.338 Win Mag Garrand

25 February 2002, 12:10

wildcat junkie

Check this out!

WARNING: YOU MAY WANT TO WEAR A BIB AND/OR PROTECT YOUR KEYBOARD FROM DROOL!

http://www.gokart.net/shop-utopia/mcann/rifles/garand/garand.html

Looks like just the thing for shooting rats @ the dump! :

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Life is more exitin' when yer stickin' suppositories inta a wildcats behind!

[This message has been edited by wildcat junkie (edited 02-25-2002).]

25 February 2002, 15:23

<Jeff Myhre>

WildCat Jumkie, I can vouch for Rich McCann's workmanship. I have one of his Garands, except mine is in 35 Whelen. What a monster. I handload 225gr. Nosler BT's, 52grs. of IMR 4064, and Rem brass. It is definately a shooter. I like the ballistic tips for the reliability in feeding the round into the chamber. My Garand was the first production run, as far as I know, there's only one other person in the world who has a Garand in 35 Whelen. Pretty unique, don't you think.
Jeff

25 February 2002, 15:53

tsturm

quote:
Originally posted by Jeff Myhre:
WildCat Jumkie, I can vouch for Rich McCann's workmanship. I have one of his Garands, except mine is in 35 Whelen. What a monster. I handload 225gr. Nosler BT's, 52grs. of IMR 4064, and Rem brass. It is definately a shooter. I like the ballistic tips for the reliability in feeding the round into the chamber. My Garand was the first production run, as far as I know, there's only one other person in the world who has a Garand in 35 Whelen. Pretty unique, don't you think.
Jeff

I ran into a guy at the range here in Kenai 2 weeks ago who was testing out his M1 Garand in 35 Whelen he had just completed. It seemed to be a good shooter. In fact we got to b/s'n etc. his last name was Whelen. He had inhereted a bunch of equipment from his Dad & Grandfather in it was a 35 cal M1 Garand BBL. It turns out his great uncle was Col.Townsend Whelen! we had a Dam good converastion, very interesting person!
Have fun!!

[This message has been edited by tsturm (edited 02-25-2002).]

25 February 2002, 17:25

<T/Jazz>

Hello! Can you please tell me how much it costs for one of his conversion rifles?

26 February 2002, 02:33

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by T/Jazz:
Hello! Can you please tell me how much it costs for one of his conversion rifles?

The 338 Win Mag is $2500 plus your good Garand. Just about everything but the basic action (bolt, receiver and trigger group) is replaced, including the stock. (Click on "Magnum")I think this is resonable considering the magnitude of this conversion. Non magnum calibers are $1800 plus your good Garand. (Click on "Millenium")

Go to the site, and check it out!

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Life is more exitin' when yer stickin' suppositories inta a wildcats behind!

[This message has been edited by wildcat junkie (edited 02-25-2002).]

27 February 2002, 03:23

<Bruce Gordon>

Let's see, a beater Garand is worth about $500.
You send this guy your $500 rifle and $2500, wait a long time, and get sent back a Garand that is chambered for a different caliber with a total outlay in excess of $3000.
How many Browning Semi-auto's can you buy for $3000???
Sounds like a waste of good money to me.

27 February 2002, 03:45

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Gordon:

How many Browning Semi-auto's can you buy for $3000???
Sounds like a waste of good money to me.

But none of them would have the class of a .338 Magnum Garand.

How many (GAG) Browning A-Bolts can one buy for the price of a custom M98 Mauser?

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Life is more exitin' when yer stickin' suppositories inta a wildcats behind!

27 February 2002, 05:11

<Bruce Gordon>

Do you really think a Garand has class?
For the designed purpose as a superb battlefield weapon, the Garand's offspring (the M14) is about as good as it gets, but I have never personally thought of a Garand as anything other than a superbly useful field weapon, something which can be depended upon to work even in the rain, mud, heat, and cold. Practical & useful? yes. Class? No. I reserve class for something a bit more elegant such as a fine grade double barrel upland 20 guage shotgun.
For the purpose of hunting big game using a .338 Win. Mag. caliber, I would much prefer to use a Browning and spend the extra money on a collectible grade of Garand. All the $3000 would get would be to butcher a fine rifle into something that ruins the originality of an irreplacable piece of history, somewhat like the guy who pro-streets a nice clean 69 Z28 Camaro by installing a blown big block and tubbing the rear end for a set of huge slicks.

27 February 2002, 07:58

<Big Stick>

I like the Garand,but prefer the M1A. A 338Win that won't readily accept a scope,is a novelty act,in my opinion.

The BAR wins for that reason first and for several others.................

27 February 2002, 11:38

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Gordon:
Do you really think a Garand has class?
For the designed purpose as a superb battlefield weapon, the Garand's offspring (the M14) is about as good as it gets, but I have never personally thought of a Garand as anything other than a superbly useful field weapon, something which can be depended upon to work even in the rain, mud, heat, and cold. Practical & useful? yes.

I think that the intended purpose of this conversion was as a "stopper" weapon. Your reference to the "superbly useful field weapon" validates that!

Is the Garrand "elegant"? Absolutely not!
Does it have class? I think so, just as my 1951 Ford 8n that still does it's job superbly is not "elegant" but it still has a thousand times more class than a Kabota, and will out last it to boot!

Comparing this coversion to hotrodding a 69 Z28 is hardly "apples to apples"! 69 Z28s with matching #s are extremely rare, as are mint condition Garands with matcing #s Should one do this coversion to a mint matching # Garand? Of course not! That would be as bad as your comparison. What about an otherwise sound Garand that has a bad barrel and a worn beat up stock that has been reworked from parts. That wouldn't be any worse than hotrodding a 69 Camaro cookie cutter car that had the 210 horse 327/"powerslide" replaced by a 350 and a 400 turbo that is now burning oil and puking tranny fluid.

In reference to the BAR: (NOT THE BATTLE WEAPON) Do you think that it would take the field abuse that a Garand would take and still come out swinging? To quote a poular sitcom character, "I don't think so Tim!"

As for the MIA (M14)with a clip feed: Yes, a clip feed would be superior, but the MIA (M14)would not accept a "full length" chambering would it?

A person that is willing to shell out the $ to have a conversion like this done is no different than someone that spends large $ for a M98 "stopper". A M70CRF would do the job just as well @ a fraction of the cost. Money is not an issue. Having something that does the job and is something that pleases the owner for it's uniqueness is!

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Life is more exitin' when yer stickin' suppositories inta a wildcats behind!

[This message has been edited by wildcat junkie (edited 02-27-2002).]

27 February 2002, 11:59

<Bruce Gordon>

I got to admit that you are right, otherwise the guy doing the conversions would not be getting any work.
Either that, or it proves the saying "There is one born every minute".
Guess it is all in your point of view. One man's dream is another man's folly.

27 February 2002, 12:16

<Big Stick>

junkie,

Do you think a 338Win converted Garand,will be as long lived and rugged,as the issued Garand? Do you really think it will be up to the abuses of a cartridge,that was beyond it's design scope,from day one?

I am not convinced of that and rather doubt anyone will shoot the 338 version enough,in enough examples,to truly find out or to tout is a "superior". I do believe the BAR to be a superior platform,for the 338Win cartridge. Time will tell,regarding a durability comparison of the two. I'm no great fan of the BAR,but can very much respect it's engineering,that was designed from day one,to harness the abuses of the higher intensity offerings it is chambered in. Actually,it's track record is rather good in that regard and a known quantity.

I think rebarreling the Garand to 35Whelen and operating it at pressure levels akin to issue Ball Ammo,is a better mouse trap. What will an open sighted 338Win do? That an open sighted 35Whelen won't? Assuming equally accurate platforms,of the same design?

The conversion is intriguing,that's about it. Though of course,your mileage may vary..............

27 February 2002, 14:33

<yorick>

I ordered one about 8 months ago, when its done, I'll let you all know how it shoots

The Garand I sent in was a "field grade" CMP model that was in pretty rough shape, not a "collector" piece by any stretch.

I'm not wealthy, but I own a vault full of 'normal' rifles (including a $2000 .50 cal with $1000 worth of optics on it) and I wanted something different and unique.

as my pops says, "if all men preferred blonds, the redheads would never get any dates" or...to each his own....

27 February 2002, 16:18

wildcat junkie

Hey guys! Why so many posts concerning "open sights" and references to not being able to put a scope on a Garand?

You obviously haven't taken the time to open the link as there is a picture of one of these babies wearing a scope!

As far as the Garand not being "designed" for magnum pressures blah blah. The "scope" of the M98 wasn't for magnum pressures either, but how many are out there doin the job? I think that like the M98, the Garand was perhaps "over designed" for it's intended purpose!

The point is: This is an interesting (intriqueing would be a better word)conversion, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it would we!

Oh and yorick, I'm married to a REDHEAD! 14yrs younger than me!

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Life is more exitin' when yer stickin' suppositories inta a wildcats behind!

[This message has been edited by wildcat junkie (edited 02-27-2002).]

27 February 2002, 16:51

<Big Stick>

I see a $260 option,for a side mounted scope. That is half the price of a complete BAR.

My Garand doesn't wear a scope,for the very reason that I disfavor a side-mounted scope,as opposed to one mounted over the center of the bore. Scout scopes don't excite me either.

There is little "blah blah blah" associated with Mauser actions. Pressures are regularily kept lower,to keep things from becoming exciting. Though there are many Mauser variants,the majority operate at lower pressure levels than the BAR. Just as the 1911 isn't a great vehicle for a fullhouse 10mm,for a rugged service life,akin to its 45ACP chambering.

A BAR in 458 has more appeal to me............

28 February 2002, 04:03

dan belisle

When I worked in grizzly country some years back, the foreman I worked with had a 338 BAR that he would send out with me when I was working in isolated spots. I was always glad it was there, and never found the weight particularly bothersome. However, I was much younger then. Personally, I thought that the 416 Taylor BAR was a great idea. Seeing as how everyone likes 10 lb 375's, I can't see that a 10 lb BAR would be any worse, and the mechanism does help soak up recoil (as does the weight, of course). FWIW - Dan

28 February 2002, 05:36

<Bruce Gordon>

Speaking of such conversions, I wonder if anybody is looking at building or converting the M1A to any of the new "Short Magnums"? If the rifle was up to it I could sure see a M1A in something like a 338 WSM or 358 WSM. That would be the ballistic equal of the 338 Win. Mag. mentioned for the Garand in a more user friendly package because of the removable clip in place of those annoying Garand doodads. Much nicer for mounting a scope, too.

28 February 2002, 14:59

<Big Stick>

Currently,there are AR based rifle platforms,that are being chambered for the WSM.

I believe that to have merit,in numerous applications.............

28 February 2002, 16:37

Bill Soverns

$2500 for a .338 Garand. Okay..have a nice time. Nothing wrong with the .30-06 version. And another thing....you dont need a scope on the Garand. The sights on the rifle are incredibly accurate just the way they are. Ive shot quite a few 600 yard matches with them. If the shooter does his part x's come up. Nuff said....

28 February 2002, 17:58

<Big Stick>

I wonder why all the hoopla for the 338Win Garand,when the 338-06 is such a natural,in that rifle? Especially,when it would require minimal modification,or added expense?

Also,I submit that the 600yd targets are much more condusive to the Garand's iron sights,than Game is at a like distance.

I can very much understand the merits of an iron sighted '06 Garand. But any open sighted 338Win,leaves me scratching my head,as to it's application. Like I said,what is a man going to do with an open sighted 338Win,that he can't with an open sighted '06?

Why not an M1A in 358Win,replete with the option of employing a 20rd box magazine?

Food for thought..............

[This message has been edited by Big Stick (edited 02-28-2002).]

04 March 2002, 15:36

<Jeff Myhre>

Hey guys, I think most of you are missing the point here. Look at the uniqueness of it. I know, right now, I'm the 2nd person in the world that owns a McCann Garand in 35 Whelen, if that isn't unique, I don't know what is. As far as the 338 Win Mag Garand, what an awesomne weapon, it has a fully adjustable gas system on it to relieve the excess gas pressure as someone mentioned it earlier. Yeah, you might wait a long time, but good things come to those who wait. I think I paid about $2100 all together, and he supplied the reciever. It is glass bedded, trigger job, adjustable gas system, recoil pad on stock. You could buy a lot of Mausers or Browning BARs for the price of one of his Garands, but that would be all you have is a bunch of mausers and bars, and those guns in my opinion just don't stand out like my Garand. Just my opinion
Jeff