Garand question

[Calcitanium]

A friend just sold me one of his Garands -- a question he's wondering about has to do with disassembly.

He says that shortly after the machine gun nest was captured in Saving Pvt Ryan, Hanks is shown "unhinging the mag floorplate and removing the carriage mechanism."

Would anybody know how that is done? Thanks.

I'd also appreciate a link to somewhere providing information on operation of the Garand (hopefully including gas mechanism).

Apparently Hanks did that to render the rifle unusable to Germans finding it?

Thanks.

 

[Poodleshooter]

He removed the trigger group and tossed it. I'm a little fuzzy on my Garand stripping technique, but IIRC, it involves pulling forward and down on the trigger guard....

 

[James K]

I don't know who did what in what movie, but the M1 rifle (it was never called a "Garand" in service) disassembles by pulling back and down on the rear of the trigger guard. If the trigger guard is the milled type with the crossways hole, a cartridge can be used as a lever by inserting it bullet first into the hole.

Once the trigger guard is swung down, the trigger housing can be removed and the receiver and barrel taken out of the stock.

Unlocking and swinging down on the trigger guard can also be used to recock the rifle without opening the bolt in case of a misfire that might be a hangfire.

I recommend you obtain a copy of the field manual (available at many gun shows and gun shops) or one of the civilian books on use of the M1 rifle. There is just too much info to provide here.

Jim

 

[Kernel]

for the U.S. Rifle, CALIBER .30, M1