The joy of an M1 Garand

[SC4006]

Yesterday I took my M1 out for the first time in maybe 6 months. I know, that's WAY too long. However with college, work, and the National Guard leisure shooting for me has been sort of put on the back burner for a little bit. With college done for now I finally have some much needed days off, and what better way to spend one than shooting the Ol' M1?

I had forgotten just how fantastic the M1 is to shoot. With good hearing protection the blast isn't bad at all, and the weight plus the semi automatic action really turn the 30-06 into a very pleasurable round to shoot. Didn't do any real serious target shooting, just plinking with my AR500 gong, and some cinder blocks which is what I enjoy doing most.

Anyone else find the M1 Garand extremely pleasurable to shoot?

[Wyosmith]

One of life's true pleasures.

[P71pilot]

I love the M1 garand and have only shot one a handful of times. My uncle has one that he got from my dad that I have already admired.and wanted.

[dahermit]

Anyone else find the M1 Garand extremely pleasurable to shoot?

I was issued M1 Garand number 1603418 at Fort Knox for Basic Training in August 1962. During qualification, I was hitting nearly all the targets ("trainfire", pop up targets at varying distances, not "known distance", with bullseye targets), shooting easly "expert". However, as the shooting went on, its recoil began to have an effect on me and my score dropped off. I ended up qualifying as "sharpshooter" (the second highest rating),...five hits short of "expert" (the highest rating). A few years ago, I bought an M1 Garand and shot in a small local club's Service Rifle Matches. I shot pretty good, taking home several third place trophies. At one point I decided to buy a Colt HB AR-15 and try that out in the matches. I thought that I would fire the first relay with my M1 and the second with the Colt AR-15. When using the AR, I shot the highest NRA rating (High Master?), but did not win the match inasmuch as the guy who beat me was a National Guard Rifle Instructor. In short, as much as I liked the M1, it beat the living heck out of me...so much for not having much recoil. If I had been using the AR for the first several matches I was in, I would have won them easily...it was before that N.G. instructor started showing up.

[kraigwy]

I really enjoy the M1. Recoil will get you after a bit, but I shoot it mostly in CMP Garand matches now. I wear a Creedmoor heavy leather coat and that takes all the punishment out of it.

I have taught Sniper Schools using the Garand and its capable of shooting a lot better then people give it credit for. We were getting hits at 1400 yards regularly, but in reality its a 900 yard gun. We used M72 (173 gr. Match).

The CMP games are shot at 200 yards and the M2 ball is capable of cleaning the targets so I don't fool with loading match ammo for my Garands.

I've of the opinion that the only as issued military rifle, the Garand is second only to the M1903A3.

The scores posted on the CMP Competition Website bear this out.

I have two now, one I got from the DCM in the early 80s, and one I built at the CMP Advanced maintenance clinic last Aug.

This is the first target I shot with the Garand I built at the AMC, 200 yards using Greek Surplus M2 Ammo.

[Targa]

Yeh yeh, rub it in!! I got on the CMP site to put in an order for one and they are gone....what a sad boat to miss. Seriously though, congrats on having one and am glad you were able to get it out and have some fun.

[kraigwy]

Targa keep checking the CMP site. Rumor has it, they stopped sales allowing them to get caught up with the back load of orders on hand.

I saw a lot of crates of M1s when I was there in Aug. I cant believe they sold them all. They were waiting the time and manpower to be checked out prior to being put up for sale.

[Targa]

Thank you for that info, I will certainly keep checking then.

['88Scrat]

Don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping!



Well not always, but I owned every rifle that uses a Garand action before I bought an AR or AK varient.

[smee78]

Ya, there is something grand about taking one out to the range early in the morning and running a clip through one until you hear that ping. True Zen.

[bamaranger]

Yeah shooting the M-1 rifle is a hoot. Plus, mine taught me a good bit about reloading.....loading correctly for the Garand is a bit more demanding than your run of the mill bolt sporter. Also, the half dozen or so examples I've been acquainted with all shot and functioned pretty darn well......especially for rifles 60-70 yrs old with a cloudy history of who knows how many users.

Took one to a 3-gun match...was amazed there were shooters present who could not identify the rifle.....I thought they were iconic to the culture.

Just lately I put a rail on my shooter and a Burris Scout scope. Travesty, yes I know, but it allows me to shoot better, I think. I state that because I took it to the range today, and shot it exactly once! (100yds elevation good, 3.5 inches right)

I'd left my ammo back at the house, and only had 1 loose cartridge I'd picked up as a stray from a partial box.

[Ifishsum]

I enjoy the heck out of shooting mine. I shoot AR15 SR in Highpower, but can't wait for the CMP/SR matches where I always use the M1. Our club only does them every other month and I look forward to those probably more than any other event.

[Fishbed77]

Anyone else find the M1 Garand extremely pleasurable to shoot?

I can't think of a centerfire rifle that is more fun to shoot.

[RickB]

I don't shoot mine nearly enough, but do really enjoy it.
I'd had some short-stroking issues, maybe one per clip, and spent a couple of months, a half-hour here and there, checking for and correcting areas where the stock and handguards were rubbing on the moving parts.
The stock obviously then needed refinishing, and I might as well clean-off all the Lubriplate and replace it with Mobil 1.
The gun ran great last time out, and now I should probably plan the next range trip.

[SC4006]

Glad to see a lot of other people share similar feelings about the garand; it truly is great. Since acquiring mine from the CMP a few years ago, it has quickly become my favorite gun, with my .22 close behind. I agree that the recoil can be a bit much after shooting it for a while, but personally I still don't find it bad.

[COSteve]

With both an M1 Garand and M1A, it's a toss up on which I like better. Went through basic with the M14 so it has it's pull. NM sights on both, 20rds vs the Ping. I handload for both at 26¢/rd so life is good when my biggest problem is deciding which to shoot.

Course then there is also my M1 Carbine and Mini-14 to decide among as well.

[Model12Win]

Sadly, with the price of aught six shells these days, the M1 Garand is a "reloaders proposition" only today.

[tangolima]

26 cents for 30-06 is cheap, even for hand loads. Are you casting your own bullets?

I have 2 m1s. I do like shooting them, but not really to the level of joy.

-TL

[98 220 swift]

I also love shooting mine. On of my favorite things is when the clip pings out and other shooters at the range think that your gun just broke. I really need to stop using all my .30 cal bullets in my .308 so I can shoot the 2 garands more often. I don't find the recoil that big of a problem with them. Much better than a 1903 springfield. I also enjoy using them for deer hunting. I don't enjoy the packing them around so much though.

[hdbiker]

I went threw basic training with the M1.I always wanted to own on but the've got too expensive and the good ones are gone . hdbiker

[Art Eatman]

Back in 1951, my college roommate had a Garand; my gunsmith uncle had a few thousand rounds of M2 Ball. Needless to say...

I trained on the Garand in Basic Training in early 1954. Still fun shooting.

In 1982 I bought a weld-up for $200. Glass bedded; match sights. With Czech ball ammo, 1.5 MOA from my bench rest.

Definitely among the top in the fun-gun category.

[Homerboy]

I have 2 Garand's, a 1944 Springfield and a 1955 HRA that is pretty much all original and looks like it was never shot. Every year, right before Christmas, I load 12 en bloc clips and head to the range. I think it's a Bastogne thing. Something about shooting the M1 in cold weather. Those 96 rounds are great fun and my shoulder doesn't hurt at all. Recoil is a firm push rather than a punch. I alternate rifles from year to year. It will be the HRA getting shot this year.

It's a gun that has to be held and shot to be appreciated. I always let people touch off a round of 2 while I am there and they are always in awe of the rifle. No plastic AR will ever have that allure.

[Road_Clam]

Originally Posted by '88Scrat

Don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping!

I LOVE this !

I have developed a huge recent affinity for the M1's over modern rifles. I'm on a mission to learn High Power shooting skills. I'm getting a small taste and admiration for what our fathers' and grandfathers had to use. Bought a CMP spacial in -06 and just LOVE the nostalgic feel of it. I can shoot about 20 rounds and i'm done my shoulder has had enough (this even with my PAST recoil pad). I loved my M1 so much that I had to give it a cabinet mate so I bought a SA MIA loaded !

[COSteve]

26 cents for 30-06 is cheap, even for hand loads. Are you casting your own bullets?

Not cast bullets but rather buying components for 6,000rds some years ago on deals. I handload 16 calibers and so I buy only in bulk (e.g. 10s of K of primers, boxes of 8lb kegs of powder, Ks of bullets) so I can get the best deals I possibly can.

For instance, I've still got almost 6K worth of 5.56 components left as part of a very large buy I did a number of years ago that allows me to shoot 55grn 5.56 for $81 per K, yep, 8.1¢ per rd.

[brasscollector]

It's been too long since I've shot mine, probably 9mo or a year . I took it a couple/few years back to the public range. Shooting at 50yrd I ran two full en-blocs through it and chewed up the orange bulls-eye on my shoot-n-see. The guy next to me apparently was impressed, the next 20 or so rounds I shot were out of his guns (a scoped BFR in 30-30 was one) .