Bird Blaster
Regular
- Location
- Northern Ontario
Looks great!!
The M1 Garand Build Thread
- Thread starter Don Kael
- Start date
Holy cow Mega, she's a beaut.
Congratulations.
Even if you could get the colour to match(not easy), the woods character/grain would still stand it apart from the other walnut pieces.
Congratulations.
Can't be 100% positive from your pic, but looks to me that handguard is birch.
Even if you could get the colour to match(not easy), the woods character/grain would still stand it apart from the other walnut pieces.
Stock is a Boyds. Wood is the same kind everywhere. Grain must be different.
I taught my SKS was heavy, that Garand weights 9.5lbs without cleaning kit.
Hmmm. To get more colour into that handguard, probably have to strip down to bare wood, apply many well-thinned coats of NGR alcohol based stain, then "tune" it in with an oil based wiping stain. Let it dry for a good long time before re applying your topcoats.(BLO? tung?).
Heavy?, yes they are, but those M1's hang so fine offhand.
Bird Blaster
Regular
- Location
- Northern Ontario
You cannot beat an m1...it is worth every pound. I honestly hope my build will look as fine as yours when I am done!
I haven't kept track of everything, but from what I remember :
Beretta Receiver (SFRC)
SA trigger housing with mostly MINT internal (Numrich)
SA Op Rod
Rear sights came from Treeline
Bolt, Barrel are SA and are coming from Constantine. New stuff (redfile3 on ebay)
Most other small parts came from numrich.
Gas Cylinder came from numrich
Small parts from numrich and the trigger housing were often pitted or rusted quite a bit. I've built a sandblast to refinish the parts.
I used Birchwood casey cold blue on the pitted/rusted trigger housing and op rod. I'll see how the finish last.
Gas cylinder was refinished with Caswell SS Blackener.
Beretta Receiver (SFRC)
SA trigger housing with mostly MINT internal (Numrich)
SA Op Rod
Rear sights came from Treeline
Bolt, Barrel are SA and are coming from Constantine. New stuff (redfile3 on ebay)
Most other small parts came from numrich.
Gas Cylinder came from numrich
Small parts from numrich and the trigger housing were often pitted or rusted quite a bit. I've built a sandblast to refinish the parts.
I used Birchwood casey cold blue on the pitted/rusted trigger housing and op rod. I'll see how the finish last.
Gas cylinder was refinished with Caswell SS Blackener.
Did you install the barrel yourself megaclocker? I also have a beretta receiver and NOS barrel from constantine. Hand tight i am 27 degrees off. Not sure weather i should get a couple more receivers to find one that may be closer.
Mine was close to 30deg handtight like yours. I've used a dab of antiseize and a 18in Crescent wrench.
I've been able to bring it to 8deg off index with only the 18in Crescent. I've done the last 9deg with a 6ft cheater bar. (without much force) I was not putting much force at all at the end of that 6ft lever.
My receiver had a perfect finish on it. The 18in Crescent wrench hasn't scratched the receiver while tightening it to the barrel.
I've used a huge 2x4 wood shelf in my garage to bolt my barrel vice. Worked fine.
To be honest I was expecting it to be way harder.
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Anyone got a spare cleaning kit with the Garand multi-tool for sale ?
You will not find too much variation in the way that the NOS SA 1954/1955 barrels fit up to the Breda and Beretta Garand receivers. Here's an illustration based on hand tight fit of 5 different NOS SA barrels on 17 different Breda/Beretta receivers. This is from my barrel installation matrix and basically shows a 4-6 degree variation in how the barrels initially fit the receiver at the hand tight starting position;
Barrel #1 - High end 34 deg off top dead center (TDC), low end 29 deg off TDC
barrel #2 - high end 31 deg off TDC, low end 27 deg off TDC
barrel #3 - high end 29 deg off TDC, low end 24 deg off TDC
barrel #4 - high end 30 deg off TDC, low end 25 deg off TDC
barrel #5 - high end 32 deg off TDC, low end 26 deg off TDC
The recommended initial position for installation of a new barrel per US Army specs and the Kuhnhausen Shop Manual is min 9 deg/max 15 deg. That said, I have successfully installed several NOS GI barrels from the 18 deg position as well as a new Criterion barrel in the 22 deg position without using any undue effort on the receiver wrench. The conventional wisdom is to face off the rear shoulder of the barrel on a lathe to a point where you get into the recommended range off offset. Having said that I'm thinking about installing one from the 24 deg position this spring after I re-parkerize the selected receiver.
When installing the barrel make sure that both the barrel and receiver threads are degreased and free of any crud- a Dremel wire brush works good- and use an anti-seize compound on the threads and face of the receiver. Brownells sells a barrel paste specifically for this and a small container lasts a lifetime.
BTW, Always use a piece of card stock or aluminum tape between the wrench and the receiver to prevent marring the finish if the wrench slips or moves. Also make sure that the jaws of whatever wrench is used are free of burrs which might cause a scratch. I use card stock on both my Garand and M1 Carbine wrenches and use aluminum tape on my M1903 Springfield receivers before fitting the wrench with the aluminum side against the receiver.
Thanks for that. Is there any reason a barrel vise like this would not work http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/vises-accessories/barrel-vises/davidson-barrel-vise-prod36757.aspx? Can i clamp on the round part just infront of the threads at the breech or should i go for one with the inserts for the m1 barrel?
If you are only interested in installing Garand barrels I would get a vice with a purpose-shaped insert or interior profile to fit the 2 ledges on either side of the barrel. Any type of barrel vise for a round barrel would work although you might need to re-profile the inside to get a good grip on the barrel. Some of these come with different inserts/bushings to fit various barrel diameters. Depending on how long the vise and inserts are, as well as your bench set-up for use of the wrench, you may or may not be able to secure the barrel between the ledges and the receiver. The alternative is to clamp the barrel forward of the ledges and behind the seating cut for the lower band. Slippage is always a concern in a round barrel vise, so it and the barrel must be free of oil and there must be a gorilla- tight fit. I use a bit of emery cloth in the bushings with the grit side away from the barrel and against the bushing as a precaution against the barrel slipping.
Trust me, this won't work.
The barrel will spin in there 100% sure. Follow what ''purple'' said, there is no other options.
Coyote Ugly
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Spent much of the day mucking out the SA'53 bbl's bore. A slow, lazy Sat.. Much easier, methought .. before it gets installed on receiver.
It looked most excellent as it was originally, but I couldn't resist running through a CR10 soaked patch, see how much blue would come out.
Lots and lots it turns out.
After a few soakings, and a scrub or two with JB's bore paste, a single land started to show dark on it's top for maybe two inches. Oh oh.
Carbon, I fervently hoped. Please, don't let it be pitting/corrosion.
Out with the brake cleaner and tight brush.
Thank you!!!, not corrosion, the darkness, it is getting shorter on the land. Whew!. Relief.
Hours later, she's now gleaming evenly from end to end. Throat is v. good, as is muzzle/crown. Lands are sharp edged forward of the leade.
Will however, be needing to cut up another batch of old T-shirt strip patches, LoL!.
It looked most excellent as it was originally, but I couldn't resist running through a CR10 soaked patch, see how much blue would come out.
Lots and lots it turns out.
After a few soakings, and a scrub or two with JB's bore paste, a single land started to show dark on it's top for maybe two inches. Oh oh.
Carbon, I fervently hoped. Please, don't let it be pitting/corrosion.
Out with the brake cleaner and tight brush.
Thank you!!!, not corrosion, the darkness, it is getting shorter on the land. Whew!. Relief.
Hours later, she's now gleaming evenly from end to end. Throat is v. good, as is muzzle/crown. Lands are sharp edged forward of the leade.
Will however, be needing to cut up another batch of old T-shirt strip patches, LoL!.
