I purchased a number of CMP M-1 Garands this year. I have been cleaning them up, and shooting them. The last two delivered were SA models (the second of the four grades they have).

These rifles generally were in good shape and cleaned up well appearing to be in as good, if not better shape that grade 3 or 4 rifles. I took the SA's and one of the HR's I had been shipped earlier to the range on Wenesday to try out some new loads.

I cleaned Wenesday p.m. and again today. While shooting, I noted that the clips were generally hard to insert and that the bolts did not release when the clip was seated without stricking the Op. rod handle sharply. This was true with all three rifles.

I consulted my Garand book, and it advised that this can be a problem with 1) the bullet guide, 2) the follower or 3)the follower arm. I examined all of the parts mentioned as I cleaned today, and found that they were within spec.

While looking at one of operating rod spring and follower rods assy., I noticed that the spring appeared to be short. I compared it with one of the other springs, and it was indeed shorter. I began to check out the operating rod handle, and found two pieces of broken spring in the operating rod. (A piece of threaded stock inserted into the operating rod readily "pulled" the broken fragments out.)

I have concluded that I would be well served to replace all the operating rod springs, and that a full strength spring might solve my bolt closure problems.

It is interesting to note that the rifle in question fired a group under 2.5" with three clusters of bullets within that group. It did this presumably with the spring broken and without any stoppages! The M-1 is truly a robust firearm.

After todays cleaning, the rifles have been cleaned three times, each time with multiple applications of Wipe Out. Today, it appeared I finally got out the metal fouling. It took from between three and six applications in combination with other cleaning to do this. But those bores are CLEAN.

I look forward to trying out my next round of accuracy testing trying to see what rifle likes what bullet and powder charges. (I have decided to use 4895 only at first, and try different bullets and charge weights.)

The initial test identified Hornady Amax 168gr, Nosler 165BT's, and Rem 165gr SP's as promising. I want to try some of the Nosler competition bullets (155gr) based upon positive comments since they cost the same as the Rem's and are half the price of the Amax or BT's.

Kudude

My first Garand should be here some,,,cant wait to play some

PPosey,

I don't know how experienced you are with cleaning up one of these CMP rifles, but please consider these suggestions:

Ordered the M1 Garand Owner's Guide. I would have been lost without this wonderful reference. It shows you how to disassemble the entire rifle (bolt, trigger housing group, etc.).

Get yourself some heavy duty latex gloves, mineral spirits and a old ammo can to clean parts in. (The exposure to the mineral spirits on your skin is not desirable.) You will use a lot of spirits because there will be lots of cosmoline.

Also measure the parts listed in the Guide Book regarding timing (bottom of page 87 and top of 88) and inspect them while you have everything broken down. Upon assembly, make yourself a timing block with eight dummy shells and a clip to test the release of the bolt and chambering of the first round.

Inspect the operating rod spring and if it is rusty, replace it. Fulton Armory has lots of neat things including these springs.

Take off the butt plate and clean it well or you will have cosmoline all over yourself as the rifle heats up in the sunshine when you go to test fire it.

After washing all the cosmoline off the stock with mineral spirits, wipe the stock down with teak oil. This puts some oil back into the old wood and improved the look and feel of the stock.

My starting load in some Korean brass was 46 gr of 4895 under a Remington 165gr SP. I also tried 168 Amax, 165 Balistic Tips, 150 Win SP's, and some 165 Berger's. I look forward to trying some 165 Nosler competitions. I used M34 CCI primers and until my case gauge arrived, dropped the cases in a barrel to check their size.

Good luck, have fun, and be safe. Kudude

Thanks for all the advice, I achually bought it private,,,,and it was recently shot and cleaned,,I plan on getting a army manual and some supliments as well. Going to order some Greek Surplus ammo from CMP,,,or somewhere else if I can find it,,,want to wait untill I get this gun in and see if I need any replacement parts. It should get here in a day or two

quote:

Originally posted by kudude:
PPosey,

I don't know how experienced you are with cleaning up one of these CMP rifles, but please consider these suggestions:

Ordered the M1 Garand Owner's Guide. I would have been lost without this wonderful reference. It shows you how to disassemble the entire rifle (bolt, trigger housing group, etc.).

Get yourself some heavy duty latex gloves, mineral spirits and a old ammo can to clean parts in. (The exposure to the mineral spirits on your skin is not desirable.) You will use a lot of spirits because there will be lots of cosmoline.

Also measure the parts listed in the Guide Book regarding timing (bottom of page 87 and top of 88) and inspect them while you have everything broken down. Upon assembly, make yourself a timing block with eight dummy shells and a clip to test the release of the bolt and chambering of the first round.

Inspect the operating rod spring and if it is rusty, replace it. Fulton Armory has lots of neat things including these springs.

Take off the butt plate and clean it well or you will have cosmoline all over yourself as the rifle heats up in the sunshine when you go to test fire it.

After washing all the cosmoline off the stock with mineral spirits, wipe the stock down with teak oil. This puts some oil back into the old wood and improved the look and feel of the stock.

My starting load in some Korean brass was 46 gr of 4895 under a Remington 165gr SP. I also tried 168 Amax, 165 Balistic Tips, 150 Win SP's, and some 165 Berger's. I look forward to trying some 165 Nosler competitions. I used M34 CCI primers and until my case gauge arrived, dropped the cases in a barrel to check their size.

Good luck, have fun, and be safe. Kudude

Very well said!

quote:

Originally posted by kudude:
...the M1 Garand Owner's Guide...

Who's the author, and who sells it?

H. C.

HC,
The M1 Owner's Guide by Scott A Duff from CMP.

Fulton Armory sell another version which I would imagine is similar. check their web site. Kudude

kudude stick to 150 grain bullets in a stock m-1
heavier bullets should only be used with a national match op-rod or they will bend the op rod with the heavier recoil. the early m-1 used heavier bullets and the military had to lighten the bullet because of bending the rod.
i use national match op rods in both my rifles . one i use for a match rifle and have no problems with over 8000 founds fired. have seen regular bend with as little as 100 rounds of the heavier stuff. brian

quote:

Originally posted by kudude:
HC,
The M1 Owner's Guide by Scott A Duff from CMP.

Fulton Armory sell another version which I would imagine is similar. check their web site. Kudude

Thanks. I ordered the book from Scott Duff's web site. Cheapest way to go I found was eBay. Someone else was a dollar less than that, but something like $9 S&H. Somebody on a shooting forum said Scott Duff is a nice guy and signs the books. I think it is $1 more than CMP that way.

I am nearing 60 days of my 60-90 day wait to actually have a CMP Garand rifle in my hands.

H. C.

I kind of expected the book to get here before the rifle, but the rifle showed up today. Got the email yesterday evening it was coming FedEx overnight.

Not especially greasy. Not even a little bit kind of greasy. Well, maybe it is, but my hands weren't greasy after playing with it. I'll still will have a crack at cleaning the grease off. Where did I use to find the time for this stuff?

H. C.

(Update: I field stripped it, and it's greasy inside. Feels like Cosmoline. Then the baby woke up, and it's back together in the safe. Still got Cosmoline. What happened to the time?

---Trigger group apart, cleaned, lubricated, back together. I don't know if I'll ever take the clip ejector spring out again. Op rod, bolt parts all over my wife's sewing table.)

Those babys eat your time right up have 2,,,,

Recieved my Garand and for what I paid am happy with it, the bolt is blued not parkerized so I guess it's a replacement part and the fromt sight has some wiggle in it,,, the whole assembly will wiggle back and forth some. Gonna hafta work on that. The serial # puts it at being made in 1944 but thats all I can find online?????

I've had a few over the years. Still have one. They all shot pulldown M-1 150 grain ball very well and 147 NATO bulk ball, with either varget or IMR 4895. Good shooting.

Advertisement in the 7-06 Am Rifleman for CMP Lake City cal 06 m2 ball $192 per case of 960 rounds it's boxer primed non corrosive.

Regarding that cosmoline, get your wife's hairdryer out and heat your metalwork up with hot air. The cosmoline will liquify and drip right out....

MKane160

After 4 yrs working in petroleum supply in the USAF I learned how to remove grease using many items but the best remover of cosmoline is petroleum distillate.