when and where was your !st encounter with the m1 garand

[Oneida Steve]

My first introduction was when I bought a nice M1 Garand at the Syracuse, NY gun show in the mid-1990's. I shot it for half-a-dozen years, but finally realized my aging eyes and peep sights just don't go together. I sold the Garand and bought a scoped Ruger #1 in the same .30-06 caliber.

[Jim K]

I got an e-mail questioning my firearms knowledge (and my ancestry) and informing me that it is impossible to re-cock the M1 rifle without operating the bolt. So, I will add this little tip.

Those who are concerned, as I was, about a hangfire, or merely want to try again on a misfire, can cock the hammer of an M1 or M14 rifle by unlatching the trigger guard at the rear and swinging the guard down like the lever of a lever-action rifle. Then latch the guard back up and pull the trigger.

That feature was part of the spec for the M1 rifle; the Army was concerned about hangfires, where a "dud" round can go off as it is being ejected from the rifle, wrecking the rifle and blowing brass and burning powder into the shooter's face. With the M1903, retrying a dud was done simply by pulling back on the cocking knob, and the Army wanted the same ability in the M1.

Jim

[Happydog]

I was a 17 year kid in basic training at Fort Jackson SC. When I was issued my M1, I thought it was very heavy. When basic was over it wasn't heavy at all. Went home on leave after basic and nearly put the barrel of a 12ga shotgun through the ceiling when I first picked it up. It had lost weight while I was in basic training.

[John S Bryant]

August 1947. Basic training, US Army............Korea, 1951. Over the hills (mountains) and through the valleys. Ruined the day for a lot of Chinese and North Koreans. Nothing could beat it in those days. Today, I'm outclassed with all these sci-fi weeeepons.

[wpage]

West Point NY 1965 All day at the range 100, 300, 500 meters. Seemed like about 500 rounds the 1st day. Man my arm hurt the next day. What a gun!

[StewNTexas]

June, 1960 at Parris Island. I had been shooting since around 8 years old, mostly .22's, and an occasional chance to shoot my cousins 1903A3.

During our qualification, I shot a 248, which put me as 'high rifle' in our batt. They put me on the rifle team, and I had to skip a week of mess duty. I sure did not miss that. After being assigned to 8th & I, between parades and time at Camp David, I was placed on the HQ rifle team. Lots of traveling, lots of trigger time. Many close matches, but no 14k in 1961.

Went to Eastern Division matches at LaJune (sp) in '62. Got my first chunk of 14k there. A couple more later that year at Camp Perry. All our ammo was Frankfort Arsenal Match.

Last transfer was to HMX-1 in late '62. Even though we lived/flew out of DC, our 'offical' duty station was Quantico. Short hop on a chopper, and we had plenty of those. The Corps did not have a sniper program at that time as it had been discontinued about the end of the Korean Conflict.

I was 'asked', along with a couple of other guys to see what we could do with some rifles bought from a few manufacturers. First we stated by improving our accuracy with our M-1's from 600 yds to 1,000 yds., still open sights. After a few weeks of this, we moved to the 'new' stuff they bought, with improved sighting systems. We mostly worked with different factory reps to see what seemed to work best. We were not given much information regarding overall test results. During 'bad' weather days we assisted at the FBI range working with 'new guys'. This is when I discovered that the FBI hired people that had never fired a firearm.

With all this going on, we were still officially assigned to presidential security.

Did not re-up, as VietNam had started taking buddies. Not a lot of them were returning.

Still miss not having a Garand of my own, but with my defib/pacemaker, my doctors will not let me shoot any shoulder fired weapon over .22 cal. I have started trying my hand as pistols. This is sort of funny as when I was on the USMC team, we were considered alternates on the pistol team. Were assiged a pistol box with a .22, .38 and .45. We seldom shot them, they were just another piece of luggage we hauled around.

Was sitting in an English class in Cookeville, TN at Tennessee Tech the morning of Noverber 22nd, 1963. Heard the news, went outside to toss cookies, stayed stuck to the TV for the next 2 days. Saw a lot of my buds from DC there. If I had stayed in, I would have been in the middle of that whole damn mess.

[Woodie]

Coast Guard 1967 Gutanimo ( GitMo Bay) ( SP) Cuba. pulled guard duty on the pier for our ship the Morganthau - they gave me an M1 & No Bullets.
One month later on TDA going to Alaska awaiting orders had to pull shore patrol with the interservice MP's unit in NYC. Got stuck guarding a polish freighter in Brooklyn. Got issued a 45 and an M1 with live rounds. Polish were jumping ship and never going back. So I tell all of my Polish friends how much more dangerous the Government thinks they are then the Cubans.
Oh I had no training on the M1 what so ever. we used the old Bolt actions in boot camp then the range at fire island and I never saw that piece I signed for again.
here's funny one I was stationed in Cape May. NJ as my first duty station after DC school. Well they need some one to go to town with cash to buy different items we couldn't get through GS Stores ( remember in 1967 we had less men then the NY City police dept. and our budget was smaller) So i got a bond for handling cash ( they wanted a petty officer and i was the newest third class around, bottom of the pole but now liable as a non com) then they needed a guy to do( service and check the fire extinguishers in secure areas so that was under our DC job and i had already completed half the security check. So I got some level i don't even recall secret maybe. So then they decided since I was in the area ( operations something - that since i was lowly and had a clearance that they would get me a higher clearance and have me burn documents ( Carry the boxes and light'em up while a Lt JG watched me ) So then in one of the bunkers they found 4 crates of 45's there were bunkers full of stuff, some from the WW1 sea planes
Any way they were some what rusty even with the cosmo . So they had no paper work and decided to survey. so again since i had all these dumb clearances Yup i had to load them in a International Travel All ( OLD) all our vehicles were navy throw aways. Drive them and that Lt JG to Philadelphia Naval/ Marine Brig. and read the numbers off and the JG read the numbers and some guy from the Treasury Dept wrote them down and I had to take them down and smash everything I could with a 3 lb hammer and throw the pieces in three different barrels. Seal the barrels and the Govt. man put a seal on. what a waste of 45's
Funniest part of the story was I was trying to figure out how to snag one of these. Until we went the the different gates and they got slammed behind us. I knew I was leaving ,but my thoughts of any snagging were Long Gone.

[The_Rifleman]

Never and nowhere.

[K1D_5150]

In a gun shop in South Hutch 'bout a month ago, on the used rack. Never handled one though.

[bbqznbeer]

About 10yr ago I shot one for the first time and fell in love.
I finally bought one ( '55 H&R ) 2yr ago and found my lost love all over again.

[Old Grump]

03 in boot, BAR aboard ship because I was the only one in my division built like a gorilla, first time I actually got to play with a M1 was 71 when I joined the Navy rifle team. Must have been a good gun because 9 months later I was shooting in the All Navy championships in a downpour at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. It was a dirty trick to play on a man who had just been shooting for 9 months in the desert at White Sands New Mexico. I needed a life boat to lay in for the prone position.

[avingo]

i got mine a few months ago but havent had the chance to shoot it. seems i'v bought too many guns in the last year and so many havent been shot but the garand is going on the next trip to the range, got my ammo and springs clips..

[ronnieboy]

it happened at my uncles funeral. He was at the bulge with patton, so he was entitled to a military salute of his piers, WWll vets with M1's. Some had crosses embedded in the stock, some had other medals affixed with pride. I heard the brass hulls rattle on the pavement, a cold chill passed over me. 2 months later i have a March 1942 SA. And am thankfull to have it. And i Remember Where its Been. ron

[Blizzard]

1977, I was barely old enough to understand what I was looking at but I do remember it. It was BIG!! It was in the "forbidden room" down cellar. You didn't go in unless you were invited in. It was where Dad kept all his stuff; his few rifles and reloading items along with a chair and a bookshelf with just about every copy of Gun Digest from when they began to that present year. He had the M-1 and a few others that were family keepsakes to be passed down.

[VegasTech702]

My Grandpa carried an M1 Garand while in the Marine Corps back in the early 50's. He introduced me to the M1 when I was 12 years old. I was able to load and shoot it successfully by the end of our outing. My shoulder hurt for a few days afterward.

I have shot them several times since and I enjoy it but I am wouldn't want to carry one in combat. They are heavy, awkward to load, have a large amount of recoil and make the noise when you are empty that gives away your position.

Out of all the rifles that have been deployed in our military, I would probably want an M14. If I could choose any rifle for infantry combat I would choose an M4 chambered in 6.8 SPC. For sniper or long range engagements I would want either an AI AWSM in .338 Lapua Mag or the Barrett M82 chambered in .416 Barrett.

[blackcat_attilio]

Originally Posted by bbqznbeer

About 10yr ago I shot one for the first time and fell in love.
I finally bought one ( '55 H&R ) 2yr ago and found my lost love all over again.

Hi! Nice kid!

[bbqznbeer]

Thx
I can scope it too with a B Square ( no D/T ) mount
Photo'd with a Lyman 4x scope
I have an Lyman Alaskan ( which is more "correct" ) ...but it's on my Longbranch No4 Mkl*

[daw8752]

July 1962, fort Jackson S.C. Basic training, It was the last time I handled one till the one I have now. It is a fine rifle, less recoil than a 1903A3.

[SSMN]

1967...Issued to me in sniper configuration. National Match marked. Lace on leather cheekpiece. Big Unertl scope. No one else touched it after I sighted it in with NM rounds.

JimK...Never knew the "lever action" cocking trick. Thanks for the new information (at least to me)

[Bubblehead]

1966 aboard the submarine USS Raton. M1's, Thompson sub machine guns, 1911's, Browning 50 Cal machine guns and a rocket launcher.

[Old Grump]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead

1966 aboard the submarine USS Raton. M1's, Thompson sub machine guns, 1911's, Browning 50 Cal machine guns and a rocket launcher.

Aah you dirty rat! You got to shoot a Tommy gun. The only gun aboard ship I really wanted to shoot and they wouldn't let me. One of these days before I die I need to try one, at least once. I ain't going until I do.

[Bubblehead]

Originally Posted by Old Grump

Aah you dirty rat! You got to shoot a Tommy gun. The only gun aboard ship I really wanted to shoot and they wouldn't let me. One of these days before I die I need to try one, at least once. I ain't going until I do.

Yep. Got to empty a few magazines and sent a 5 gallon milk can to its watery grave

[silvertip44]

Fort Jackson, S. C. shot it for qualification and then within a week or so was switched to the M14 shich i always loved and wanted. I have three of them now.

[grampawmike]

An M-1 story: This occurred during the '63/'64 PAC FLEET championship range competition held at Camp Eliot, San Diego, in '64. I was just a young 3rd Class PO, and had been shooting on different shooting teams in the San Diego area for a while when I was selected to be sent TAD to SATU San Diego, receive a shooting coach, and fire for the 11th Naval Dist. team. I posted this back in May in another location in this forum but thought it fits with the spirit of the Garand tales here.

I was just a kid, but was shooting pretty well with the wonderful old Garand. I was on the 11th Naval Dist. Team. My coach was twice a member of the President's 100 and one hell of a coach and shooter. He held the range record (Camp Elliot) for pistol, rifle and the aggregate of both. A big Seabee Chief PO had been trying to beat that aggregate score for a few years, but THIS year was to the IT! He told one and all that my coach's record was about to fall.
At this shoot they ran 3 relays of 75 shooters for each station, followed by an alibi round. Unknown to me, my coach had arranged (somehow) to place me on the same relay as the Chief and one target to his left. We were firing the old National Match course of fire. The 200yd. off hand slow fire round went well, as did the 300yd. standing to sitting rapid fire. As I prepared for the 400yd. standing to prone rapid fire stage, my coach pulled me off to the side and handed me a clip of, what looked like, the normal Lake City Match ammo. He then told me that, no matter what, when the targets started up from the butts I was to hit the dirt FAST! then get the first two rounds off as fast as possible....just as long as the muzzle of my weapon was pointed down range. He told me to look back at him when I went to re-load, and if he gave me anything other than a 'thumbs-up' I was to load that particular clip, settle down and not to worry......everything would work out. I figured that something was going on, but had no idea of what it was. Well, the targets started up and I hit the dirt as fast as possible and popped off those first two rounds like a machine. I looked back and my coach had his hands in the air as if to say "what the @#^$!!!?", so in went the clip I was given. One round out of it and that rifle jammed...tight. All I could do was hold up my hand to signal for an alibi. The cease fire sounded and then all I could hear was the Chief next to me cussing up a storm.....and he was looking at ME!
Now let me explain, I'm left handed....I shoot the Garand left handed. When in the prone position I'm bass akwards to everyone else on the line. When I hit the dirt and spit out those first two rounds, two pieces of red hot Lake City brass headed right toward that Seabee Chief, slipped right inside the starched collar of his Marine Corp fatigues and right down his neck. He flinched....badly......and ultimately registered a 'Maggie's Drawers". His record run was over. The Chief's attitude didn't improve any when my coach walked up to him and mentioned that he needed to learn to 'concentrate'. The round that jammed my rifle so badly was over-sized and had to be cleared at the armory and not on the range. I did well on my alibi round, but I stayed completely out of sight of that big Seabee Chief for the rest of the match. Fun n games in the Navy.

[ohdsmith]

JrROTC 1955... As a Freshman... There were 2 Battalions (400), with an M-1 issued to each cadet... We had formation and inspection each Friday... We were trained to disassemble and reassemble...We maintained our issued piece... We had range practice with live rounds... Never caught my thumb in the action

There were these Cuban brothers, when the revolution broke out in Cuba, one stayed in Florida and the other returned home... Brother against Brother...