M1 Garand good for hunting?

[xMaverick]

I heard that the M1garand can take BAR magazines. Is that a specific model?

[dahermit]

In Michigan (I do not know about other states), it is illegal to use a semi-automatic rifle that holds more than five rounds. Fortunately, for those inclined to hunt with an M1 Garand, there are 5-round en-bloc clips that are offered for sale, and some people have modified the 8-rounders into five rounders. I also handled a Garand that had the gas system removed making it into a straight pull bolt action...a travesty of butchery!

[dahermit]

I heard that the M1garand can take BAR magazines. Is that a specific model?

Incorrect. Someone may be confusing an M1 Garand with an M1A, which is a civilian copy of the M14 that utilizes a 20 round magazine. As to a BAR magazine fitting an M14, I would not know inasmuch as I was trained with an M1, not M14.

[Jim Watson]

You are overthinking it.
As already said, a Garand is .30-06 which has been used to hunt everything from groundhogs to bears with few complaints.
Any name brand 150 grain softpoint bullet from Walmart will do just fine on deer. I know a couple of hunters who think Remington Corelokt is the thing to have. Shoot some to be sure they will run through the action.

Most game laws limit you to 5 shots in the magazine. No problem, there are 5 shot hunting clips made for the purpose.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=759224

Of course you will need to read up on the regulations to see where and when you may hunt deer and you must have a hunting license. You are young, you will probably have to take a hunter safety course.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/


The Garand does not take BAR magazines, it has an internal magazine which is loaded with 8-round enbloc clips. Or 5 for hunting, see link above.
Do you have a Garand? Have you shot, handled, or SEEN a Garand?
Lots of opportunity for study here, it looks like.

[xMaverick]

Obviously i have a garand. I was just wondering because i saw it in a photo somewhere of it having a BAR clip in the bottom. I told you im a rookie hunter all i know is my .22 rifle. my dad has the M1 and i wanted to use it for hunting.

[xMaverick]

T20 Garand variant; select-fire conversion by John Garand, capable of using BAR magazines.

[BombthePeasants]

As to the poster/posters who object to the use of the Hornady A-MAX bullet, the 7th edition of the Hornady Reloading Manual lists the bullet as being suitable for target shooting, light game, and medium game. Also, the exact same bullet, but loaded in 7.5x55 Swiss, got my deer last year, so if it's good enough for Hornady, it's good enough for me. Please keep in mind Texas whitetail are not much bigger than a large dog, I'm not hunting mastodons here...

[Jim Watson]

Yes, but, selective fire weapons are heavily restricted in the USA and moreso in California.
I don't know if there are any T20s legally in private hands. If so we are talking about the price of a new Corvette.
Or a Ferrari, I found an article that said the T20E2s were converted to T36 and T37 rifles for the T65 (.308) cartridge; granddaddies of the M14.

[TX Hunter]

If I am not mistaken the M1 Garand is legal in California, I would check game laws though.
With the issue sights It would work well for hunting deer at close range.
A little hard to aim accurately in dim light, but not impossible.
The 3006 cartridge is one of the most popular deer hunting rounds ever made.
Good luck.

[Rifleman1776]

What are those concerns? Not disagreeing or being an antagonist, just curious

thegoldenstate, my concern, in a word, is safety. Not everyone is safety conscious or has presence of mind in a high adrenaline situation. I know you and I would never make a misteak but some others are not so perfect.
As soon as a shot is fired with a semi-auto another is ready to go instantly. That is inherently dangerous. The original writer in this thread indicates he is not experienced with either hunting or firearms. In his case, I would recommend a manually operated rifle. e.g. lever, bolt action, etc.
It is a personal opinion that semi-autos have no place in a hunting situation.
Please, everyone, don't get on me about 2ndA. You won't find many that are as strong a supporter of the 2nd A as I am. It is just a personal safety concern of mine.
BTW, my modern hunting arms are a Win. bolt action '06 and a Rem. 870 12 ga. Bolt and pump.
For small game I take a flintlock rifle or flintlock smooth bore.
I have a semi-auto Ruger 10/22 at the backdoor for critter duty. And a couple pocket SAs for the other kind of critters.

[xMaverick]

Not in-experienced with guns. Just never hunted.

[zxcvbob]

If you remove the gas plug, does that turn an M1 into a straight-pull bolt action? Or is that a stupid idea? It could also use any commercial .30-06 hunting ammo without worrying about the op-rod. (I'm just not familiar enough with it to know if it will even fire without any plug -- maybe it at least needs a bushing)

[Saint Dennis]

Wow, I don't follow some of the logic on this post. If that is the rifle you have and want to go hunting deer, have at it young sir. You best check if the Republik of Kalifornia will allow it, but there is no reason besides that that you can't or shouldn't hunt deer with a Garand. It's heavy, but It sounds as if you are a young buck and that shouldn't slow you down. Good luck, I hope you get a nice one. Use expanding ammunition that is recommended for a Garand. The gentlemen at a good sporting good stores should be able to help you out. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt deer with mine if that was my only choice.

[Skans]

I'll be the odd guy out - there are much better choices for hunting than the Garand. I don't like how scopes are generally mounted to the Garand. Its also too heavy, IMHO.

[davlandrum]

Have you attended a Hunter Safety Course? Even if it is not a requirement, it would answer most of your questions. And I can't believe it is not a requirement in Cali.

[p99guy]

I don't get your preoccupation with spine mutilation and head shots..this isnt Doom on playstation. Those aiming points are begging for a miss unless you have it tied to a post, eating from a bucket. You have not even shot your dad's M1
If I read your post right...I would get some range time in before you attempt anything with it.

As far as it being too heavy at 9.5 pounds? Most folks AR15 carbines with all the tacticool do-dads weigh that, if not more! To think all those guys carried them all over the world 60 years ago with 30-90pounds strapped on thier back as well-
and several posters cant even possibly walk around with a 9.5 pound rifle- well boys hand in your man cards,ya jackwagons.

Rifleman...you need the same educating Jim Zumbo got lol, the fudd is strong in you.(it was in him too)

[HunterGuy]

30-06 comes in so many different grains you can hunt ANYTHING in north america with that calibre.

The Garand is a bit to heavy to lug around in the field, and doesn't quite have the range an optics rifle using the same calibre has.

In my opinion, no, it is not a good hunting rifle.

[p99guy]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[kraigwy]

Neither the M1 or M14/M1A will take a BAR Mag. There have been some Garands converted to take a M14 Mag, but they were also converted to fire 308s.

The BAR of course was '06.

[arizona98tj]

I've done both a neck and head shos.....neither deer ran....just stumbled, went to the ground, end of story.

[Sport45]

Originally Posted by zxcvbob

If you remove the gas plug, does that turn an M1 into a straight-pull bolt action?

It would certainly inhibit the automatic feed function. I wouldn't do it though, since the gas plug secures the gas cylinder (and front sight) to the gas cylinder lock. Without it, the gas cylinder lock is free to unscrew.

[MLeake]

... but as he said, the BAR was .30-06, while the M1A was .308, so no dice.

With regard to the Garand, a friend of mine who competes in long-range rifle has converted one of his M1 Garands to .308. He can reload a clip faster from prone than he can a magazine, and he finds the .308 better suited to his courses of fire.

To say he's extremely into his sport would be putting it lightly.

[HunterGuy]

I too do not think a semi-automatic rifle has any place in hunting.

First off, hunting with a rifle you do not shoot at moving targets the majority of the time.

Second, if you miss your first shot on a game and they take off running you shouldn't risk a second shot due to the risk of just wounding the animal and never finding it.

Third, if you do take 2nd or 3rd shots it is only b/c you have already hit it with the fist shot and you are attempting to finish it off.

I see no advantage with a semi-automatic compared to a bolt action in the above scenarios. Automatics only promote poorly aimed recurring shots.


Edit: I will and do use a semi-automatic for prairie dog hunting though, they are just to darn stupid to run after you missed or even killed one of their buddies.

[zxcvbob]

It would certainly inhibit the automatic feed function. I wouldn't do it though, since the gas plug secures the gas cylinder (and front sight) to the gas cylinder lock. Without it, the gas cylinder lock is free to unscrew.

I thought that might be the case -- or at least something like that. But you could get a spare cylinder lock screw (gas plug) from Brownells for $13 and drill a good-sized hole in the center. Then you could shoot any ammo you want.

[trooper3385]

It performed pretty well when it was used to hunt Nazi's