Any M1 Garand Enthusiasts Here?

[lowprone]

Was my NRA across the course rifle for many years, even after the M14/M1A gained prominence.
That match is won or lost in my opinion at the 200yd offhand stage and few rifles are as nice as
the Garand in off hand standing.
Still have a few cases of 1968 LC NM , we used to pull the M72 and substitute the 168 Sierra MK.
It was and still is a very serious rifle to 600yds as is, if you have the eyes.

[PattonWasRight]

Was my NRA across the course rifle for many years, even after the M14/M1A gained prominence.
That match is won or lost in my opinion at the 200yd offhand stage and few rifles are as nice as
the Garand in off hand standing.
Still have a few cases of 1968 LC NM , we used to pull the M72 and substitute the 168 Sierra MK.
It was and still is a very serious rifle to 600yds as is, if you have the eyes.

Nice 'career' you've had there with the M1. Off hand standing @ 200 yards ... not exactly my strength ;-) When you say 'few rifles as nice' for that task, managing the weight with muscle burn has always been my challenge, so I'm hoping you can give me some tips on how you got to where you are with it? Thx.

[lowprone]

I know you will think this flippant, and maybe it is .
The same way you get to Carnegie Hall, practice.
Seriously , I went to Camp Perry the 1st time as a 5' something junior in 1965 and we got
Garands for Small Arms Firing School.
I would suggest you attend a NRA HP match at a local club somewhere in your area,
the seasoned members are always ready to help anyone become a competitor.
If your a NRA member look in American Rifleman for info or gun stores, clubs, public
shooting ranges.
They will show you, better than anything I can forward in text.

[PattonWasRight]

I know you will think this flippant, and maybe it is .
The same way you get to Carnegie Hall, practice.
Seriously , I went to Camp Perry the 1st time as a 5' something junior in 1965 and we got
Garands for Small Arms Firing School.
I would suggest you attend a NRA HP match at a local club somewhere in your area,
the seasoned members are always ready to help anyone become a competitor.
If your a NRA member look in American Rifleman for info or gun stores, clubs, public
shooting ranges.
They will show you, better than anything I can forward in text.

Fair enough, reading your post it made me think I simply need to have sessions of only offhand instead of just rushing through it at the end of a session. Right now I avoid it more or less when I shoot for practice. I do CMP matches and do okay in slow & fast prone, but then struggle in standing offhand. Usually have a miss or two which kills your score fast obviously. No small feat holding iron sights on a bull at 200 yards, but yeah, need to man up on this. I know the tips, and was hoping you had a magic wand / new one, but tips without repetition aren't much help. Thanks for bucket of cold water.

[SteyrAUG]

It's an easy thing to do, just need a beater mil surp rifle, base plate with elevation blocks underneath, a bayonet (optional), a helmet (can use a toy one with a real cover if a budget thing) and from Home Depot a strip of LED lights.

I think I'd rather use a Century Arms Garand, but other than that, neat idea.

[mbinky]

I have three Garands, two CMP and one import I bought when I turned 18 in 1992. I also love the carbine and have two, one CMP and another Inland import I bought with the Garand. I put it in a reproduction paratrooper stock.

Here is my 1954 Springfield from the CMP:



And my Inland import in the para stock:

[RazorBurn]

Me, just a little ;-)

My favorite rifle to shoot, bar none.

Pic of my original & correct WWII Springfield. This pic was used in a Garand Collector Association article.
Attachment 44717

Me with the rifle above

Attachment 44720

Made this lamp from non serviceable parts ... guess you have to turn sideways. The base has a start & stripe theme, and then I mounted two dowel rods to slide into the storage holes in the Garand's stock
Attachment 44718

Same pic of me (oops) ... don't know how I did as attach vs embed

I remember reading the article in the GCA quarterly. I love the Garand. It's hands down my favorite rifle. I have three of them from the CMP. I have a 5.4 million Springfield, a six digit 800,000 Springfield, and a 5.8 million Springfield. I really need to get off my butt, and do a "My Favorite Garand" article for the GCA quarterly. I love all three of mine, so it would be hard to pick a favorite. I figure the favorite title would go to the 5.4 million as it was my first one, and it's a super nice service grade.

Here are a few pictures of mine. First is the 5.4 million, second is the six digit, and last is the 5.8 million.

[PattonWasRight]

I have many more practical rifles but I don't love any of them like I love my M1.

I feel the same exact same way.

I think I'd rather use a Century Arms Garand, but other than that, neat idea.

I had no idea what the heck a Century Arms Garand was, and I'm pretty studied up on Garands. I googled to learn they were commercially made cast (not forged) receivers. Bust my britches, never heard of these. I used a "real" Garand receiver with a busted out heel, a worn smokey barrel, bent op rod, cracked stock etc. Total cost was about $200ish. Took me a bit of time to source the parts, but that was part of the fun as the owners were happy to get some money on their non serviceable parts collecting dust.

I have three Garands, two CMP and one import I bought when I turned 18 in 1992. I also love the carbine and have two, one CMP and another Inland import I bought with the Garand. I put it in a reproduction paratrooper stock.

You're ahead of me, nice collection. I don't have the Carbine yet, and that's an itch I keep scratching. Not many seem to come up for sale anymore and I don't have the knowledge base to know what I want yet.

I remember reading the article in the GCA quarterly. I love the Garand. It's hands down my favorite rifle. I have three of them from the CMP. I have a 5.4 million Springfield, a six digit 800,000 Springfield, and a 5.8 million Springfield. I really need to get off my butt, and do a "My Favorite Garand" article for the GCA quarterly. I love all three of mine, so it would be hard to pick a favorite. I figure the favorite title would go to the 5.4 million as it was my first one, and it's a super nice service grade.

Here are a few pictures of mine. First is the 5.4 million, second is the six digit, and last is the 5.8 million.

It was fun to write, and they're very open to any decent contributions, which you definitely qualify for ;-) Great rifles, thanks for posting the pics, I never tire of looking at Garands, and while I like my ARs, they don't "talk to me" like Garands do.

Just look inside the cover or so of the magazine, and there's emails for those guys ... give them a brief synopsis of your article idea. Once they approve and you write, it's roughly two cycles of the magazine before it would be in print. Good luck!

[SteyrAUG]

I feel the same exact same way.

I had no idea what the heck a Century Arms Garand was, and I'm pretty studied up on Garands. I googled to learn they were commercially made cast (not forged) receivers. Bust my britches, never heard of these. I used a "real" Garand receiver with a busted out heel, a worn smokey barrel, bent op rod, cracked stock etc. Total cost was about $200ish. Took me a bit of time to source the parts, but that was part of the fun as the owners were happy to get some money on their non serviceable parts collecting dust.

I think for a couple years Springfield Armory (the one in IL, not the real one) made a z grade commercial Garand also.

[PattonWasRight]

I think for a couple years Springfield Armory (the one in IL, not the real one) made a z grade commercial Garand also.

Dang, you are blowing me away with your knowledge! I was skeptical as heck but thought hey, the guy was right before. Sure enough, that indeed was available!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Gar...ial_production