Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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Not that you can't figure it out on your own, but here's some pretty good information on the finer points of greasing your M1.
PS.. I like that dark Beech; you don't see that every day.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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I should have put a winkie for the butter.

Yes: it's the hand guard. Also, when the bolt is part way open the cover and the internal stuff rattle. I see that as part of what I should learn learn to get used to, compared to bolt guns. What a fun journey.

The pine tar is a neat thing I learned from the Finns. They have a special pine tar, yet domestic brands do the same thing--but it doesn't smell like Finland. Once you get the stock prepped, you warm the pine tar in the sun and cut it 50/50 with turpentine, and you slather it on--wear gloves and old clothes, as everything can get gooey. Then you use a heat gun and heat the wood up while slathering on more mixture, all the while avoiding setting yourself and the surrounding countryside aflame. Repeat until it can't hold any more. I wipe off the excess then, but the Finns weren't so keen on that, leaving some hunks on for texture. Dries in a couple days. Then you put on a coat of 50/50 BLO and turpentine, then it dries for a few days. Wax if desired. I do that with my groovy guns but not the blue collar, working ones, the wax.

I am honored to own this gun. The more I mess with it, the more I like it. I was unable to finish my home stuff, so it sits awaiting some future range trip--sooner rather than later. Mondays always intrude upon real life.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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Nice, nice, nice. Now you're starting to make me feel all antsy because I have to wait unknown months before mine comes in.

WTF, I checked my order on the CMP eStore today, and it says it shipped and is coming in tomorrow. Not complaining, actually I'm quite shocked because I thought it took 2-6 months (I only got service grade)! From time of mailing in my order to delivery tomorrow it's actually less than one month.
Last edited by pdoggeth on Tue Sep 30, 2014 7:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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pdoggeth wrote:
wlewisiii wrote:
pdoggeth wrote:Nice, nice, nice. Now you're starting to make me feel all antsy because I have to wait unknown months before mine comes in.
I can tell you where to find a National Match Garand for $1200... :whistle:
Yeah but I think both my wife and my wallet will object to that. :crazy:
Do you already have an order in with CMP? Unless you're stipulating a Springfield, they should be kicking one out the door pretty quickly.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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beaurrr wrote:
pdoggeth wrote:
wlewisiii wrote:
pdoggeth wrote:Nice, nice, nice. Now you're starting to make me feel all antsy because I have to wait unknown months before mine comes in.
I can tell you where to find a National Match Garand for $1200... :whistle:
Yeah but I think both my wife and my wallet will object to that. :crazy:
Do you already have an order in with CMP? Unless you're stipulating a Springfield, they should be kicking one out the door pretty quickly.
Yuppers I do have a current order with CMP, and amazingly, it was much faster than my expectations. In fact, it should be arriving tomorrow (according to the email I just got today, and the tracking number)! This was a one month turn around, whereas on their site they claim a 2-6 month wait, so color me surprised!

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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I did a "function test" this morning at the range. I had a box of 20, but I saved an enbloc of 8 because I always like to keep a full clip for each rifle at home. For bolt guns that's five. The Garand gets 8. I shot 12 rounds at 100 meters.

On the first shot, I felt the op rod slide past my left index finger, so I changed my normal hold. That was exciting for seconds on end. The rascal ejects the brass nearly over to the next county. I lost three of them. :-(

What a pussy cat compared to non gas-operated bolt guns. I didn't even wear my recoil pad. I put it on for the other rifle I brought.

Very fun gun to shoot. All on paper, and easily one minute of bad guy at 100 meters, though I was unfamiliar with the whole set up. Once I'm "on it," I'll see how I shoot. The front sight blade is a bit fat, so I might look into those competition thinner blades. The peep is different from the ones I have on my 03A3 and my Finn m39. But it's so close to my eye it acts like a lens if I choose to shoot without glasses--I tested that just in the back yard, with and without glasses, just sighting.

I totally understand why Patton said what he said. He was correct for the times.

Fun gun.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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I think the buttstock is Danish. That gives me a clue about how to match the color and maybe how to find the hand guards. This picture looks like the piece of paper inside my barrel channel, but the writing on mine is all smudged--this pic is not mine, but the paper looks similar with font and fields.

Image


link:

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=58844

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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It's actually a project rifle. I got the complete action and the stock parts separately. I'm looking for beech hand guards if you run into any. I think I have to haul it out to the range again and generate 20 more empty cases. Then I'll be better able to communicate about the accuracy.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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beaurrr wrote:
CDFingers wrote: This thing sure rattles more than a bolt gun.
CDFingers
Just curious...what's rattling, besides the handguard, which is supposed to rattle?
How much is it supposed to rattle? The front hand guard moves forward about a half a millimeter.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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CDFingers wrote:
beaurrr wrote:
CDFingers wrote: This thing sure rattles more than a bolt gun.
CDFingers
Just curious...what's rattling, besides the handguard, which is supposed to rattle?
How much is it supposed to rattle? The front hand guard moves forward about a half a millimeter.

CDFingers
Sounds about right. Just enough to keep it from getting too tight as the barrel warms. You can try the cardstock (or matchbook) test. Should fit snugly between the ferrule thingy and the gas cylinder. Oh, and don't handle the rifle by the handguard.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

43
CDFingers wrote: On the first shot, I felt the op rod slide past my left index finger, so I changed my normal hold. That was exciting for seconds on end.
...
What a pussy cat compared to non gas-operated bolt guns. I didn't even wear my recoil pad. I put it on for the other rifle I brought.
...
The peep is different from the ones I have on my 03A3 and my Finn m39. But it's so close to my eye it acts like a lens if I choose to shoot without glasses--I tested that just in the back yard, with and without glasses, just sighting
That's one of those things M1 Garand shooters learn right away but forget to mention to new Garand shooters -- keep your fingers (and everything else) away from the op rod when you're shooting. You could interfere with the action and, at worst, hurt yourself.

Concerning recoil, that steel buttplate looks scary, but the combination of robust gas action and substantial rifle weight absorbs a surprising amount of it. As one old gunny told me, a lot of skinny 19-year-olds managed to shoot a whole lot of rounds through M1 Garands, and a sore shoulder was about the last thing you would hear them complain about.

I've noticed that slight magnifying effect of the aperture sight as well, but have rarely heard anyone comment on it. Curious. And nice.

CDF, I really enjoy your photography. You do great honor to these venerable rifles.
"To initiate a war of aggression...is the supreme international crime" - Nuremberg prosecutor Robert Jackson, 1946

Re: As The Garand Turns + pics...

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Since few LGC folks frequent the same specialty boards I do, here is another pic. This one shows the difference in color for the front hand guard from earlier pics: This represents the new color after three applications of BlO/mineral spirits. It has now darkened enough to match a bit more closely. I'm still keeping my eyes open for beech hand guards. These will work just fine in the mean time. I'm champin' and the bit for another range trip, but my life has scheduled my near-future days away from the range. When I go next, I should be able to post a 100 yard target, which, if I have calculated correctly, should show groups about two to three inches high of the 100 yard bull.

Image


There is also a small bit of looseness between the large part of the stock and where it hinges in to the front hand guard. I can move it a bit. I was thinking of making a thin brass shim to slip in there, with a tab that bends in and keeps it in place. Any thoughts on this "looseness?" Thanks for the appreciation of the pics--I enjoy taking them and sometimes pursue groupings I've seen in dreams.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

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