How do your 2 groove Garands shoot?

flying_scotsman

flying_scotsman

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I have a Garand reweld with what appears to be a decent 1-44 SA 2 groove barrel. I am considering rebuilding the rifle with a serviceable Springfield receiver, if I can find one correct to the period (a long shot, I know).

How do those with 2 groove barrels find them, accuracy-wise?
 
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No 2 groove Garand barrels were ever produced for the US military. However,during the 1950s some commercial enterprises re-lined unservicable Garand barrels with turned down 03A3 Springfield 2 groove barrels. These are often seen on cut Garand receivers which were subsequently re-welded.

Firing of both the re-welded receivers and the re-lined barrels is not recommended. See The US .30 Caliber Service Rifles-A Shop manual by Jerry Kuhnhausen. This is considered to be the definitive authority on technical aspects of the M1 Garand rifle.
 
Now that I know what to look for, I believe I can see the line where the 03A3 barrel meets what's left of the Garand barrel. That also explains some of the other anomalies I've noticed.

Thanks for the info. The rifle has been sitting unused by me since my teens. I think it shall remain that way.
 
If the balance of the parts are OK, you basically need a stripped receiver and barrel. That would be a cost effective way of assembling a shooter.
 
Marstar has Breda receivers, and barrels show up from time to time on the EE. Epps has new production 7.62x51 barrels on occasion as well.
 
"...No 2 groove Garand barrels were ever produced for the US military..." Whoever told you that is confused. Late war production rifles were made with 2 grooves. Including sniper variants.
 
"...03A3/03A4 rifles. M-1s?..." All of 'em. The '03A3 was developed with two grooves right from the start. Remington started working on speeding up manufacturing as soon as they were given the contract in November of 1941. Their improvements were approved in May of 1942.
M1's were 4 groove until late in the war. Hatcher doesn't give a specific date. Likely differerent with each maker.
My 1903A4 is two grooved. I'd have to look at my M1. It's a '44 vintage rifle.
The U.S. went to two grooves as a manufacturing speed-up thing. After testing, of course. No difference in accuracy.
 
It is best to have some authoritative references on hand for factual information about these things,rather than just repeating various internet musings,which are most often wrong.

For the 1903 Springfield and derivatives there are excellent books by Brophy,Campbell,Canfield and Ferris. For the M1 Garand see books by Canfield and Scott Duff. Poyer has books on both rifles which are useful,but contain errors.

M1903A3/A4 rifles were produced by Remington with both 2 and 4 groove barrels depending on production dates. Smith Corona 03A3 rifles were fitted with 4 or 6 groove barrels,again depending on production dates. There is some debate about whether or not Smith-Corona used 2 groove barrels in production. Remington produced large quantities of 03A3 replacement barrels with 2 groove rifling. M1 Garand rifles were not produced with 2 groove barrels,nor were 2 groove barrels provided as GI spares. If you have a 2 groove Garand barrel,it will be one of the "humped up" commercial offerings.
 
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