Match-grade M1 Garands?

M

MatthewVanitas

New member
Greetings,
I've been interested in getting a Garand for some time, both for target shooting fun, and for contigency.

I am interested in the Garand over competing full-power semi-autos like the FAL and M1A for several reasons, one of which being that I really like box magazines. It was very distressing learning to fire the M16A2 and realizing that I could either lie flat and be unable to use the sights, or get in proper prone position with my head stuck way up and the end of the magazine stuck in the dust. I'm fine being limited to eight rounds if it means I can lie flat, and not have to worry about buying $50 mags because of some ban.

Anywha, I was wondering what reccommendations folks have for makers/customizers of M1 Garands. Is it best to buy an action (or full Danish rifle) from CMP and have it overhauled, or just buy the whole piece from the customizer? What features should I look for (placing a premium on accuracy, reliability, and hopefully a good synthetic stock)? Can I get a compensator or some sort of Vortex flashsuppressor/muzzlebrake combo without breaking current laws? Any guess what such rifles runs these days?

Any tips from Garand fans out there much appreciated.
-LCpl Matthew Boris

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--Capitalism isn't a program or a system like "socialism," but a description of reality like "the Pythagorean theorem." Deal with it.
 
Matthew, Welcome !
Try Fulton Armory http://www.fulton-armory.com/ you will find quite a bit of information on the U.S. Rifle M1 there.
The only downside to "Matching Up" a Garand is the way the front end modification has to work makes it a bit fragile.
HTH. Hank

[This message has been edited by HankL (edited September 06, 2000).]
 
Matthew - You might also take a look at Orion 7 Enterprises

For optimum accuracy, you'll want a high quality barrel (Kreiger is well regarded) with a full bedding job, as well as all of the other accuracy enhancing 'tricks.'

You can LEGALLY mount any kind of flash suppressor / muzzle brake / what have you.

Another option is to spend the $500.00 to get a Garand through the CMP, shoot it, see how you like it and then have a custom match rifle built around the receiver.

Cliff
 
I have owned mini14s, Fals, AKs, and ARs. Hands down, I like the Garand the best. Clips are fast. Faster than box mags. Like you mention, you can get close to the ground. The Garand handles and balances way better than the Fal for me. I have been to tactical carbine classes with my Garand. I was not limited a bit. You should have heard the difference when the AR guys shot steel at 100 yards. All I own are Garands now.
 
While I won't (or can't) recommend any gunsmith to do the work for you, I'd like to offer my two cents:

Barrel. This is most important thing you can do for accurizing your M1 Garand. Get a good heavy match quality barrel like Douglas, Shilen, Krieghoff, etc. Everything else is just bells and whistles if your barrel can't place the shot consistently.

Bedding. Stablize your action by having it bedded. This results in more consistent harmonics (something we're concerned about in any target/sniper rifle) which means greater repeatability. Better yet, bed a synthetic stock for the best stability you'll get.

Trigger. Crisp trigger pull is a must.

Gas Piston/Gas Cylinder fit. The sloppier the fit, the more play and inconsistency in your rifle. Some match reconditioning includes silver soldering on a larger piston head which is fitted to the Gas Cylinder.

Lug - not as critical on the M1 Garand as on the M14/M1A since the Garand has much more to bed against than the M14/M1A. However, anything which adds to stability and consistent harmonics helps.

There are other things like better sights, unitized handguards and what not. But put most of your effort into the Barrel first.

Oh, on the issue of flash suppressors or other muzzle doo-dads, forget them. An 11 degree crown is preferred by match shooters and your Garand should be no different.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave3006:
I was not limited a bit. You should have heard the difference when the AR guys shot steel at 100 yards.[/quote]


Yup! tink. tink. tink. Compared to KALANG!!!!! :D Like I always said if ya gonna shoot something get a caliber where if you shoot it it STAYS shot.

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Carlyle Hebert
 
If you want a Garand accurize, I can recommend 'Mac' McCoy. He was a naval armorer and had been working on M1s forever. He can build you one in either '06 or 308, lugged or unlugged, etc. ...

I have a triple lugged M1 built by Mac. It has an Obermeyer barrel in .308 and set-up for highpower competition. Let me tell you, this gun bump me from marksman to expert that one week I used it in Camp Perry for the nationals. However, his rifles don't come cheap.

Let me know if you are interested and I will give you his phone number. He lives in Santee, California.
 
I'd definitely go .308 for a match rifle.

Also I would just get a good receiver and build it up. Buying a Rifle through the CMP is a good way to get a good receiver on a complete rifle for the price of what some of these dealers are asking for stripped receivers at shows.

you can use the bbl that you take off of it as a spare.

Also the bedding is real important. AND get the NM sights that have the rear sight w/ the 1/2 minute adjustment knob, and smaller aperture
 
I recommend you get one of the Danish Garands
from CMP. They are $100 cheaper then the service grades and you can use the money you save to buy a nice laminated stock.

All the Danish rifles I have seen had almost new VAR barrels installed. They are supposed to be amoung the best of the GI barrels. If you want to rebarrel you can sell the old barrel.

CMP is out of the cheaper receivers so unless you have a cheap source for parts go for a whole rifle.
 
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