When you load your clips, do you care which side you start on?
Originally there was a problem with the guns, and the bottom round had to be on the left side. But they fixed that. Since about '42 (maybe earlier) they'll feed fine either way.
But I load mine with the bottom round left. I've even been know to unload clips (when I've bought clipped ammo) with the bottom round right and restack it.
I do load mine with the bottom round on the left, if they don't start falling out, it stay that way! If they fall out then I just do what ever it takes to get them to stay in. When I load a "pre-loaded" clip, I have never looked to see how they were loaded.
I start mine bottom left. I bought some inert shells and actually practice loading the enbloc clips AND loading the clips into the gun. If you get the op rod back correctly, you won't experience Garand Thumb when you put the clip into the gun. I caught my thumb once because I didn't get the op rod fully back into position
Yup. Me. Always found the loading process more "natural" feeling (for lack of a better term) when my thumb was pressing a top right round, rather than having to cross over to a top left, so yes, I've unloaded and reloaded clips. By the same token, this was at the Camp Smith back in NY and nobody was shooting at us, so I could afford to take the time to load the clips the way I wanted
I'm still going to a big batch of Greek that comes in the bandoleir so I have not hand loaded the clips much. I will say this is the first I've heard of this and when I have loaded clips, I have not paid attention to it. Mine is a 43
If memory serves me, this situation was referred to as a 5th round jam. As Alpo pointed out, the problem - a milling cut in the receiver I believe, was found and corrected fairly early.
Bought my first Garand from an old-timer who in his circle of friends is known as "Mr. Garand" A half dozen M1s later I still hear his advice while I load the first round to the left....."you might hear that loading the first round to the left isn't important, the issue was solved and believing you still need to is an old wive's tail" "I assure you the idea that you don't need to is the old wive's tail"
I been shooting them right from the bandoleers.. never looked.. hmm. never looked at when I relaoded a clip either..hmm
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