Garand Thumb!!

How did everything go today at the range?
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Quite well...for one I found my staple gun I left ther last Sunday....:)

On the shooting side I fired some 303 brit reloads, very impressed with these and the Longbranch. I had the Garand as well and tried out some IMR 4064 reloads. Very impressed with them as well.

Had the rifle range all to myself. Took my time. Fired 33 rounds in total.

Damn cut on my thumb, can't bend it or it bleeds again...:mad:
 
Ljungmans and Hakims have their peculiarities, too.
When the bolt stays back at the end of a firing string, it is held only by the hold-open catch. If anything (including your thumb) touches that catch while trying to load fresh ammo, it will release with subsequent damages...
To avoid this, do the following:
First, ALWAYS put the safety ON, then push the action cover about 1/8" to 3/16" forward and you'll hear it engage the rear of the carrier.
Now you'll be safe to feed one (or two in the original configuration) full stripper clips in the magazine to load it. If you release the catch while the last stripper empty clip is still on the charger bridge, it will pivot and usually be ejected.
Be safe!
PP.
 
Back when the earth was young and I was in high school, I went to the gun rack at a local store. Some one had left the bolt locked open on a BAR - so naturally I had to go stick my fingers in there, and sure enough the bolt slammed closed. I doubt that it would be as bad as getting my fingers slammed in a Ljungman, but that BAR's bolt face turns as the action closes and sort of brought a tear to my eye. Probably whey I still don't like gas guns.
 
Just had to add this. In the sixties I visited "Ye Olde Hunter" in Alexandria Virginia. (bought my Lewis gun there). anyway I was talking to the salesman and he related the incident that happened on the sales floor. There was a Swedish 20mm Lahti. An idiot wanted to test how strong the bolt return spring was. So he cranked the bolt back (rack and pinion), inserted his finger in the ejection port, AND PULLED THE TRIGGER!!! At least it was a nice clean amputation. LOL
 
More the knuckle. The nail was down on the follower and the knuckle got pushe forward. It's not that bad today. Lottsa vitamin B to help.
 
witchinghour said:
SKS Canuck. Drill the nail to relieve the pressure.Get some Tylenol #3. I feel for ya man.
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That only works if done within the first 30 minutes of the injury.

I had my first M1(D) for about 3 years, and never experienced the subject event of Garand Thumb, until the day I was shipping it out after selling her. I had just cleaned the barrel, and popped the thumb in there to close the action. She bit hard, likely due to her displeasure at being sold off like a common whore, unlike the queen she truly was. I guess it was her way of getting a last dance out of me.

You'll only get bit once; you'll have a lot more respect after that. Just like with the old FN C-2; you'll only reach forward to reposition the rifle and grab the hot barrel once. The hiss of the burning skin between your thumb and fingers will teach you a hard lesson.
 
Hi

I have been bit once by my Garand, nothing to bad.

One story I heard about some poor sap, nothing to do with a Garand, but I still felt his pain through my bones.

Some guy with a crimping tool. Don't know what kind, but bigger then co-ax.

Hi got a finger stuck in it. But the problem is that the tool worked on a rachet. So once the crimp started, you had to compleat the squeeze action till it would unlock at the end of the stroke. :eek:

So bad enough you got your finger caught, but you got to crush it yourself to get it free.

Better him than me

Sticker
 
I had the same nail drilling experience and it does work...relieves the pressure immediately...but watch out for infection and be sure to sterilize the object used to drill the hole.

CAUTION...Do not use a drill bit as it may actually get caught on the flesh inside the nail and thusly drill right through. I instead used a small round diamond dremel engraving bit and a dremel to do the same so it would NOT get caught and then drive right through.
 
M1 thumb

There's a gizmo called Holbrook device that replaces op rod catch and makes the whole loading process similar to M14.

Got one for one of my M1. Helps especially with a scoped M1.
available from DGR in the States.

I still try to check carefully where my thumb is, and if the action is fully open....

could be machined easily too from the picture.

regards,
 
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