M1 Garand, Tooling.

L.Parratt

L.Parratt

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Hey Everyone, I Posted this in the milsurp forums but didnt get much answers! I am looking to start making M1 Garands for fun and need to find a good source on tooling. I've Found lots in the USA But sadly nothing in Canada. If anyone has a source for new or used Canadian based tooling for the M1 Garand id be very pleased!


Thanks!
 
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Brownells has action wrenches and barrel vices for barrel installs. Badger Ordnance used to make a set of fixtures for timing the barrel indexing but they are currently on backorder. Things like pull through reamers are available from the major companies like PTG.

Other specific military armorer gauges you will have to scour the internet a bit. I don’t think there’s any one stop shop they are kind of a specialty gun even in the US now.

Also, depending on your level of experience with these platforms I would recommend you get a copy of the shop manual for the M1/M14 authored by Jerry Kuhnhausen. It’s available on Amazon and is a good reference manual. Other military repair manuals will require hunting eBay and other sources.

Just re read your post sorry, but don’t think you will find much in the way of tooling/gauges in Canada. Even most common bolt gun or AR stuff all comes from the US.
 
the reamer you will have to buy.you have the choice of pull through like the army used or just a regular reamer.you re only cutting the last bit to adjust the headspace.for indexing the barrell a pair of magnetic levels from princess auto works fine.the action wrenches you can easily make or get someone with a plasma cutter and welder to help you. I made a set of blocks that I snug up in my shop vise or press.action wrench I got from a guy in nova scotia that had made it himself.i put together a dozen garands over the years and the only thing baught was the pull through reamer and go-no-go gauges.
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the 2 small blocks are square stock that was clamped together and drilled out.you have to make 2 sets with a different size hole.you then wind up with 2 sets of barrell blocks.
 

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I did the same as kward and made the blocks myself. I used a set for the receiver and another for the barrel shank. The barrel shank block was held in the bench vise and the receiver was turned by a big pipewrench on the outside of the block. All worked perfectly on both M14 and M1 rifle. I used an anglemeter to measure the TDC of receiver and barrel and when they match, you're done. The angle meter cost little. The reamers and headspace gauges on the other hand are expensive and treated like gold. Once you have them you're good. They come from Brownells.
 
I don't know how deep your pockets are, but you can get all the original drawings from the US Patent Office. I'm guessing they are in the public domain. With these drawings, you can make all your own gauges and tools. Good luck. I'd love to have a Garand action rifle, but I don't want to pay the $100,000 you would have to charge!! LOL Anyway, I'm not trying to trol you I do wish you the very best.
 
L.Parratt said:
Hey Everyone, I Posted this in the milsurp forums but didnt get much answers! I am looking to start making M1 Garands for fun and need to find a good source on tooling. I've Found lots in the USA But sadly nothing in Canada. If anyone has a source for new or used Canadian based tooling for the M1 Garand id be very pleased!

Thanks!
Click to expand...

You'll have to be more specific.

Are you planning on making lots of chips to convert various grades of steel stock into Garand parts, or the few simple handtools to assemble old parts?
 
I Was asking for tooling like Action wrenches/Vices/Reamers/Bolt Tools/Lapping. Those fun things.

I Got them all now and have made over 20 Garands.

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Where did you wind up getting the barrel vise?

I’m looking for one to true up my barrel by about a degree, and I can’t justify spending $100+ on two blocks of metal with two bolts in it.
 
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