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M1 Garand receiver weak?
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 Posted: Sun Jun 3rd, 2007 03:23 AM
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wolfkill
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A year ago I was all excited about my bear permit and wanting to take Yogi with above gun. I fully understand recommendations about not shooting bullets weighing more than 180 grains due to the possibility of bending the operator rod.

I had modified a spare gas plug to vent through the rifle rendering it to a single shot and in theory shoot heavier bullets? My goal was to use Nosler 200 grain Partitions.

This opened up quite a hornets nest on a diff forum (let alone the fact I dress it in fiberglass) and to make a long story short I was told the Garands receiver is simply not designed to shoot bullets weighing more than 180 grains and that I should use a good bolt gun like a Rem 700 for hunting.

I've taken enough game at this stage in my life with modern fireams. At this point I'm looking for sport if you will. My eyes are only getting worse. The Garand is one of my few non-scoped guns I can humanely shoot an animal with.

So getting back to the Garand's receiver being weak. What's the feeling? Stay under 180 grains even with the gas plug removed?

 



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 Posted: Sun Jun 3rd, 2007 05:18 PM
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Charley
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I sure don't see it as a "weak" receiver. If you've shortcutted the gas system and operating rod, I wouldn't think there would be a problem.



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 Posted: Mon Jun 4th, 2007 12:27 AM
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72coupe
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I've never heard of a weak receiver on a Garand. 180 grain bullets are not to heavy for Garands either. One of the standard loads of the time was a rather stiff 174 grain ball bullet. Just stick with 4895 or no faster than 4320 and you can shoot just about anything you want.

I would think that any bear could be taken with the right 180 grain bullet. Put the gas plug back and you will have another 16,800 foot pounds of bear killer under your trigger finger.

I like the old war horse in black.



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 Posted: Mon Jun 4th, 2007 11:40 PM
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bea175
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The Garand should handle any reasonable 06 load. Stay with the medium buring powders and you should be able to use anything from the 200 gr on down. :confused:



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 Posted: Mon Jul 23rd, 2007 12:13 AM
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sako06
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March 1986 American Rifleman has an interesting reloading article on the M-1 Garand that I copied and sent out to garand shooters.When I was our clubs range master for DCM shoots I told all of the participants about the article for reloading and improving accuracy to 1,2 or 3 minutes of angle.One of the participants used his garand to kill a mule deer so I used mine to kill a mule deer in CO with a load from the article using a 165gr Nosler BT,IMR 4895 powder, my groups went down to 1 min of angle.The article has loads from 150gr to 200gr.I added a Dean Alley Redfield Hooded Front Post Sight with inserts(available from Brownells)

Last edited on Mon Jul 23rd, 2007 12:19 AM by sako06



 Posted: Wed Sep 19th, 2007 02:34 AM
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WILDCATT
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I think you misunderstood.its not the reciever thats week and no other parts are.it just your supposed to keep the load to the gas port pressure.just dont use slow powders.I intend to load 180 gr lead in mine with a lighter load than max.garands will work with load that reaches 1900 fts.Your going to load for hunting so go at it.

-----:troll:---:confused:------



 Posted: Wed Sep 19th, 2007 03:06 AM
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sako06
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M1 Garand 180gr load data.180gr Sierra MatchKing HPBT bullets powders used IMR 3031,4895,4064,H4895 & Win 748.This bullet is listed as the best all around for the M1 garand.Fed 210M primers used in all loads except Win 748 when Win LR Primers were used.If you want I can send you a copy of the  March 86 Am Rifleman article "Reloading For The M1 Rifle" I found it to be right on when I used a 165 Nos BT bullet,IMR 4895 47.5gr,Rem LR Mag Primer using mixed brass:Fed,Rem or DEN 42 or 43.



 Posted: Thu Sep 20th, 2007 01:34 AM
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sako06
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Here's a source for Garand parts I've used http://www.northridgeinc.com



 Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 09:14 AM
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If you're venting gas so the op rod will not fully cycle, I'd think even commercial heavy loads would be fine, much as shutting off an M1A's gas valve would accomplish. Nice straight-pull action.



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 Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 04:11 PM
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Toscano
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Get yourself an adjustable screw and tune for the load...start with the vent wide open and work it back until you get reliable cycling + a hair more to compensate for enbloc resistance.  Now go get Yogi.



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 Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2007 04:36 PM
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sako06
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I have a Hodgdon's Reloading Data Manual  #19 that has 2 pages of  30-06 Lead Bullet Loads if anyone wants a copy of this data or the March 1986 Garand loading data I'll be happy to send it just send me your name & address.



 Posted: Sat Jan 5th, 2008 05:22 AM
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griz007
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It is understood the M1 Garand is tested over a 100,000 psi in its strength design and it is the op-rod that is easily bent upon firing a round with port pressures being to high. The M1 Garand is reliable shooting piece if I ever saw one- I own one built in Apr. of 42', not original I am certain.

I have played around with the McCann adj. gas plug and shooting a hundred or so Nosler Partition 180 grn PP rounds. I did not care for the CCI 34's as the number of "misfires" was due in part of the 34's. I have switched to using Fed 210's and all is well. Just have to be darn certain your primer seating depth is at least .001" deeper than flush.

I have now gone to shooting Fed 150 grn FMJ and am hesitant in reloading anymore with the 180's. Somewhere down the road I would like  to reload with the 168 TSX and do suspect it to be quite a load. For anything.

good day,



 Posted: Sat Jan 5th, 2008 05:45 AM
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sako06
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I've never  had any problems with my armory rebuild Springfield . I may load some more ammo and take it hunting again possibly for elk.An acquaintence WW2 vet hunted elk & mule deer in the western US for years with his 4 garands 2 of which were sniper models.



 Posted: Sat Jan 5th, 2008 05:53 AM
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sako06
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The only questionable receivers I knew about were the ones that were cut in half and rewelded.A company here in CA was selling rewelded garands until knowledgeable people interceeded and they stopped the sales.We were warned by our former WW2 vets to beware of rewelded garand receivers especially at gunshows. This site may answer some questions about the durability of the M1 Garand.     http://www.gokart.net/shop-utopia/mccann/rifles/458garand/magnum2/magnum2.html        here's some more sites    http://www.bjonessights.com/SR.html   misc info http://stevespages.com/table3.html  http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm

Last edited on Sat Jan 5th, 2008 06:26 AM by sako06



 Posted: Sat Jan 5th, 2008 07:25 PM
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I have a welded garand and I called rock island arsenal.I was told to anneal the reciever as I had to machine a cople of slots. and not to harden it as it was case hardened for wear.the material it was made of was strong enuf.I had it headspaced and checked for dimentions by an expert.RI said it might get loose head space over time.these nay sayers are like the ww1 vet who told me he caried a 30/30.

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 Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 07:51 PM
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wolfkill
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In truth I already had shot a few 200 grain rounds thru her (with the vented gas plug so as to not bend the operating rod) and it seemed fine. 

I didn't think it had a weak receiver but I got a bad reaction from others on other forums.

Guess that's why I posted the pic of it in fiberglass first thing...have the purists jump all over my crap and be done with it.

I'm thinking I'm going to try it on old Yogi with the Nosler 200 grain next fall.

 



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 Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 08:42 PM
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Wolfkill, I like that stock of yours. Tell me about it. My quess it is a plastic. Probably brings the rifles weight down quite abit.

I have the McCann gas plugs and too will do the same, play around with the port pressures/bullet weight combo. I worked out a load with the 180 Partitions and shot a nice blue wolf on the run last winter-a good load. End results was some poor ejection of fired case now and again. Now shoot 150FMJ without a hitch in ejection.

On the matter of port pressure I have seen and even talked with a fella that bought out Springfield Armorys tooling for the Garand. I brought up the idea of me shooting 180's with the McCann and he too said it "that the Garand was never designed to shoot 180 and heavier". Too, that them gas plugs are a gimmick.

He makes the barrels from stock and you even see them in NM Shooting Matches wherein Garands excels. Interesting conversation I had with him. Am looking foward to having him go thru mine and tweak it out. I want sub-MOA groups.

regards,



 Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 09:20 PM
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sako06
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Some of the rewelded receivers were rather poorly done per my WW2 friends I met when I moved to CA in 1968 so it was let the buyer beware.I saw rifles in Sears for $60 in 1957 that said JC Higgins on the barrel but the receivers had a trade mark made in Liege,Belgium(Browning Supreme Receivers smooth as glass) I passed cause it was a JC Higgins label.My GS sought those receivers,had them rockwelled by Douglas who barreled them then he bought Triple A select Fajen Walnut stocks,blued the receiver and barrel,installed timney triggers and bedded the barreled action and built rifles costing $2000 +in the 70's & 80's.



 Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 06:14 AM
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wolfkill
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griz007 wrote: Wolfkill, I like that stock of yours. Tell me about it. My quess it is a plastic. Probably brings the rifles weight down quite abit.



It's a cheap Ram-line fiberglass. I have a nice wood stock somewhere I put 6 coats of varnish on but it was simply too slippery in the hands.

The other thing about the fiberglass was it has a very thin pistol grip which I like better than the fat wood grip.

It's still a heavy rifle even in fiberglass though.

WHAT IS A BLUE WOLF....GOT ANY PICS?

 



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 Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 05:09 AM
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http://www.fulton-armory.com/

 

Fulton-armory has gas cylinder plugs with adjustable jets, it worth a look see.  

If i'm not too late?



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