M1 Garand 30-06 vs .308
- Thread starter Beardy.91
- Start date
Your going to want access to the Equipment Exchange. Ask a moderator for access. there are several there for sale, both in 308 & 30-06. However, be warned, garands are expensive. They go for around 1500-2000+. However, I have seen some priced around 1200. Conditions and prices can also be quite variant. As an alternative, SFRC (site sponsor) sells M1 garrand receivers for $50. You could buy one, source the rest of the parts, and build one up. there is a M1 garrand build thread in the main battle rifle's forum. For about $1100-1300, you could have a very nice garand built up.
As for 30-06, 308, I say go 30-06. That's what it was designed for. If you want a good 308 gun, go for an M14, after all, it pretty much is an improved garand optimized to use 308 (looking forward to getting flamed on this statement).
And welcome to the forum.
As for 30-06, 308, I say go 30-06. That's what it was designed for. If you want a good 308 gun, go for an M14, after all, it pretty much is an improved garand optimized to use 308 (looking forward to getting flamed on this statement).
And welcome to the forum.
there are a bunch on the EE right meow, in 30-06 and .308, I prefer the real deal or classic 30-06 myself, but these days the price of 30-06 is getting heavy, so I am not opposed to a .308. and have been considering picking one up myself. but if we get down to brass tacks, you can NEVER go wrong with an M1 Garand, in 30-06 or .308, good luck in your hunt
Parts are starting to be a little hard to come by for builds. I just finishing sourcing all my parts for a second build, and got really lucky will a good condition trigger group, op rod and bolt all in one go. Barrels are still available from Greece/Cyprus/Italy for around 250/USD shipped, or maybe 300-350 for a Criterion locally. Marstar is running out of the bits they stripped from the Danish Garands that the SFRC receivers came from.
Santoneski
Regular
- Location
- Hamilton, On
Where do you buy the barrels from Greece/ Italy. I just got my beretta receiver so I'm slowly trying to find parts.
I bought the first SA55 barrel through eBay from this guy: necocollectables@gmail.com
When I started a second build I reached out directly to him. Shipping time was around 2 weeks IIRC both times. Make sure to ask him to properly mark the package so that Canada Customs will allow it (sporting goods - barrel).
Also please keep in mind that advice over the internet is worth everything you paid for it. I had good luck with Konstantine, others did as well.
When I started a second build I reached out directly to him. Shipping time was around 2 weeks IIRC both times. Make sure to ask him to properly mark the package so that Canada Customs will allow it (sporting goods - barrel).
Also please keep in mind that advice over the internet is worth everything you paid for it. I had good luck with Konstantine, others did as well.
Six of this, half dozen of the other for the chambering. The .308 and .30-06 are ballistically identical. Difference is a half inch of case length and about 100 fps with like bullet weights. Both will be a reloading thing or commercial ammo as there is very little or no surplus. No milsurp .30-06 at all. Not a big deal though. M1's are easy to reload for and there is $ome commercial ammo loaded specifically for 'em.
The gas port on a .308 is a bit bigger too. Only matters on a rifle built by somebody who only wants your money. Isn't a big deal to fix.
E-Bay is an evil anti-firearm ownership empire that financially supports the people who want to take your firearms away from you. Buying or selling there gives people like Kookie Wendy money.
The gas port on a .308 is a bit bigger too. Only matters on a rifle built by somebody who only wants your money. Isn't a big deal to fix.
E-Bay is an evil anti-firearm ownership empire that financially supports the people who want to take your firearms away from you. Buying or selling there gives people like Kookie Wendy money.
No collector value there and as a shooter, .308 is way easier to come by.
It was actually designed for the .276 pederson, which is why the op rod becomes a weak pointafter a high round count because it starts to bend from the overpowered 30-06 round.
There were some 6 million Garands built, all chambered for the .30-06 round, and all of which were entirely satisfactory in military service. The only reason why an op rod becomes stressed in a Garand is as a result of shooting ammo with slow burning powder or by using ammo with heavier bullets. The MILSPEC propellant for the Garand is IMR 4895, although both IMR 4064 and H4895 have a burn rate which is compatible with the rifle's operating system. In addition to using ammo with the correct propellants stick to bullets in the 150 to 168gr range.
There really isn't a lot to choose from between shooting .308 Win or .30-06 handloads in a Garand. The .30-06 uses a bit more powder, but cases and bullets cost about the same. Reloading is the best way to go for either chambering. Commercial .30-06 or .308 ammo should be avoided as most of it is loaded with slower burning propellants which are wrong for the rifle's gas system.
If you decide on a .308 version, I'd recommend sourcing one that was converted via a factory/arsenal refurbishment program.
I'm not fully immersed in the M1's history as some are, but there are some Italian and Dane conversions (likely others too) out there that while may not represent the best collector value, they are great shooters.
I'm not fully immersed in the M1's history as some are, but there are some Italian and Dane conversions (likely others too) out there that while may not represent the best collector value, they are great shooters.
Although they are scarce, the most likely military 7.62 NATO Garands to be found are the Italian Tipo 2 models which feature a barrel, stock, op rod and rear handguard which are .5 inch shorter than the same parts in a standard .30-06 Garand. These conversions involved shortening a standard Garand barrel by .5 inch at the breech end and then re-threading and re-chambering the barrel for 7.62 NATO. This required that the stock, op rod and rear handguard also be shortened to accommodate the shorter barrel. The US Navy also modified Garands to 7.62 NATO by replacing the barrel with a standard length barrel in 7.62 after going the bargain basement route by using a 7.62 chamber insert in a standard .30-06 chamber which didn't work out well. Both the Italian and US Navy models used a removable spacer block in the magazine well to preclude loading a clip of .30-06 ammo.
Due to the scarcity of original Italian and US Navy 7.62 rifles, the best route to go for a .308 Win Garand is to install a Criterion commercial .308 Win barrel on a standard M1 Garand receiver. All other parts are standard.
Due to the scarcity of original Italian and US Navy 7.62 rifles, the best route to go for a .308 Win Garand is to install a Criterion commercial .308 Win barrel on a standard M1 Garand receiver. All other parts are standard.
Thanks! i'm waiting for approval into EE haha.
I'll definitely look into the M1 Garand build, as well as the ones listed in EE.
I have another question in regards to ammunition, the 30-06 Garand shoots an M2 ball, right?
Would any .308 ball be safe to shoot without risking damage to the gun, or me?
Thanks again.
I'll definitely look into the M1 Garand build, as well as the ones listed in EE.
I have another question in regards to ammunition, the 30-06 Garand shoots an M2 ball, right?
Would any .308 ball be safe to shoot without risking damage to the gun, or me?
Thanks again.
We have some like new Beretta M-1s in both calibers in stock.
.308 rifle is a typo 2, all original GI parts, with leather sling and adjustable gas valve. It looks new $1700
We also have some guns that were built on Beretta receivers with new aftermarket stocks and 30-06 barrels but otherwise GI parts. They look new too. $1800
.308 rifle is a typo 2, all original GI parts, with leather sling and adjustable gas valve. It looks new $1700
We also have some guns that were built on Beretta receivers with new aftermarket stocks and 30-06 barrels but otherwise GI parts. They look new too. $1800
Regardless whether it worked satisfactory or not, just sayin, was designed for the .276 then made to fit the 30-06.
Really decent prices. I've read the Berettas are considered some of the best rebuilt Garands. Do you have an ecommerce website? I can't find anything about your inventory on my phone.
