M1 Garand won't fire

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Lugrov

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Hello,

I'm a total newbie here, and a newbie to collecting firearms, so let me know if I posted in the wrong place.

I purchased an M1 Garand a few months ago, took it to the range on Monday, and found out it wouldn't fire. Pulling the trigger led to a clicking as if it was being dry fired, but there was no evidence of the firing pin making contact with the bullet. This rifle was sold to me as a 30-06 chambered M1 and the clip fits in loaded with 30-06, but it doesn't fire, and when I try to take the unfired bullet out I pull back the bolt and the bullet stays with the bolt, but it takes a bit of work to remove the bullet from the bolt.

Has anyone seen this kind of thing? I wonder if it really is a .308 conversion or something.

Also, does anyone know of a good gunsmith in the Greater Toronto area for this type of rifle, I really would like to get this M! working.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
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If it were a 308 conversion then the 30-06 round would not let the bolt close as the 30-06 cartridge is longer than 308... 7.62x63 VS 7.62x51

Have you taken the trigger group out to look it over? And with the firearm unloaded, can you see the hammer fall when you pull the trigger?

Have you taken the bolt out and confirmed the firing pin isn't broken? And with a snap cap, you can put a small piece of painter's tape on the faux primer, chamber the snap cap & see if the firing pin leaves a mark on the tape when "fired"...

Are u shooting reloads? Tried M1 Garand specific ammunition?

Others will have more ideas to, not sure it's gunsmith time just yet... You're trouble shooting ;)
 
Lugrov said:
Hello,

I'm a total newbie here, and a newbie to collecting firearms, so let me know if I posted in the wrong place.

I purchased an M1 Garand a few months ago, took it to the range on Monday, and found out it wouldn't fire. Pulling the trigger led to a clicking as if it was being dry fired, but there was no evidence of the firing pin making contact with the bullet. This rifle was sold to me as a 30-06 chambered M1 and the clip fits in loaded with 30-06, but it doesn't fire, and when I try to take the unfired bullet out I pull back the bolt and the bullet stays with the bolt, but it takes a bit of work to remove the bullet from the bolt.

Has anyone seen this kind of thing? I wonder if it really is a .308 conversion or something.

Also, does anyone know of a good gunsmith for this type of rifle, I really would like to get this M! working.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't chamber a 30-06 cartridge if it were 308... It would stick out... Does the bolt close fully? If it does not, that would explain the lack of a primer strike.

Where do you go to shoot it? You should be able to find a local-ish gunsmith to show it to.
 
Jay said:
If it were a 308 conversion then the 30-06 round would not let the bolt close as the 30-06 cartridge is longer than 308... 7.62x63 VS 7.62x51

Have you taken the trigger group out to look it over? And with the firearm unloaded, can you see the hammer fall when you pull the trigger?

Have you taken the bolt out and confirmed the firing pin isn't broken? And with a snap cap, you can put a small piece of painter's tape on the faux primer, chamber the snap cap & see if the firing pin leaves a mark on the tape when "fired"...

Are u shooting reloads? Tried M1 Garand specific ammunition?

Others will have more ideas to, not sure it's gunsmith time just yet... You're trouble shooting ;)
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response, I assumed the 308 wasn't the correct bullet based on it fitting in just fine, but I'm not that experienced, so throwing spaghetti to try to figure it out. I have taken the trigger group out, and it looks fine to me, comparing it to pics of the trigger group on the net but I don't know what to look for, as for seeing the hammer work are you talking about when the firearm is assembled, perhaps I reassembled it incorrectly? Where would I look to see the hammer operate? I would have thought it would all be enclosed no?

The ammo I used is Sellier and Bellot 30-06 which is marked as Garand capable ammunition.
 
Look from the side of the receiver & just behind the bolt you can see if the hammer falls to hit the back of the bolt...

Yes, assembled UNLOADED rifle...
 
KotKotofeich said:
It wouldn't chamber a 30-06 cartridge if it were 308... It would stick out... Does the bolt close fully? If it does not, that would explain the lack of a primer strike.

Where do you go to shoot it? You should be able to find a local-ish gunsmith to show it to.
Click to expand...
Yes, the bolt closes fully with the 30-06. I shoot at Target Sports, in Newmarket, just north of Toronto, I guess I should ask them about a gunsmith, but I was hoping this forum would have advice on gunsmiths who are known to work on these rifles in the Greater Toronto area.
 
Put a piece of scotch tape on the bolt face and dry fire. If the tape is unbroken then firing pin is potentially broken or damaged. Remove and disassemble the bolt. Examine the pin and the channel, the pin could be broken, could be a case of it being seized from dried cosmoline or years of crud.
 
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kevin.303 said:
Put a piece of scotch tape on the bolt face and dry fire. If the tape is unbroken then firing pin is not potentially broken or damaged. Remove and disassemble the bolt. Examine the pin and the channel, the pin could be broken, could be a case of itbbeing siezed from dried cosmoline or years of crud.
Click to expand...
Great idea, I will do that once I get home.
 
Grove said:
A very important thing to remember is to only fire .30-06 ammunition that is loaded to the Garands specifications.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/m1-garand-ammo/
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Thank you, I did buy a few boxes of Sellier and Bellot 30-06 marked as M1 Garand specification, and that was what I was using, but even if I was using the wrong 30-06 ammo, the non Garand ammo would have too much pressure for the cycling mechanism, and be dangerous in that respect, but it should still fire no?
 
You mention that the cartridge stays on the bolt face when the action is opened. This suggests that the ejector, a spring loaded plunger, is not working. Lock the action open. Look at the bolt face. Is the ejector sticking out of the bolt face?
Disassembling a M-1 bolt is interesting. There is a tool made for the purpose. You can also use a fired cartridge case. But there is a trick to disassembling (and reassembling) the bolt, and there are springs under compression which could escape.
You really want someone who is familiar with the M-1 to have a good look at your rifle.
Incidentally, the bullet is the projectile. A cartridge is an assembly of a cartridge case, primer, propellant and bullet.
 
L.Parratt said:
Garand ammo myth more than anything. a correct length mainspring will prevent any damage from op rod velocity.

sounds like there isnt a firing pin in the rifle
Click to expand...
The primer isn't being struck, and the ejector isn't working.
The firing pin, ejector with its spring and extractor with its spring unit are interrelated, all being retained in the bolt by the extractor's pivot pin. It does sound as if the bolt is incomplete.
One further comment about ammunition for the M-1 - gas port pressure is important. Too little and the rifle is bolt action; too much and op. rod velocity is too great and battering occurs. As designed, there is no provision for adjustment, and correct ammunition is required.
 
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