M1 Garand concerns

[Agent006]

My Garand hasn't had a problem with ejecting the rounds thus far. Just that the hammer would fall and it not fire. So, I'm guessing the firing pin, hammer spring, etc. And I'm also going to have to have the headspace checked. Those are good instructions on how to take down the rifle, although... pushing the follower down and then bumping the slide forward doesn't seem wise. If you push the follower down enough, the bolt is free to move forward by simply a nudge. Best way is to push the follower down with you thumb while the side of that same hand pushes back on the charging handle and you'll feel it click to release and if you'd not holding it back and your thumbs still in there... ow.

I must admit, my first time firing the Garand I was a little thrown off by this but I never got my thumb bit. It was just that when I got the clip clicked down into place and the bolt was free to move, I'd release it and it would stop against the back of the first round, the clips being loaded so tight that it's enough to keep the bolt back. So I'd tug the bolt back again and let it free and that would chamber the round. Seems like some would bump the charging handle forward to get it moving but CMP's site say's not to do that because if you ram it home like that and it slam-fired, your hand would pay dearly as the action came back on you.

[Mooseman684]

Hey Agent006,
Just got a Shooters catalog from Sportsmans guide and they have a Brand new M1 Garand Hardwood(probably Mahogany) stock for $19.97 and a matching forend for $9.97 finished dark, almost ebony semi gloss finish.Also an M1D Garand Mil-spec sniper barrel and scope mount for $269.97. Thought you would want to know about em.
Rich:right:

[Agent006]

Hm, that's not a bad deal on the stocks. My stocks all fit pretty loose and if I was actually worried about accuracy, that would bother me. Only thing is that I don't know if you can simply buy a stock and mount them without a problem. I have an extra set for my No. 4 Enfield I've tinkered with and I couldn't get them to fit quite right. Too tight. I'm sure there's ways around that.

I tore apart my Garand again last night and looked it over. I think it could make a decent shooter. I just want it to look like a typical Garand and those stocks are the only thing that really stand out. Time and money is always a factor and I'm a little cautious about spending too much money on something that doesn't really need it. The carbine goes unless it's safe enough for me to shoot a little bit and then sell it. The M-1 stays unless someone offers me a pretty penny for it and that would be a penny pretty enough to go towards a better one. And I wouldn't dream of parting with my Enfield. Just pretty up the stocks on it and I'll be set.

[Shaun]

Remember you get what you pay for If the $'s aren't a killer you might be better off going through Boydboys.com to get the new stock.

[Agent006]

I'll consider the stocks but for now I'm going to tinker with what I've got. I paid $700 for an M-1 that's seen it's better days, so in the even that I decided not to go much farther with it, I wouldn't want to wrap up too much money in it that I couldn't get back out. But don't worry. Whether it be this rifle or a better one, my collection will have to include a Garand rifle. It's grown on me too much to do otherwise.

[Shaun]

agent if all else fails try sending "Stock Doc" a PM if he is still active he can give you some pointers for restoring the old wood.

[jerry]

http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/sho...t=24654&page=2 (GO-JO hand cleaner warning for stocks)
A thread related to Doc's finishing recommendations

[Agent006]

Seems like the sort of thing that will take some patience. I can get all my stocks off the rifle but the only thing that slows me down is the band around the rear forearm. Mine is cracked on one side and I guess if I was going to do it right, i'd need a new band. With the stocks all stained and refinished to match, it would look a lot better and seem worth the price if I were to sell it. I'll work with it over time. It's not eatting anything.

I've grown to like the Garand and I can see where it would be a great rifle to use in combat. Seems like Garand felt that the clips were the quickest way to reload the rifle, and indeed you can reload it without having to take out a spent magazine. And there isn't a bolt catch release, which is why you sort of have to be careful about slamming it shut on your thumb. Garand used the tension of the return spring to function as both the spring for the action AND for the follower inside the magazine. The safety on mine seems hard to put into the safe position, but easier to flip into the fire position. Taking it all part, I could see why with the way it interacts with the hammer. Also, it shows somewhere that you can cock the rifle manually but pulling down the trigger guard... which it does but that also is how you strip the rifle. On my rifle, the trigger group fits rather loose and I'd imagine it could just about fall out if you tried that in the field.

I'm rambling again...

[Stock Doc]

I have not been able to read the complete postings but I will go with what I did. { Busier than heck at the moment }
You can leave the rear band on if wanted and yes it takes special pliers to do it correctly. Other tricks are chances and if you slip the guard goes snap.
Glue to use is Gorilla Glue but expensive for one fix. I open the crack clean with Acetone if saving the finish. If not I slather Go-Jo on as shown below and once rinsed and dry I slip Gorilla Glue in the crack with a piece of Priority Shipping Label Backing that pulls off the sticker. This has a light plastic coating to it so it wont fall apart in the crack as I slip glue in. People get confused on this and I tell them I turn the paper sideways and slide it in the crack like a penny in a bank. The problem here is this glue expands and the wood needs to be clamped. I have jigs made up for guards and areas of the stocks. I can help on the cracks if wanted so let me know.
Below is my sheet on wood working for Military stocks as linked above. I hope it helps. Rick B



Wood Stripping
Ok here it is. First I get a hold of E-Z-GO hand cleaner or GO-JO which is waterless and gritless. Most probably any will do. I rub it on stock in sink of course and then let it set for about 15-30 minutes depending on amount of dirt and if markings are on stock. Now I take and rub on a hand full more then take a tooth brush and rub it but not real hard near edges and cartouches. I rinse with warm water again careful around markings incase there weak.Use the tooth brush to brush off hand cleaner while rinsing.
I use Bix Stripper and follow instructions on can for harder finishes,, and TSP { Trisodium Phosphate} after, if it is dark and stained or if the stocks is heavy oil still, use Trisodium Phosphate and make a watery paste out of it then tooth brush it on. Wait 10 minutes and rub some water on with the tooth brush to make sure it doesn't dry on stock. Now wait about 5-10 minutes and rinse you will see the dirt still but after it dries you will be amazed. You can repeat this method until happy but again be careful if there are Cartouches

Steaming out dents
Now you can steam if wanted I use a bucket of water ,a rag and a iron with steam cycle. I soak the rag and lay it on stock dents then iron it until steam stops or water is out of rag. I fold the rag sometimes to hold more water and the steam last longer. This is a hit or miss thing it may take days of this to see results. Most times it just lightens them up.
Now sand lightly with 100 or 120 but lightly to not put big scratches in the stock when happy with this Then take 220 and lightly sand the whole stock in direction of grain and periodically use 0000steel wool to smooth it out and see scratches that need to be 220 out. When happy with this steel wool the whole stock until smooth . {


NOTE} Some stocks especially IHC and Winchester are known to have heavy sand marks in the wood hand guard especially. This under no circumstances should be removed and only steel wooled lightly. Heck it make you're job easier. The collectors value is allot higher on a unsanded marked up fat stock over a smooth skinny one trust me. Keep in mind the very early Winchester stocks were hand carved because the lathe was not finished for them so they inletted them and carved the final. I have one of these and it is a exceptional piece with a No-Trap butt without the hinge cut out.

Dust removal, staining and oiling
I wipe the stock down with Acetone so the grain isn't lifted as alcohol will do. Now you stain to you're color preference Remembering in WWII they seemed to not stain all the wood and just oiled allot of the stocks early on so you're choice on stain now. Leave it natural if you want true history. I use Chestnut Ridge on Walnut and on Birch Chestnut Ridge and then FIEBING'S Dark Brown leather die some times to get a muddy red color. I Also use brown then FIEBING'S Mahogany on Birch to get reddish/Brown kind of Black Cherry look. Chestnut ridge and others can be put on to darken and also put on after oil is dry and on while refinishing. You should let stains dry 24 hours and 24 hours before you add another color. Be careful not to use the bottle to dip as other color on stock will contaminate the color you are using to top coat. Example if I put Mahogany on then use rag to shake bottle of Chestnut Ridge on rag to top coat for a match the Mahogany will get in to the Chestnut Ridge and slowly ruin the color. Try and get a little cup or something to pour stain into then take it from there for stock.
Now the next day If Stain lifted grain you need to lightly steel wool it down. Using Acetone to clean the wood before you stain is best and will not lift grain. Alcohol used to wipe the wood down will lift the grain. I mix Boiled Linseed oil with 20% Turpentine for a better mix that seems to last a bit more and dry better. I brush or use small piece of rag to put on a coat of Boiled Linseed Oil mix {use gloves then hand cleaner off the oil later when done to clean the gloves if needed I use surgical gloves and still clean off so they don't catch fire}and wait 20-30 minutes then take a old t-shirt and rub the oil off making sure there is no excess anywhere. I rub it to death to buff it in kinda. I repeat this every 24 hours till 5-7 coats are slightly glossy { you cut down later} and even with no dull spots. WARNING hang the rags out and never let them sit balled up on the bench they will self combust and you will burn you're house down. It almost happened to me and I was very lucky. I finished for the night and went up to my office with a stock to get some photos off for a client. About a hour later I was fighting with myself to take the stock back to the shop or leave it until morning in the office. Finally I took it back and set it in a rack outside of the shop and noticed a stock with a repair pin shining and decided to touch it with a dark brown stain pen. I walked in the shop turn on lights and fell warmth then noticed a vapor in the air like steam on hot pavement. I was confused what was going on and then smelled something weird. I looked down to my right on the bench and heard a small whoosh and low pop sound and the rags ignited in a light colored flame. I picked them up and ran to other room and tossed them in the wash tub and rinsed them. If I hadn't gone down there my home would have been lost. You can also wet them and toss them out in the yard till morning but keep them away from house. They make a special can for this purpose if you decide to do this allot.


Final
Now I take 0000steel wool and lightly dull surface with it. Then I take Minwax Furniture Polish for dark colors {light one will stick in grain and look like white paint if you leave it to long}and put two coats of this on and I am done.

Well hope this helps let me know if you have any questions. Thanks Rick B


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