The M1 Garand Build Thread
- Thread starter Don Kael
- Start date
As I have more than one build on the go I give them #'s to separate the parts for each one. This is #002. I have just finished getting it all put together and if all goes well I will get some lead out the right end tomorrow. 
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
They are right. The BM59 uses detachable 20-round box magazines and the Garand the 8-shot "clips". I expect there will be mostly minor clearance changes. Imagine putting a V8 engine into a V6 engine compartment. Some things have to move around.
What's interesting about the BM59 in the Cdn gun law scenario is that you are limited to a 5/20 rd mag in comparison to a straight Garand which uses the 8 rd en bloc clip. They do look cool to some folks though. For all that's involved, a person is actually further ahead to build a .308/7.62 Garand.
And speaking of 7.62 Garands, the one in the front is just that. 1/2" shorter barrel,rear handguard,stock,op rod and op spring. Have to get the headspace checked out Monday but otherwise is good to go (stacking swivel is coming). The one in the back is 30.06 and ready for a test fire. The barreled receivers are just waiting for stocks. Garands galore! Love it when a plan comes together!
Headspace is more generous in a 7.62 NATO chamber than a .308 Win chamber. 7.62 NATO headspace gauges are very tough to locate, so most will use .308 Win gauges to establish/verify headspace in a 7.62 chamber. What I do is to use the .308 Win "no-go" gauge as a "go" gauge and the .308 Win 'field" gauge as a "no-go" gauge. That way you are within the parameters of the .308 Win and can still shoot 7.62 NATO ammo. The post-war Springfield bolts that are fairly widely available these days in NOS condition run on the long side, so are a good bet to set up headspace in a 7.62 chamber. The wartime -19 Springfield bolts and the Breda (BMB) bolts tend to be on the longer side as well. The common Springfield -12 bolts tend to run a bit shorter.
Odd question lads:
I was out shooting the M1 today with the new Boyds stock and the trigger guard was popping loose with almost every shot. This wasn't happening with the USGI stock I was using previously...
Any thoughts as to what is causing this?
I was out shooting the M1 today with the new Boyds stock and the trigger guard was popping loose with almost every shot. This wasn't happening with the USGI stock I was using previously...
Any thoughts as to what is causing this?
Is it a milled or stamped guard? How much force did you use to get the guard to close?
It took a lot of force to get it in after removing enough wood so that it would go in and once it locked up I figured everything was Kosher. The guard is most likely stamped.
I don't think the pins are worn, as it locked up very well in the USGI stock. I suppose more wood needs to be removed in order to have it lock up the same as it did when I had it in the previous stock?
EDIT: Guard is most likely stamped, not milled.
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The milled guard has the circular hole at the end of it. The Boyds stocks are of variable fit. One can fit OK in a particular area where another may not. Sometimes the wood needs to be relieved a bit where the milled guard seats so that the guard can fully lock into the trigger housing. Claven 2 offered some illustrated tips on fitting a Boyds stock on page 37 of this thread which are worth checking out. Tough to diagnose this over the 'net w/o actually having the rifle in hand. Sometimes the 2 pads where the rear of the trigger housing seats need to be relieved a bit to allow the trigger housing to sit a bit deeper in the stock so that the guard pins can lock up into the receiver..
I've tried removing wood in areas noted by Claven, but I am still having the same issue. If too much wood is removed, would a proper bedding suffice to fix this? I am considering taking this into a gunsmith to have it taken care of.
Anyone know of someone in and around the Manitoba area that can take care of this? RPK seems to be far too busy at the moment.
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Well, it turns out there may have been an issue with the production of the stock. The gentlemen who sold it to me has said it there was a large run of stocks that had similar issues and it will be replaced when a suitable replacement arrives next month. Happy days 
The Boyds stocks and handguards are by no means a drop in fit. They are new walnut and finish up nicely on the outside, but the fit needs quite a lot of time to get proper functionality and good accuracy. The stocks seem to be so inconsistent that I think they would have a tough time getting and keeping a government contract if they were still contracting for Garand stocks. Military stocks need to fit close enough so that they can be replaced at base level or at direct support units in the field w/o needing a lot of monkeying around.
Bird Blaster
Regular
- Location
- Northern Ontario
Well, my garand does not look as pretty as it did anymore...
It was a 308 build specifically to be used as a hunting rifle. I went out spring black bear hunting and I did manage to harvest a small boar with it! (Picture taken before tag applied, which was done so legally immediately afterwards).
thanks for looking!
BB
It was a 308 build specifically to be used as a hunting rifle. I went out spring black bear hunting and I did manage to harvest a small boar with it! (Picture taken before tag applied, which was done so legally immediately afterwards).
thanks for looking!
BB
