M-1 Garand - reccommended ancillary equipment?

fat tony

fat tony

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I'm picking one up, other than the obvious (getting a whack of clips), what are some important spare parts to obtain, - I'm kinda sorta scared of some new moratorium on parts shipments to Canada - I see marstar has some parts available though, any suggestions? Oh, by the way is the UMC ammunition suitable for use in the Garand? - I would like to get some just for the interim, to have on hand.
 
M1 Garand Spare Parts Kit

Recommended Spares: Includes: New Clip Latch Spring, New Clip Ejector, New Ejector & Spring, Extractor, Extractor Spring & Plunger, Follower Arm Pin, Follower Rod, Front Site, Front Site Screw, Hammer Pin, New Hammer Spring, Lower Band Pin, Operating Rod Spring, Stock Ferrule Screw, and Trigger Pin. These parts tend to get damaged or lost and price out individually at $56.00

This is a copy-paste from this outfit bro:
ht tp://www.chestnutridge.com/images/inv/GPSPK.asp

PS: this price quote is most likely outdated.
 
Wouldn't hurt to have an extra extractor and firing pin. The rest of the parts get changed as needed. You'll be needing(wanting?) a bayonet(there are several models, most of which aren't exactly inexpensive these days), grenade launcher(gun show) and at least one ammo belt(a reproduction will do nicely). Match sights are around, but they're not cheap(smaller peep and a thinner front sight blade). The sniper models had a flash hider that'll go on any rifle. Start with the extractor, firing pin and ammo belt(holds 10 clips).
You'll want a copy of Hatcher's Notebook and Hatcher's Book of the Garand too. Your local gun shop or Amazon. They run about $30 each, new and are worth every cent. The latter book has a trouble shooting chapter and a whole bunch of historical info. Hatcher's Notebook is a 'must read' for any shooter, but it has more details(that for some reason aren't in the Book of the Garand) about the developement of the rifle and the ammo.
There has never been case lots (or boxes either) of .30 M2 ammo readily available in Canada. We all used factory ammo. I've never heard of nor seen any rifle damaged by the ammo alone, in 30 plus years. However, Federal loads a 150 grain FMJBT specifically for the M1. It's sold under their American Eagle brand name. Don't ask me where you can get it though. I use my handloads exclusively.
There are free, downloadable, .pdf, U.S. military TM and FM manuals available here as well. Note the need for the provided UN & PW. http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/
 
I had a broken extractor while shooting my Garand, so definitely a spare extractor. Never had a broken firing pin in my 20 some years of shooting, not unless you dry fire your Garand. You also need info on field stripping. Here is a good site. ht tp://www.civilianmarksmanship.com/fieldstrip.html

I had no problems getting small parts (extractor, springs, etc.) from Gunparts Corp in NY.

You also need a tool for replacing the extractor or firing pin (not unless you have 3 hands). You could buy one or make your own like I did.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264930
 
Alot of the parts listed so far, are not really needed unless you're a real putz and lose things left and right when cleaning your rifles... That being said, one part that IMHO you should have as spare is the Follower Arm. I've had to replace 2 of these on others rifles so far. If they bend, they don't work. Other than that, spare bolt parts would be good and the Clip Latch Spring, they get weak after time. If you wear out the trigger spring, then I'm guessing your rifle barrel melted last time you had it to the range. BUT, if you plan to collect Garands, yes, get all the spare parts you can...
 
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"...not unless you dry fire your Garand..." That won't break the firing pin. Dry firing was part of the normal training.
 
Should probably be under reloading but how many times are you reloading your casings before getting failures? cheers
 
Depends on the quality of the brass. I have reloaded military brass over 10 plus times, where I only get 2-3 reloads out of IMI brass before the primer pocket stretches rendering the case useless.
 
Dave.S said:
An Enfield for when it jams..LOL
Click to expand...

On that note I have had a Danish-issued Springfield made, M1 Garand for 8 years now.

It has never jammed.

My other Garand is a .308 calibre T-26 "Tanker" copy, a kind of a thrown together parts gun.
It was unreliable at first, because the builder/previous owner did not sort it out.

With help from Silverback, we got this shorter M1 shooting/functioning, just as reliably as the full length version.
 
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Ok, my 2p;
Certainly a spare op rod spring. You have no idea how long your rifle has been in use,
Ectractor and bits, cause sooner or later if you replace it, you're gonna lose the spring somewhere in the carpet.

Now one thing most folks haven't thought of. Sometimes the locking lug on the bolt can crack. You won't see it, but Having the present bolt lug magnafluxed to check on that would be a good idea.
I did have that happen. But then my rifle was made in Feb. 1942 and came out of the Phillipines. Probably sent a few of Hirohitos samurai's to the Yasakuni shrine (in a box)
 
X2 on the the clip retainer! She occasionally would spit out the clip with 2-3 rounds left (very embarrassing at the range).

Other than that my dane has been UTTERLY if not not just a little boring reliable! NEVER SELL IT YOU WILL REGRET IT!
 
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