M-1 Garand / .308 conversion questions , plz ?

C

cepilot

Inactive
Im doing a .308 M1 Garand conversion , ( just had installed a Wilson .308 NM barrel on a stripped receiver I bought ) and was told that you don't really need the mag well filler block ? , but to be safe it keeps from loading a full 30-06 clip , and helps the shorter round jump the gap into the chamber ...OK , so I'll install one ....
But heard if you install one of the metal conversion block units they affect negative on accuracy , so use one of the nylon/plastic units ... then I just read that the nylon units are junk so use a metal conversion block .. so what's the opinion of the forum ? , ...
I think I'd rather swing towards better accuracy over wear and issues ? ... ...and who carries the nylon units and the metal units and if there are several manufactures of each , which is better ? ( web link please ? )
... thanks in advance for your comments ... Mikey
 
The filler block can keep a round from jumping forward (the original purpose of the bullet guide) but that doesn't happen unless there is something wrong with the clip. I see no harm in it, just that it is not really necessary. Try the rifle without it and if you have a problem you can always install one.

(Some time ago, a poster on another site wrote that the filler was necessary because otherwise a .30-'06 could be loaded into a 7.62 chamber and "blow up the gun." I suspect he was not too familiar with either cartridge.)

Jim
 
There is a issue if the steal spacer block rubs the follower arm it could wear out sooner not a issue with the plastic version as its softer and will glide better than the steal dragging up and down.

I don't like notching the stock to fit them I'm lazy.
 
With the four US Navy issued match grade 7.62 NATO Garands as well as my own that I wore out the barrels in, none had that spacer. Neither did the dozens of them I saw used by fellow USN team members as well as civilians and all those used by the US Air Force Rifle Teams.

Those spacers were installed first for converted rifles being sent to the USN Recruit Training Commands. Others with that spacer were sent to some other placers where folks not too familiar with the converted ones and might try to load .30-06 ammo in them.

The M1's bullet guide is a very important and often overlooked part on the M1. Having nothing to do with guiding bullets in the original design, this part sets the timing for releasing the op-rod catch when a clip is inserted. The bullet guide also acts as a strength member for the receiver legs. And it helps keep full clips positioned so they'll fit in the receiver right when loaded and latch correctly in place.

Service ammo's bullets are firmly crimped in cases as well as glued in place by asphultum. That keeps the bullets well fixed in case mouths so even full auto machine guns without such a part as the action cycles.

Good clips will hold the case heads well in place and none will move forward in recoil.

As your M1's barrel wears away, you can seat bullets out further but no closer to .025" short of touching the leade to maintain the rifle's accuracy level. With that spacer in the rifle, you may not be able to do that.
 
Last edited:
The role of the bullet guide as a strength member and support for the op rod catch is incidental; both could have been done differently without a separate part. The vertical part really is a "bullet guide", though; in case a round jumps forward from recoil, or a bullet tries to jump out of the case, the guide keeps the bullet point from jamming the rifle. Those things don't happen normally since the clip design prevents the first and the neck sizing plus the sealant of GI ammo prevent the latter. I suspect that in some tests, probably with earlier designs, one or both of those things happened and Garand decided to prevent it happening again and hanging up the rifle.

(Yes, I have Pyle's book, and I know what he says, but I can also look at the rifles and see how they work.)

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top