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I don't know how many troops got killed by running out of ammo through banging off the last couple of rounds in a clip so as to be able to reload with eight, but it sounds better than the legend of a Nip charging at the sound of the ping.
Most other infantry rifles of the day were stripper clip loaded five at a time. I can't see how that is superior to the en-bloc. While the detachable box magazine is superior to either for sustained fire, it was a very new idea at the time.
I don't know what Mr Garand wanted, any more than I know what Mr Browning wanted, but Hatcher illustrates a 1920 Garand primer actuated rifle with big box magazine that looks like it came right off a BAR. Did he perceive a tactical advantage (he was not an infantryman) or did he just use an available part?
The 1921 Garand has a floorplate and no mention of magazine design or capacity by Hatcher. Maybe Ed Clancy has the scoop on the design objectives of the day. Maybe it will take hiring a medium to run a seance.
By 1928 when he went to gas operation, the en-bloc clip was pretty well entrenched, possibly due to the efforts of Mr Pedersen to get his rifle accepted. At least the Garand 10x.276 clip was symmetrical like the later 8x.30; the Pedersen clip had to be loaded this end up.
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