarandGear.com:

“As a general rule you want the top round to be on the side of the clip with the indexed bump (Shown below). This positions the top round such that when right-handed shooters press the clip in the round is closer to the right hand. The clip can be loaded either way without issue.”

M1 Garand clip loading. Photo: Garandgear.com
M1 Garand clip loading. Photo: Garandgear.com
Additional causes of M1 Garand clip malfunction:

Excessive Parkerizing on the clip that causes binding (remove with abrasive paper)
Operating rod locked back fully (don’t touch!)
Op-rod correctly assembled
Inspect the slideway and follower for any burrs, and remove
Look for interference from the bullet guide
If clips don’t eject after last round you may have a weak or broken clip ejector

[2A-Jay]

I love Garand Rifles but hate M1 Thumb

[M-Tecs]

I love Garand Rifles but hate M1 Thumb

Never got bit by any of my Garands. I did get bit at Camp Perry with an M-14 in slow fire when the bolt stopped on the mag and not the bolt stop. I get bit hard enough that every shot bounced a drop of blood on by glasses. Since than even with the M-14 or M1A I hook the charging handle with my palm same as I do with the M1.

[Jack Stanley]

I never had a problem with the bolt or my thumb , that came from holding the clip of ammo all the way down until I was ready to move my hand ......... quickly out of the way .

Jack

[derek45]

I love Garand Rifles but hate M1 Thumb

Sounds like a training issue.

The Garand will not bite you if you handle her correctly.

typically "M1 thumb" is from failing to lock the bolt fully rearward, goofing around with an empty rifle.

[country gent]

There are several different clips for the Garand available [. the original 8 round, A 5 round, a 2 round and the sled clip this stands for single load enhancement device. 8,5, and 2 round all eject with the last round fired and are fir the number of rounds desired. The Sled locks in the gun and requires a bullets point, screw driver, or knife point to remove it locks in place. The sled clip allows for single loaded rounds to be chambered from the clip ( like an m14 m1a) pushing the round under the feed lip.

2 rounds can be loaded in the garand with the 8 rd clip takes a little practice but can be done cross the 2 rounds in the clip with it in riffle and push down until it seats. Ive never tried 5 rounds like this. In high power I used a lot of 8 round clips and a sled.

All of these are made from the 8 round clip with the bottom rails cut and reformed. The sled is made from 8 round clips but is a little different in that the top rail is reworked

[Thumbcocker]

I never had a problem with the bolt or my thumb , that came from holding the clip of ammo all the way down until I was ready to move my hand ......... quickly out of the way .

Jack

This has worked for me as well.

[M-Tecs]

How to lad and how not to load.

[Adam Helmer]

M-Tecs,

Excellent post. I got my first Garand in 1964 and fired it in rifle matches for many years. I never had an "M-1 Thumb" and those who did were merely slow learners. LOL. I finally shot my Garand onto my state high power rifle team and shot at Camp Perry in 1982 and 1984.

John Garand made a fine rifle, but I never understood why he went with that clip? The BAR, the M1903 and M1917 .30-06 arms in U.S. inventory at that time, used a magazine. If the M1 had had a magazine, a soldier could load one, 3 or 8 rounds and shoot. As issued, without the CLIP, a soldier only has a single shot Garand rifle! By 1936, the Mannlicher clip feed system was obsolete and not used by any other first line nation.

Adam

[AggieEE]

Adam Helmer, A story that I heard, and it has all the validity of any other unverified story, that supposedly Garand wanted to use the BAR mag but MacArthur, who was head of the armory at that time, thought that it would "Interfere with proper drill and ceremony." I do know that Garand wanted to use a 7mm cartridge and MacArthur said use the 30-06 since we have a warehouse full of ammo. But I always thought that the clip was from the gitgo.

[Adam Helmer]

Adam Helmer, A story that I heard, and it has all the validity of any other unverified story, that supposedly Garand wanted to use the BAR mag but MacArthur, who was head of the armory at that time, thought that it would "Interfere with proper drill and ceremony." I do know that Garand wanted to use a 7mm cartridge and MacArthur said use the 30-06 since we have a warehouse full of ammo. But I always thought that the clip was from the gitgo.

AggieEE,

Ok, so If Garand could not use the 20-round BAR magazine for his Garand, why did he NOT go with a flush magazine of 8 or 10 rounds which would not interfere with "drill and ceremony?" Only Italy, among the Axis nations, used the obsolete Mannlicher Clip system. John Garand was brilliant and dumb at the same time. He developed a fine rifle and adopted an OBSOLETE ammo feed system. How many trillion 8-round Garand clips were needlessly produced in WWII?

Adam

[charlie b]

You should probably say that McArthur was brilliant and dumb at the same time A trait that showed up many times throughout his career.

Maybe Browning came up with the clip expecting the Army to insist on a magazine since the clip was such a step backwards. Then he was surprised when the Army accepted it.

PS this one firearm was probably the reason why so many people refer to magazines as 'clips'.

[samari46]

One trick on some of the heavily phosphated en block clips is to oil the insides well and steel wool the insides as well. Then clean well to remove the oil and resulting crud. They will feed much easier. Same for the sks stripper clips. Except most of the time you can get the steel and brass brushes at Harbor Freight and use those. With the 5 round clips for the 303 British there are a lot of burrs where those round holes are. Brass gets all scratched up and I like shiney brass. With these I'll wrap some 400 grit silicone carbide paper around a small file and spritz some oil on the clip. removes the burrs on the sides, bottom and insides as well. Clean well. Funny how much they want for M1 clips now a days. Even the Enfield clips and sks clips as well. Years back everyone just threw them away. Frank

[Winger Ed.]

Myth: The “ping” sound was not something that alerted enemy troops that a soldier’s rifle was empty.

Of the couple of old GIs I've talked to who fought in the Pacific,
they said if there was a Jap. close enough to hear it---- they were already dead.

[country gent]

I believe the garand and its clip was genius at a time when it was truly needed. A rifle chambered in a solid caliber that was proven in battle to be effective. Heavy enough in weight to help control recoil and also for those times when a butt slap was needed. Exceptionally accurate and reliable in almost all conditions. And last the rifle did everything but load itself. No empty clip to remove partials could be ejected easily when desired. A solider with a bandoleer of ammo was very formidable. The other semi autos of the day had way more movements to load and change magazines. The garand was ahead of its time and a very fine rifle I dont see the clip as a hindrance or throw back reused, I see the system as ahead of its time in many ways. Something to consider is even the replacement (M14) had a stripper clip guide to charge partial mags on the receiver. Both the M14 and M16 had ammo issued in stripper clips with a Guide for the mags to fill them.

[fgd135]

If you ever get a chance to compete in a "rattle battle" match with an M1, you will find out how quickly and easily it can be reloaded and the target(s) re-acquired. The 8 round clip is genius. For it's time, it was a wondrous infantry weapon.

[tominboise]

The 8 round clip is also way cheaper to manufacture than a box mag, which has at least 4 distinct parts that must be made and then it has to be assembled.

[M-Tecs]

I love the M1 Garand. That being said I am in the camp that maintains the EnBlock clip is a elegant solution to a problem that didn't exist. It's not like BAR mags hadn't been around since 1918. This was a cost based decision.

[15meter]

Not only cost but complexity of clip vs. magazine and material availability during the war, it would be interesting to see the weight difference between a clip and an equal capacity full magazine.

How many extra loaded clips could a GI carry in the field as opposed to full magazines?

My best friend's dad walked most of Sicily and Italy carrying an M1, That was one of his most common comments was carrying the rifle and ammo was brutal. He never made it past 5'6" and during his service days was probably under 135 soaking wet.

During the war they were desperate for steel of any kind. They ran scrap drives for almost any material you can think of. There would be a lot more "antiques" around today if they hadn't been melted down to make tanks. Or M1 clips.

When they designed the M1 this may not have been part of the design criteria, but it certainly seemed to have worked well.



Right down to instructions on how to best prepare the can for the war effort.

[Thumbcocker]

There was a Polish self loading rifle that was in the troop trials phase when Poland was over run. Forgotten weapons has a video on it. It was much simpler than the M1 operating system with fewer parts. What might have been.