M1 Garand Clinic CFB Petawawa 30 Nov 2014 DeBrief HERE!

[chalkriver]

Could you send me a pm with your email address and I can send you a newer version of the base map which shows P-141.
Bldg P-141 is across the street from S-105 (firehall)
Come onto base and take the first right onto Somme road and the firehall is on your right.
Take the next left across the street from the firehall and P-141 is right there.
I suggest just showing your ID at the gate and tell them you are going to the firehall.
We couldn't get the range booked as a military unit has it so there will be no range practice...so no ammunition will be necessary .

Morgan

 

[chalkriver]

Well I took out my new to me Garand today in the middle of a snowstorm...it was just like Bastogne ...except that I had more clothing , ammo , sleep ,food, nobody was trying to kill me and it wasn't as cold ... but it was just like Bastogne ..lol.
I recently bought it and all I did was add a new en bloc clip ejector spring and a front swivel .
The receiver has been repaired and has some pitting but the new receiver will be put on next week here in Petawawa at Hungrys clinic.
I loaded up a couple new 5 round en blocs and for the first 4 shots the round remained in the chamber . I could remove the fired casing from the chamber with my keys so I kept trying. After those initial rounds the rifle worked fine for the remaining 16 rounds that I had .
It even went ping when it ejected the enbloc after the last rounds were emptied ...so no issues there .
Might need some more tweaking yet but I LOVE THIS RIFLE !!
Thanks again calamari for the fantastic deal you gave me !! .

 

[john@]

Thanks Morgan, got the map and instructions are clear.

 

[thump_rrr]

In Ottawa checking out the air and space museum and the war museum with Rugerblast.
We'll be in Petawawa at around 9:00 tonight if anyone wants to go for a couple of cold ones.

 

[chalkriver]

Sorry I have a Christmas party to go to ...but breakfast at the messhall about 0730 sounds good .
It is open to the public and the food is good .
If you want a map of base send me your email address.
To get to the messhall go straight after the maingate to the 4 way stop by the museam. Go straight through the intersection and take the next road on your right and it will lead you to a parade square. The messhall is on the left and is bldg. G-104 Normandy Court .
for lunch we should get some Shwarmas from Madameeeks in the village ....yummy ...

 

[TacticalTeacher]

Hey, everyone is en route so to speak. I'm in Minden Tim's right now with a wi-fi signal. Life is good. We are on track for the clinic tomorrow morning.

I will see you guys at the messhall for 0715 or so. I like being early. I'm shacked up in Bldg L-101 right next to the mess hall or just kitty corner.

Cheers

Barney

 

[john@]

Was wondering where I would eat breakfast, mess hall sounds good. See you guys there.

 

[POMLT3-08]

Was at P-141, where did everyone go?

 

[chalkriver]

We were there until 0840...then we went to the bldg it was being held at (AA1) . I left a message at the firehall telling them if anyone showed up to go to AA1. Too bad you missed it as we got a lot of work done!! Five new barrels were put on , 3 chambers were reamed out and lots of little parts were swapped out .I cant thank Barney enough for coming up here to run this. You are a great asset to the firearm community Barney ! It was nice meeting some familiar faces again as well as making some new friends .The shwarma I had for lunch is making some rude smells come out of me but it was delicious .

 

[john@]

Yes, a big thanks Barney, it is much appreciated. And same to you Morgan, for hosting at Petawawa.

Some photos of the day, unfortunately once I got caught up in the hands on work I forgot to take a bunch of photos.

Recommended reading:

Tools and accessories to get:

The "classroom":

Reaming a criterion short chambered barrel:

My rifle, a work in progress, still need to get the sights / optics sorted out and park the unfinished barrel. It was a pile of parts this morning.

 

[TacticalTeacher]

Well it was a long drive in the dark but 5 hours later, I got home safely. Saw a few deer just north of Round Lake and Killaloe area.

It was a fabulous clinic and likely one of the most productive sessions with 5 barrels being installed and 3 chambers being cut. 2 of the chambers being .30-06 and one chamber in .308. I love how that .308 chamber closed on the 1.630" GO gauge and would not close on the No-Go gauge of 1.634". That Criterion .308 barrel will have a tight headspace and likely mic it's brass at about 2 or 3 thou coming out.

John@, I'm looking forward to mic'ing your brass after you test fire soon!

Yesterday's clinic could not have had a better setting: all the man cave vehicles surrounding our tables of Garands and M14's. We gotta do the Garand clinic again next spring. IT's so nice to work with in-spec parts that achieve predictable results the way they are supposed to behave. What a treat! Trigger groups that come back together et al!

One effort that does deserve more recognition is Chalkriver's work getting that second table with the TWO vise setups to the venue on his truck. I was really pleased to have 2 big benches with a total of 3 vise setups, that way we could get rebarreling done simultaneously and also the chamber reaming happening side by side. That effort facilitated a smooth flow of work projects. No waiting in line. Life does not get better. I've never had such a great setup since the Edmonton clinic back in 2008 where Sosa hosted me and we had several workstations on the go, including a chop saw for flash suppressor removal and a welding truck to unitize gas cylinders. Thanks once again there, chalkriver. Hope you are over your happy, happy hangover from getting that receiver barreled and that rifle built for your shooting joy.


Thanks for chalkriver for putting on a great spread and them schwarma (sp?) treats! They were delicious. Even better were the brutal after blasts in the truck cab on the drive home. More fun than the IMP pharts that many of you current and former serving folks experienced!

Thanks to the Montreal guys for all their jokes and the use of the .30-06 reamer and gauges. You guys were a big help.

Thanks for all of you who drove a long way to make this clinic happen. I certainly felt the love!

Get ready for next year! We are gonna have another blast!

Cheers,

Barney

 

[RugerBlast]

Yet again another awesome clinic!

A huge thanks to Barney for sharing his expertise. I will take your school teacher wisdoms over some over priced manual any day. Besides I was educated in Quebec so I can barley read anyway.

Morgan, please never stop doing what you do. Any one who has attended a Petawawa event owes you a thank you. I do not hold you responsible for the contamination and subsequent destruction of my shorts following that scharwarma. My system was unprepared for food that was not laced with salt and various unpronounceable ingredients.

Looking forward to 2015, CQB, precision rifle, matches. Should make winter a little less depressing!

Thanks again!

 

[TacticalTeacher]

Speaking of 2015 clinics... get ready. Or get reloading I should say. Morgan and I are planning a busy calendar. Inside the ORA we are already posting the CQB and Service Rifle match/clinic schedule. It's in the Service Rifle forum. I am in conversation with Adam the new Precision Rifle Match Director (I stepped down) and our calendar or match schedule is taking shape. It's basically the same or identical to last season give or take a day.

Now to hammer out the Petawawa GC calendar. We are planning CQB, Precision, and M14 clinic(s). Then we will sprinkle CQB and Precision Matches. Yeah, I gotta work on the prizes or ribbons (gonna beg for some from St. Mary's Elementary track day inventory)

It's January and I gotta get writing the ORA CQB Match rule book!

Cheers,
Barney

 

[john@]

Cool. Looking forward to it. Still have a few things to sort out, but on the whole I am ready.

 

[john@]

I finally had a chance to get the .308 Garand I assembled at the workshop to the range for a function test today. After the compulsory "garand thumb" baptism, and a liberal application of grease (I had not touched it since the clinic), I ran a clip through it and it worked great.
The muzzle brake and the rubber cushioned butt stock made it very comfortable to shoot. Still need to sort the sights out, get a cheek rest and try my hand at parking the barrel.

My rifle, a work in progress, still need to get the sights / optics sorted out and park the unfinished barrel. It was a pile of parts this morning.