Test Fired the M1 today

[SchooBaka]

I did'nt have much time, so I only got to put 32 rounds through her.
I used a 2' x 2' target, from a rest, at 100 yards.
Had about a 1.5' group, slightly high, but all but one on paper, and I felt the flinch that sent the 1 too high.
All and all, I'm very happy.
One thing I noticed. A buddy of mine showed me how to hold the operating rod so the bolt doesnt slam closed on my thumb when I push the clip in. When I release pressure on the operating rod, the bolt does not slam closed, it hangs up on the first round; a little nudge on the bolt sends it home. I'm guessing this is normal and just a product of how tightly the rounds fit in the clip.
One other thing I noticed is that gun sure get's hot, and holds the heat with all that wood covering it up.
Boy, that thing sure let's the empties fly too. I kept hearing that from my buddy next to me, lol. The shells were'nt hitting him, but some we're going right over the deflecting screen between us and flying over his head.
Again, my favorite part was on the last round, PIIINGGG; though I'm sure in combat this was not such a welcome sound.

[M. Sage]

Yeah, just a tap forward to close the bolt is normal. Sure beats getting your thumb amputated.

My Garand ejects pretty much straight up, but slightly right. A lot of my empties end up in front of me...

Hearing that clip eject in combat... With a couple hundred people all shooting at the same time, artillery, etc. You probably wouldn't hear it. If it was that quiet, just drop an empty clip and get ready for some fun...

[Joe Register]

CMP gun?

The springs in some of those CMP rifles (is that what you have?) are old and compressed. I replaced a few of mine and it help for not having the bolt fly back quite so fast. Tapping the op rod to close is normal. Have you been to the jouster site? There are a lot of tips there for making your garand more accurate - some of which I would not have though of such as the rear hand guard not being tight up against the receiver or peening the splines if your gas cylinder is wobbly.

The way to keep your Garand from overheating is to buy two or three and rotate them a clip at a time...

[SchooBaka]

I'm not sure if it was ever a cmp rifle, I got it through a ppt.
I'll have to check out the jouster sight, thanks for the tip.
If I only had the cash to own several, lol. For now I'm content with letting her rest on the bench with the bolt open until she cools off.

[dfletcher]

Boy, that thing sure let's the empties fly too. I kept hearing that from my buddy next to me, lol. The shells were'nt hitting him, but some we're going right over the deflecting screen between us and flying over his head.
Again, my favorite part was on the last round, PIIINGGG; though I'm sure in combat this was not such a welcome sound.

Since I shoot left handed, that "PIIINGGG" is my signal to duck or play catch. The clip usually lands on my head or in my lap if I don't my Carl Yastrzemski bit on its way down.

[SchooBaka]

Hearing that clip eject in combat... With a couple hundred people all shooting at the same time, artillery, etc. You probably wouldn't hear it. If it was that quiet, just drop an empty clip and get ready for some fun...

I'll have to ask my stepdad about that, he carried one across France as a squad leader in the war.
I can't wait to show it to him. My buddy gave me an m42 jacket that I'm considering giving to him, with a nice pollished enbloc in the pocket full of inert rounds. As for the M1, I'll let him hold it, maybe keep it for some time, but she's all mine.(I don't think my mom would let him keep it anyways) I'd like to take him to the range and let him shoot it some, but he's push'n 90. Even though he's incredibly strong and coherent, still works at his machine shop, I'm afraid the recoil would knock his shoulder outa socket if not break something.

[NRAhighpowershooter]

there is absolutely NO need to hold the op rod when loading a full en-bloc....