I picked up two M1 Garands recently from CMP and now that they have arrived I have a few questions. First off, what is standard procedure for cleaning both pre and post shooting as well as maintenance? I also read that you have to shoot M1 specific ammo, any recommendations on what ammo is decent quality? Is an M1 an acceptable deer rifle? Lastly, any other comments or suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

First off, congratulations on your purchase from CMP, but need pics to prove it. These are awesome rifles with great history. Watch out for the Garand bug, these tend to have a way of multiplying.
For ammo, you need to use ammo specific for use in an M1 Garand. This ammo is available for purchase from CMP and is cheaper than you can buy elsewhere. I haven't looked to see what they have, but they tend to have mil surplus (Greek) and commercial available. Stick with non-corrosive. American Eagle is one commercial brand that comes to mind that makes Garand specific ammo.
If you want to use 30.06 hunting ammo, you will need an aftermarket gas plug. I can't remember the manufacturer, but they are readily available.
Regarding maintenance, make sure you remove dried cosmoline, if any, and use grease to lube it. Lube all metal-to-metal contact/rub points, i.e. op rod to barrel, op rod to receiver, etc.
Have fun with them.

Hornady and Privi Partisan also make Garand-specific ammunition. Might be more that do but AE, Hornady, and PP, are the ones that I know of.

As far as cleaning & maintenance, nothing out of the ordinary. I'd say clean as you would any other semi-auto rifle. Some competitors shoot a season without cleaning (at least the barrel) while other people clean after every trip to the range. Personal preference, really.

And an M1 is most certainly an acceptable deer rifle but, like steel96 said, you ought to get a gas plug for shooting hunting ammo. Here's a few links to what we're talking about:

http://www.garandgear.com/ported-gas-plug.html

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...and-steel-parkerized

http://www.schustermfg.com/m1-...igh-volume-gas-plug/

http://mccannindustries.com/pr...justable-gas-system/

quote:

Originally posted by barsad0:
I picked up two M1 Garands recently from CMP and now that they have arrived I have a few questions. First off, what is standard procedure for cleaning both pre and post shooting as well as maintenance? I also read that you have to shoot M1 specific ammo, any recommendations on what ammo is decent quality? Is an M1 an acceptable deer rifle? Lastly, any other comments or suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

You have mail

I was on CMP's site a little while ago and they did not have the greek surplus stuff, only Creedmore ammo for over a dollar a round. SGAmmo has Prvi Partizan , 500 rds for $340

quote:

Originally posted by steel96:
First off, congratulations on your purchase from CMP, but need pics to prove it. These are awesome rifles with great history.

I’m not the greatest photographer, but here ya go! Yea I told my wife that the M1 is one of my grail guns. A very Important piece of our history. Thank you for the response!

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
You have mail

Responded

Is there anything I need to look for to see if these are “extra rare/special”? I don’t want to go putting hundreds of rounds through something that is exceptionally rare.

As a hunting rifle, I found the M1 to be very powerful. I don't mean knock down power, but viscerally, emotionally. Sitting there in the freezing cold, holding that rifle with nothing to do but think. Thinking about men who'd done the same thing with the same guns, but for very different reasons.

It's heavy, but it's enjoyable.

That old thing live its life in an armory in a back corner with no love,no range time and nobody to beat the crap out of the stock.
Real sorry you got such an unloved one

It's a nice shooter, have fun with it. How about the other one?

quote:

Originally posted by barsad0:
Is there anything I need to look for to see if these are “extra rare/special”? I don’t want to go putting hundreds of rounds through something that is exceptionally rare.

CMP goes through their stock with an eye towards culling all the good stuff for auction. You got a good one based on those muzzle and bore numbers. Have fun.

Best ammo supply long term is the one you make yourself! Reloading is cheaper produces garand safe loads and you can substitute hunting type billets when needed at the reloading bench. They would be expensive to feed if you relied solely on factory ammo

you need grease,

need to put the grease in the right spots,

get a pile of emblocs,

and start reloading if you do not already,

and if you are a reader, get Hatcher's Book of the Garand,

Could someone please tell me what specifically makes some ammo "M-1 specific"? Is it bullet style/weight, powder type, chamber pressures? What wouldn't one want to shoot and why? Thanks!

-- Yes, I have a CMP Garand, too.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Could someone please tell me what specifically makes some ammo "M-1 specific"? Is it bullet style/weight, powder type, chamber pressures? What wouldn't one want to shoot and why? Thanks!

-- Yes, I have a CMP Garand, too.

pressure curve

as in the amount of gas pressure needed to work the action ,

it passes thru a port just at the front sight,

too much, action works too violently, too little, short strokes if it works at all,

and possible to bend the op rod,

M2 ball is loaded to a spec, and that spec works in the M1 Garand, as well as the other .gov firearms in that caliber,

hunting ammo is to what ever spec (powder/pressure wise) that that ammo maker wants, and that may be hotter, or slower pressure wise, than M2 ball

You can get an ajustable gas nut if you want to shoot off the shelf hunting ammo.



Truth be told, I pulled the FMJ's from a handful of M2 HXP surplus ammo and replaced them with JSP's of similar weight/shape. I figure the 1 or 2 I'm ever likely to fire in the woods won't bother anything. I rotate my hunting guns, so a certain rifle may only go twice a decade. lol

Since the ammo by Dad bought from CMP back in the has finally been exhausted, I picked up some M1-specific ammo -- twenty-rounds in a plain white box marked PPU.

I need to get set up for reloading -- I have a few hundred once-fired cases with LC and WCO 52 head stamps (mixed from Dad and Granddad). The problem is, I don't know whether they were fired from the 03A3 or the Garand. Also have many cigar boxes of clips. IIRC, my dad got a thousand rounds from CMP (DCM back then). I think a lot of those cases are still at his house.

quote:

Originally posted by Holger Danske:
Since the ammo by Dad bought from CMP back in the has finally been exhausted, I picked up some M1-specific ammo -- twenty-rounds in a plain white box marked PPU.

I need to get set up for reloading -- I have a few hundred once-fired cases with LC and WCO 52 head stamps (mixed from Dad and Granddad). The problem is, I don't know whether they were fired from the 03A3 or the Garand. Also have many cigar boxes of clips. IIRC, my dad got a thousand rounds from CMP (DCM back then). I think a lot of those cases are still at his house.

It doesn't matter what rifle your cases were original fired in. You will be FL sizing them anyway to fit in your M1. In fact, I prefer to use small base dies for Garand ammo. I would hate to have a round not fit easily and cause the rifle to slam fire out of battery.

When you load a Garand, and then remove the round unfired, that primer dimple can be a little disconcerting.

quote:

Originally posted by barsad0:
Is there anything I need to look for to see if these are “extra rare/special”? I don’t want to go putting hundreds of rounds through something that is exceptionally rare.

http://fulton-armory.com/faqs/...aqs/tea/m1serial.htm

July 1943 manufacture. Right in the swing of wartime production, when troops needed them in the Pacific and were getting ready to take them into Europe. I don't know about rare, but good examples from the WWII years are desirable, yes. I had a '43 Winchester and now have a '44 Springfield. I'm happy to have it and I won't be selling it.

You got a very nice example there, it's clean, the machining marks are nice, and the stock is beautiful and intact. Treasure it.

I just bought a CMP "Special" this summer and am still learning this rifle, but here is my advice:
Avoid the issues I have had with my CMP Garand and buy a pile of AEC clips. I have some from a buddy that are junk, and gave me fits.
Also.....RELOAD! It's so much cheaper.
I've only shot PPU, and it's accuracy is underwhelming. I just started working up a ladder with some 150 grain hornady bullets.
I recommend a Dewey muzzle protector for cleaning.
Get some good modern gun grease, and learn the lube points. I initially was concerned about getting the "correct" grease, but the grease issued back in the '40's is not nearly as good as the stuff we have now.
This will irritate the purists, but I installed a Halbrook Device. I shoot lefty and it keeps the bolt back until I release it. Definately NOT needed, but I can keep track of my clips better too.

If I read the CMP tag correctly you have a 6/64 barrel on your rifle which is fine. The right hand receiver leg should have a arsenal and rebuild date electro penciled onto same. Some stocks, depending who did the overhaul, will also have a stamp embossed on the left side of the stock.