Garand Thumb!!

SKScanuck

SKScanuck

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:mad:

Damn that hurts..I was checking it out for shooting tomorrow afternoon. Bolt slammed forward on my thumb..:eek: :eek:

FN hurts. Bloody too...:redface:
 
Get a AG42, and you can have Ljungmann thumb as well!! :D :p The bad thing about the AG's, there's no op rod to hang on to!
I've avoided those nasties.....so far <knock on wood> though I nearly lost my fingertips when I bought my AG42.

Part of me is cringing just thinking of your pain, but the other part wants to go ... HA HA. :p :p

(E) :cool:
 
had a case of both ag42 and garand thumb ..........after 1 time you dont do it again...........just gotta be careful. if in doubt dont play with it till ya know the drill.
nuff said
 
Same thing on most semi's, I had a newbie at the range and we were going over how a semi auto pistol functions, he was holding it and stuck his right pinkie finger in the ejection port and just as I went to tell him to get his damn finger out of there his left had bumped the slide release.....Holy crap what a mess! so much for trying to convert him...
 
As demonstrated by actor Robert Ryan in the movie classic "The Battle of the Bulge:

While holding M1 rifle at second position port arms, draw the operating rod back with your left hand until action locks open,

To close, hold op rod back with the heel of your right hand while depressing the magazine follower with the thumb of your right hand.

When magazine follower is clear, release and allow op rod to close action while quickly lifting hand clear of the action.

Follow these rules, and you will never have to experience "M1 Thumb".
 
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That scene actually was from "The Longest Day". Be aware that it is never a good idea with any semiauto (long gun or handgun) to just let the op rod or slide slam forward when the magazine is empty, due to abnormally heavier wear on the parts. This is because the piece is designed to move forward at the speed it moves at while stripping and chambering a round; if no round is to be chambered, hold back the slide or op rod and assist it gently forward. With the Garand, I hold the op rod with my right hand and assist it forward after gingerly depressing the follower a little with my left hand, while the rifle is sitting on a bench or table. I wouldn't mind the pain as much as all the blood and gore rusting out the chamber! Just my opinion, since I have so far avoided M1 Thumb.

Happy Trails, especially for the CPC on Jan. 23.
 
Never had Garand thumb happen yet,But the method I was taught was never get your thumb to depress the follwer to far into the mag well just enough to release the stop
 
I was issued a Garand and NEVER chambered my thumb. Only used one hand to operate it. The trick being to hold the op rod back with the side of the hand. On depressing the follower with the thumb, you will hear a click and feel the op rod move slightly. thats the time to get your thumb out of the way.

Have seen many Ljungmans on the racks with the bolt open because the "trigger snappers" can't figure out how to close the bolt. Easiest way is to drop the mag instead of depressing the folower. That bolt does close with a NASTY CLACK.
Oh, by the way, we always let the bolt slam forward because that is how we were taught to do "inspection arms"
 
my great uncle fought in korea he was on a hill top that was overrun by the enemy he has chunks out of his thumb to this day(his nail is screwed too) he said there were so many NK's that you did not need to aim just fire fast as you could he did not even know his thumb was crushed up till hours later
 
contact148 said:
my great uncle fought in korea he was on a hill top that was overrun by the enemy he has chunks out of his thumb to this day(his nail is screwed too) he said there were so many NK's that you did not need to aim just fire fast as you could he did not even know his thumb was crushed up till hours later
Click to expand...
Wow! That's quite the story!
 
My Grandfather fought in WW2 in the European theatre and had mentioned that in the beginning stages of the American deployment he had seen a few USGI's with what appeared to be blackened, bandaged, and bloodied thumbs.

When he asked, he was told it was "M1 Thumb"...he just shrugged it off until he was on a joint operation with US soldiers when he saw it happen in the middle of combat...if you can imagine a Lieutenant laughing his head off out loud in the middle of battle. :D

I miss Grandpa :(
 
I got M14 thumb before, I had a 5rd mag that wouldn't drop free so being stupid I put my thumb into the action, to push down the mag from the top...

Well the bolt let go and Slam......
 
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