Warbird Information Exchange

This really has nothign to do with warbirds, but I thought you all might be interested or even fellow owners. I just yesterday bought a WWII era M-1 Garand. It took me a while to find one. Do any of you guys or gals own one of these? Anything I should know about it?

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Don't catch your "thumb"(or any other fingers) with the bolt

Shay
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Semper Fortis

hate to be a ass but if this has nothing to do with warbird why you psot here in warbirds ?

try the gun forums or the off topic forum ...maybe move it there?

I just thought you guys might like to hear about it, and some don't look in the other threads.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I have 2 M-1 Garands, both prewar, march 1941 and a Dec 1941. The Dec 41 is a British Lend Lease Garand. Buy lots of clips and either learn to reload or get ready to spend alot on 30/06

I am amazed at how heavy it is. I can't wait until my next few days off to fire it. how can you tell when it was made.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Hey, cool find. The only gun I own is a 1918 British .303 enfield made in Australia.

My next gun I have been thinking about getting is an M-1 Carbine. Hard to find too.

Tally ho,
Nathan

Cool! I want an M-1 Carbine for my Jeep.

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David
1953 M38A1 jeep owner
& Student Pilot soloed 09/09/06
USAF 1984-1986

Good buy. WW2 guns are some of my favorite.

For anyone wanting a M1 Garand, I would load up while you can. The supply has been drying up for a while now and the CMP has been out of high grade M1s for years now. They get some in now and then but they are $$$$.


With some hope the carbine may become common again. Korea has 1/6 of all carbines ever made and they are/were for sale. Not sure about the destination of those yet. However I would not hold my breath for that one.

There are stories about after the war gun shops would have beer barrels full of old used WWII guns for dirt cheap!

Man, imagine what they are worth now!

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

ahh, the unmistakeable sound of an M-1 Garand: Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, cling!!!

To figure out when it was built you need to know the manufacturer and the serial number.

http://www.jouster.com/serial/serial.html

Who manufactured your rifle?

There's one thing to be wary of with M-1's: there was a mod that had to be done to their internal mechanism. A part of the actuating mechanism could fail (with often fatal results for the shooter). I haven't got the books in front of me right now and I'm working from memory but do a little research before you shoot it. It seems to me that it only applies to pre-war variants but I could be wrong. I fired about three or four clips out of mine before I discovered that fact and I haven't had a chance to strip it and see that the "AD" was done, but it's been pickled and put away since then. If it hasn't been done don't modify the part yourself as originals apparently are sought after by collectors (go figure!) and are quite valuable. Fine weapon though, and a hoot to shoot.

Dan

mustang, enjoy it with all the best!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!