M1 Garand tips or advice?

[kcwolf200]

I just got my first M1 Garand from CMP this week and I am new to owning one of these. Any advice on maintenance, lubrication, care? Also, do I need to strip it down and clean it thoroughly before use?

Any other tips or advice is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[xmas_asn]

Cleaning? Is it full of cosmoline? If not I would just run some hops 9 down the barrel and fallow it with a bore snake.

I tip on ammo tho.. Watch out for newer ammo in 30-06. It has a much higher pressure than the M1 Garand was designed to handle. You could damage the operating rod and the gas system. There is ammo specifically made for the M1 Garands or surplus ammo.

 

[03A3]

I would field strip, clean and lube.
Did you receive a manual with it? There should have been a manual. It will show lube points for grease. Other places such as hammer pin, the fork of the follower rod ect, any wear point, can be lubed with a good oil.
Lube anything that moves, but not the gas system.
Do you have a USGI buttstock cleaning kit? If not you should buy one from the CMP. The M10 tool in it is used to disassemble the bolt, tighten/loosen the gas plug, and is also the T-handle for the cleaning rod. I wouldn't use the steel cleaning rod, as they are hard on the bore especially at the muzzle.
A real chamber brush is a plus to have. The last I bought of these came from Bill Ricca. Get a few as they don't last forever.
I'm guessing that you don't have a cleaning kit yet so if your gas plug is tight use a LARGE std. (flathead) screwdriver.
Dang I about forgot to say congratulations on your first Garand. Not only are they a lot of fun, they are such a part of our history that any firearms enthusiest should have one. Plus they will still do the job very well if they were called on to do so.

 

[Mr. Habib]

Check out this site. Scott books on the M1 are very good.
Scott Duff Publications & Historic Martial Arms: M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M1903, Krag, M1911A1

 

[DragonGunner]

I would field strip, clean and lube.
Did you receive a manual with it? There should have been a manual. It will show lube points for grease. Other places such as hammer pin, the fork of the follower rod ect, any wear point, can be lubed with a good oil.
Lube anything that moves, but not the gas system.
Do you have a USGI buttstock cleaning kit? If not you should buy one from the CMP. The M10 tool in it is used to disassemble the bolt, tighten/loosen the gas plug, and is also the T-handle for the cleaning rod. I wouldn't use the steel cleaning rod, as they are hard on the bore especially at the muzzle.
A real chamber brush is a plus to have. The last I bought of these came from Bill Ricca. Get a few as they don't last forever.
I'm guessing that you don't have a cleaning kit yet so if your gas plug is tight use a LARGE std. (flathead) screwdriver.
Dang I about forgot to say congratulations on your first Garand. Not only are they a lot of fun, they are such a part of our history that any firearms enthusiest should have one. Plus they will still do the job very well if they were called on to do so.

Buy lithium grease from wal-mart in a tube...its around 3.00...I got the dark lithium, lube where your manual says...an yes, I did a complete tear down an cleaning before shooting. Check your sights an make sure they are tight, check your front sight...if it moves at all, remove an peen the channels an put back, peen until it fits tight with no movement. Your front hangaurd should have a little play forward an back. An your rear handgaurd should have a small space behind it that butts up against the receiver...these are for better accuracy tips...

03A3...the GCA ran a ramrod up an down a Garand barrel something like 150,000 strokes, trying to damage the crown, rifling...they did this until they wore it down 1 MW, braking an wearing out a number of steel ramrods....thats pretty amazing. The conclusion was Garand barrels are alot tougher than the ramrods...most of us will never get close to 500 strokes, let alone 150,000.....lol...an I believe when they shot it, it got the same accuracy....amazing.

 

[gunman41mag]

I would field strip, clean and lube.
Did you receive a manual with it? There should have been a manual. It will show lube points for grease. Other places such as hammer pin, the fork of the follower rod ect, any wear point, can be lubed with a good oil.
Lube anything that moves, but not the gas system.
Do you have a USGI buttstock cleaning kit? If not you should buy one from the CMP. The M10 tool in it is used to disassemble the bolt, tighten/loosen the gas plug, and is also the T-handle for the cleaning rod. I wouldn't use the steel cleaning rod, as they are hard on the bore especially at the muzzle.
A real chamber brush is a plus to have. The last I bought of these came from Bill Ricca. Get a few as they don't last forever.
I'm guessing that you don't have a cleaning kit yet so if your gas plug is tight use a LARGE std. (flathead) screwdriver.
Dang I about forgot to say congratulations on your first Garand. Not only are they a lot of fun, they are such a part of our history that any firearms enthusiest should have one. Plus they will still do the job very well if they were called on to do so.

I've never lube or oiled my M1 I'm going to do it when i have a little time

 

[03A3]

That's amazing DragonGunner. I'll admit that I based my comment solely from what I've been told countless times. That poor GI's sitting in muddy foxholes wore the the muzzles out sawing back and forth with their issue cleaning rods.
Heck, I'm going to start using mine now. Thanks for the info.

 

[DragonGunner]

I've never lube or oiled my M1 I'm going to do it when i have a little time

Drop an give me 50 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! .......lol

 

[tman]

This is a site my friend put together.

Assembling an M1 Garand Rifle From Parts

 

[03A3]

Thank you tman. There seems to be a lot of info there. I'm going to read every bit of it tonight when I have more time.

 

[Walter Zoomie]

03A3...the GCA ran a ramrod up an down a Garand barrel something like 150,000 strokes, trying to damage the crown, rifling...they did this until they wore it down 1 MW, braking an wearing out a number of steel ramrods....thats pretty amazing. The conclusion was Garand barrels are alot tougher than the ramrods...most of us will never get close to 500 strokes, let alone 150,000.....lol...an I believe when they shot it, it got the same accuracy....amazing.

+1

I always thought it was a BS wives tale that the GI cleaning rod "destroyed" a Garand barrel.

Folks...the M1 is over-engineered to be damn near indestructible with normal use. The dude who takes his to the range a few times a year and cleans it and gives it a little normal care will in no way damage an M1.

Don't worry about corrosive GI ammo. Shoot it, then clean your rifle after.

About the only thing to consider is much of the new 30.06 ammo, which is over-pressured for the M1, and there's adjustable gas plugs to solve that problem.

If you can't find GI ammo, there's always this stuff:

New manufacture ammo designed for the M1 Garand.

M1s don't need to be babied. It's not made out of paper mache. You'd really have to be a brainless douche to cock up a Garand.

Some more useful links:

YouTube - M-1 Garand Field Strip

Wolfies M1 Clip Collection

Collecting and Shooting the Military Surplus Rifle (2005) - Surplusrifle.com

Collecting and Shooting the U.S. M1 Garand .30 Rifle - OPERATIONS

M1 Garand Troubleshooting

Hell...if you're afraid of M1 thumb, there's even a fix for that!

The Holbrook Device for the M1 Garand, M1 Thumbsaver, John Holbrook

I look at it like this....the M1 is a tool/toy which should be used and enjoyed. If you're gonna fret about it and keep it in a mink-lined safe...who needs it?

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I learned all I know from the intardwebs.