Wow what a Christmas morning....

[dk17hmr]

This morning my dad came into my room yelling to wake me up to eat breakfast and exchange our gifts to each other.

My parents ussally go way over board on my brother, his girlfriend, myself and my girlfriend, ussally giving us a few small gifts and one big gift each, Zac my older brother got to his big gift first and opened a box full of parts, which once all put together make an AR-15. Zac isnt much for guns or shooting but over this past year he has shot my AR-15's as well as my dads alot and has shown some intrest in getting his own some day.

Well he has his own now!
18" A2 rifle, my dad coached him through putting the rifle together.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/skruske/zacfirstshot.jpg

As for mine there were plenty of hints along the way of unwrapping my big gift, 2 Garand Clips, a Garand Stock. Then finally a whole rifle, with alot of paper work to read through having never shot a Garand, I read what was important to firing my first few shots and takin the rifle apart for cleaning.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/skruske/douggarand.jpg

I was didnt know what to say when I took the rifle out of the case, I was excited and suprised and about ready to cry. I know sissy right. Dad got me an extra stock so I can refinish it, the one on the rifle was arsenal repaired.

Shot 4 clips through my new rifle with GI ball ammo and had to put it away because my girlfriend was coming over and I told her I would go with her to meet her family for dinner and such.

Oh, the parents got it from the CMP in Ohio, while they were down there dad pick a parts gun up for himself, reciever and barrel I think was all he got, then bought the rest of the stuff on line and put one together for himself.

What a day.

[Scrounger]

Doug, you are one lucky kid. Not just in the great Christmas gifts, but far more in having a great family 365 days a year. It is so great that you have the same interests and can enjoy them together. Enjoy your life, and appreciate your parents every day of it.

[SharpsShooter]

Tell your folks that most of us here are available for adoption.


SS

[KCSO]

I got a bottle of aftershave and a sweater that just fit my Son in Law! Its hell gettin' old.

[Boz330]

:brokenima :lol: Watch out for M-1 Thumb syndrome.[smilie=1:

[garandsrus]

dk17hmr,

Congratulations on getting a Garand!

If you would like some more Garand clips, let me know and I will send you some. I have more than I will ever use.

John

[versifier]

Watch out for M-1 Thumb syndrome.

Push the clip home with your INDEX finger angled and pointing toward the muzzle. That way, when the clip hits home and the bolt comes forward, it will just push your finger up and out of the way painlessly. I had a boltface imprint on my purpled thumb for more than a month after the first time I took mine for a workout. Then I looked up the proper procedure in a 50's vintage Marine manual. Live and learn. Happy Holidays. Ditto on the availability for adoption. :mrgreen:

[dk17hmr]

Garandsrus, thanks but my dad picked us up 1000 rounds preloaded on clips of that GI Ball ammo, so once we get to shooting that stuff up we will have more then enough clips for both of us.

I saw Gunny explain on Mail Call about "M1 Thumb" a few months ago and it stuck in my head for some reason and with my first clip I made sure my thumb was the hell out of the way.

I would love to hear anything and everything anyone would like to tell me about reloading cast bullets for my rifle. There has to be a certain operating pressure to make the rifle function porperly, so the cast reloads are going to be "hot" right? Not like the loads for my 1903 with a 200gr bullet at 1500 fps.

[Boz330]

I was referring to the military way of doing it for inspection. Never had it happen to me but I'll bet it smarts.
They had the M14s when I was in but handled them in Jr. NRA were most of the instructors were War 2 vets.:coffee:

[Scrounger]

Doug, it isn't velocity that matters with cast bullets but pressure, and in the case of the Garand, "port pressure". That is the gas pressure close to the muzzle where the gas port is located. The pressure needs to be at a particular level to operate the action correctly. Too low and it won't cycle; too high and it will slam viscously and eventually break the operating rod. I don't remember what that pressure is (14, 000 psi comes to mind), but there are some experts here who can tell you and give you some good loads to use. People always used to say not to shoot heavy bullets in it, it would damage the op rod. Most of them didn't understand that the reason was that heavier bullets were usually loaded with slower burning powders which still had too high a gas pressure at the gas port. Nothing slower than IMR 4064 was the usual recommendation. IMR 4064 will work well with heavy bullets. Shooting cast bullets in it presents a unique situation. You need to keep the chamber pressure fairly low to keep from damaging the cast bullets, yet have high enough pressure 22 inches up the barrel to operate the action. This might be a situation where a heavy charge of a slow powder like 860 or 870 might work out well. Just keep asking for loads here, I know there are some very knowledgeable people here have gone through all that and have the answers for you.

[redneckdan]

I found that 36-38grs of IMR 4895 workls great with a 180gr lee flatnose gas checked boolit. I fin out where it is just enough to cycle the action and add another .5 gr to be sure. Each lot will be alittle differnt. If you look in the accurate reloading manuals, it gives you a range of powders which are acceptable for garand work.

[mag_01]

:coffee: ---Nice Christmas---Enjoy your gifts and your family----Mag

[garandsrus]

Doug,

You will probably like the "Greek" ammo your Dad puchased... I think it is more accurate than the Springfield Armory ammo that the CMP also sells. An added benefit is that the primer is just "staked" in and is not crimped. You can reload the brass without having to remove the crimp just like you would commercial ammo.

Now you need to find a Garand match to enter!

Good shooting...

John