New to M1 Garand

[Farmritch]

Greg, this is called on the CMP forum the DBU e mail
in other words
Don't Bother Us
Your order in in thier hands and now you just have to wait
Now you need to check in on the CMP site to see when your odrer is processed and it should arrive about 2-4 days after your credit card is charged

Let us know how it goes and now that you are in the infant stages of Garanditus you may also want to join the CMP forum

 

[beez1954]

Forum joined, books purchased. Just need to smash my thumb and I'm all set.

Greg

 

[Fordtough25]

I am getting my M1 Saturday, I can't wait to shoot it!

 

[TRWXXA]

Forum joined, books purchased. Just need to smash my thumb and I'm all set.

Greg

If your not firing in a combat situation, you shouldn't have any experience with the dreaded M1 Thumb. Pay attention to what you are doing, and be deliberate in doing it. The biggest cause of M1 Thumb is not having the bolt locked back all the way. If the bolt is just back far enough for the follow to catch on it, and not held back by the op rod/op rod catch, the second the follower is depressed... SLAM!!

The books show clips being loaded with just the thumb pushing down on them, but as soon as the clip bottoms out and downward pressure is released... SLAM, again!!!! You'd better get your opposable digit out of the way, FAST!

Make it a habit of keeping the edge of your hand against the op rod handle when loading. It'll keep the op rod and bolt from moving forward. Just pull your thumb out of the receiver, then let the op rod fly (don't ride it forward) and you're ready to shoot.

If you're not a purist, you can get on of these: Holbrook Device My better-half is a lefty, and she has a very difficult time loading an M1 right-handed, so I got one for her CMP "Springfield Special". Works like a charm, and is easier to use than a "SLED".

 

[beez1954]

If your not firing in a combat situation, you shouldn't have any experience with the dreaded M1 Thumb. Pay attention to what you are doing, and be deliberate in doing it. The biggest cause of M1 Thumb is not having the bolt locked back all the way. If the bolt is just back far enough for the follow to catch on it, and not held back by the op rod/op rod catch, the second the follower is depressed... SLAM!!

The books show clips being loaded with just the thumb pushing down on them, but as soon as the clip bottoms out and downward pressure is released... SLAM, again!!!! You'd better get your opposable digit out of the way, FAST!

Make it a habit of keeping the edge of your hand against the op rod handle when loading. It'll keep the op rod and bolt from moving forward. Just pull your thumb out of the receiver, then let the op rod fly (don't ride it forward) and you're ready to shoot.

If you're not a purist, you can get on of these: Holbrook Device My better-half is a lefty, and she has a very difficult time loading an M1 right-handed, so I got one for her CMP "Springfield Special". Works like a charm, and is easier to use than a "SLED".

Thanks for the advice.
Newb quesstion though- Is the proper method:
1) Using only your right hand to both hold the op-rod back and inserting the clip while holding the fore-end of the stock with your left? or
2) Holding the op-rod back with your right hand and inserting the clip with the left? or
3) Use whichever method works for me ( practicing in the privacy of my own home in case I need some time for my thumbnail to regain its normal color before I go to the range)?

Again guys: thanks for all your advice. My only experience to date has been with magazine fed rifles.

Greg

 

[jblomenberg16]

The bolt will actually hold open when the op-rod is pulled fully to the rear (you can hear and feel it). It should do this after firing the last round as well.

However, it is possible to pull the op rod about 15/16 of the way back, and for the follower to actually spring up in front of the bolt face and hold it open. Thus creating ideal conditions for M1 Thumb.


The manual the CMP sends with each rifle gives instructions similar to what TRWXXA stated.

Pull the bolt fully to the rear with your right hand until it locks open. Insert the loaded en block clip with your right hand, applying downard pressure with your thumb. The remaining fingers should be along side the receiver, with the fleshy part of your hand below your pinky firmly up against the charging handle. This provides enough rearward pressure to keep the bolt from slamming home once the clip is fully inserted.

On some rifles, the bolt will not close after you remove your hand. It may be necessary to strike the back of the handle with your palm to get it moving so it slams home.


Punchline is that reloading is a two handed operation:

Left hand holds the rifle steady, right hand inserts the clip and helps keep the bolt / op-rod from moving forward too soon.

 

[TRWXXA]

Thanks for the advice.
Newb quesstion though- Is the proper method:
1) Using only your right hand to both hold the op-rod back and inserting the clip while holding the fore-end of the stock with your left? or
2) Holding the op-rod back with your right hand and inserting the clip with the left? or
3) Use whichever method works for me ( practicing in the privacy of my own home in case I need some time for my thumbnail to regain its normal color before I go to the range)?

Again guys: thanks for all your advice. My only experience to date has been with magazine fed rifles.

Greg

Either way you wish. You may want to practice reloading from various shooting positions -- as you would if you were competing. You'll find (if you're right-handed) that you'll just hold the fore-end in your left hand, and do everything else with the right.

A properly functioning M1 will not let the bolt close unless certain conditions are met. You can insert a loaded clip into the receiver, and properly align it with no problem. Then place the side of your right hand (below the pinky) against the op rod handle. With the side of your hand holding the op rod back (remember, it hasn't been released yet), use your thumb to push the loaded clip all the way down. When the clip bottoms out, and you release pressure on the top round, the clip moves up a little and gets held in by the clip latch. This small motion releases the op rod catch, and the op rod handle should now push against the side of your hand. Now, deliberately raise your thumb out of the receiver without moving the rest of your hand. Once it's clear quickly move your hand forward and to the right, letting the op rod move forward. The op rod will carry the bolt forward, stripping the top round out of the clip and into the chamber.

If you want to close the bolt on an empty magazine, put the side of your hand against the handle, push the follower down with your thumb, push the handle back a little to relase, then let the bolt ride forward about half way over the follower. Raise your thumb out of the reciever, then let the op rod go.

As jblomenberg16 said, some M1s require that the op rod be coaxed forward after reloading. Smack it with the meaty part of your hand, below the pinky. But be sure that the motion you make carries your hand out to the right. In the unlikely event of a slam-fire, this ensures your hand will be clear of the op rond handle when it cycles back. Sometimes the bolt will not go all the way into battery when the op rod is released. Again, smack the op rod handle forward using the same care.

Once you learn how the M1 operates, you'll figure out the best method that works for you. Don't fear M1 Thumb. Almost every case of it was caused by careless handling.

 

[Dog1]

So..you want to buy a M1 Garand.. - AR15.COM

 

[Fordtough25]

Wow, that's all I can say. What a thrill to shoot an M1 Garand again after all these years! I had no trouble loading the clip, and I do not have a garand thumb. I love it!

 

[beez1954]

Guys:

Thanks for the generous input from all who posted. Didn't mean to hijack the OP's thread but I hope he kept reading and will "pull the trigger" on his purchase. The amount of views on this topic should be an indicator of the interest in this rifle. I believe every firearm enthusiast should have the opportunity to fire this rifle and hopefully own their own. Lots of guys have gotten the opportunity to fire them- but we get the chance to shoot them for pleasure.
Again thanks


Greg

 

[ol' poke]

Gotta love the "Greatest battle implement ever devised."

I bought my International Harvester about 10 years ago from the CMP. "Irene" was made in Evansville, IN! Came home from work one day and she was sitting on my front porch! She was covered in grease and grime. I did the Eazy-Off method to clean the stocks up and she's now a beauty! She still shoots better than I do.

Man, I love this forum! Another post on shooting with your son reminded me to get "Irene" out of the safe and go blast some of that Greek ammo with my boy this week!

Thanks guys!

ol' poke.

 

[03A3]

Set the rear sight windage scale to the center mark, then drift the front sight until the windage is set dead on.
After you get your elevation dialed in so that the elevation wheel is on the 100 yard mark with the point of impact of your choosing, record the number of clicks "up" from being bottomed out to achieve this zero. I use a paint stick and write this number on the inside of the buttstock door for the cleaning kit.