CMP Garand

[Big Green]

Keep eyeing them and the only ones left are rack grade or expert grade.

From CMP:

EXPERT GRADE:​

EXPERT GRADE .30-06 RIFLES will feature a NEW, Commercial-Production Stock Set and a NEW Commercial-Production barrel chambered for .30-06 Springfield. Bore condition will be “as new”, and barrels will gauge “as new”. (SA OR HRA ONLY)

I thought I had seen something stating modern, heavier ammo was okay in these but then couldn’t find it an emailed CMP. The reply

“This is the warning that we send out to customers/competitors even with a new barrel.



The CMP advises to not use .30/06 ammunition in M1 Garands, 1903s, and 1903A3s that is loaded beyond 50,000 CUP and has a bullet weight more than 172-174gr. These rifles are at least 70 years old and were not designed for max loads and super heavy bullets. Always wear hearing and eye protection when firing an M1 Garand, 1903 and/or 1903A3 rifle.

This warning is an update/addition to the Ammunition section in the Read This First manual enclosed with each rifle shipment (M1 Garand manual-page 6 and M1903 manual-page 10).

Civilian Marksmanship Program”

If it’s a new production barrel, why the same warning? They don’t think the bolt, or extractor or something will hold up?

 

[DJB-TX]

Those are good guesses. Not being an expert on the Garand (but I can ask around), I’d also say they’d be concerned about the main spring in the action getting worn out quickly with such high-energy loads.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Here's a thread to peruse while waiting for replies.

CMP taking orders: Garand - Expert Grade

https://thecmp.org/sales-and-service/m1-garand/ (site presently says “under maintenance”)

www.texasguntalk.com

 

[Tnhawk]

Keep eyeing them and the only ones left are rack grade or expert grade.

It's been 10 years since I purchased my garand from cmp. I should have purchased a few more.

 

[mroper]

I believe there is a possibility of the prop rod bending with the newer commercial ammo. They do make a gas port that is supposed to eliminate that

 

[zackmars]

Stay under 180gr, make sure your rifle is properly lubed with grease, and has new springs. ORION7 is best.

The whole "M1 can't handle real .30-06" stems from the fact people don't understand the difference between PSI and CUP.

 

[vmax]

Thr Garand was built around the M2 ball ammo. Modern hunting rounds can damage the operating rod because of the pressure
Several companies make an adjustable gas valve for the Garand. They are service rifle approved for competition
They allow you to adjust the pressure to match the load.
They can also be very useful to dial in groups

Schuster DCM Adjustable Gas Plug Wrench M1 Garand Steel Parkerized

Made from hardened tool steel and parkerized. Service rifle legal! Has the same appearance and configuration as original; CMP 4th Edition #4-13-2-b. By...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[zackmars]

Thr Garand was built around the M2 ball ammo. Modern hunting rounds can damage the operating rod because of the pressure
Several companies make an adjustable gas valve for the Garand. They are service rifle approved for competition
They allow you to adjust the pressure to match the load.
They can also be very useful to dial in groups

Schuster DCM Adjustable Gas Plug Wrench M1 Garand Steel Parkerized

Made from hardened tool steel and parkerized. Service rifle legal! Has the same appearance and configuration as original; CMP 4th Edition #4-13-2-b. By...

www.midwayusa.com

The M1 was designed around M1 ball, which is a 174gr boat tail bullet going about 2,640fps.

The adjustable gas plugs are only useful if you're reloading and really want to tune your rifle, or are shooting 180's or heavier.

 

[vmax]

The M1 was designed around M1 ball, which is a 174gr boat tail bullet going about 2,640fps.

The adjustable gas plugs are only useful if you're reloading and really want to tune your rifle, or are shooting 180's or heavier.

Correct ..Typo in my end.

The gas plus are also useful when wanting to run modern hunting ammo.

 

[zackmars]

Correct ..Typo in my end.

The gas plus are also useful when wanting to run modern hunting ammo.

Only if they're 180's or heavier.

The m1 can more than handle any factory 150-175's you put in it.

During WW2, Julian Hatcher and John Garand realized they hadn't heard any stories of catastrophic M1 failures (other than cracked heels from rifle grenades), so they took an M1 off the rack and tried to blow it up, to the point they were loading .30-06 at 125k PSI. They blew a lug off the bolt, cracked the other lug, and trashed the stock, but the action, op rod, barrel etc were fine. After that 125k psi round, they shot 500 rounds of M2 ball after they replaced the stock, using the same bolt.


you can certainly damage an op rod, but the biggest causes are lack of lubricant and 60+ year old springs

 

[Big Green]

So replace the springs, possibly buy an adjustable gas plug and should be good?

 

[zackmars]

So replace the springs, possibly buy an adjustable gas plug and should be good?

Springs, and get some good lube. Grease is best. Lubriplate, cherry balmz, tw25b are all good choices.

The Garand is very picky about lube, and it'll let you know if it needs more.

Get a good, solid gas plug wrench, i have one from Garand gear iirc. It has a flathead for early gas plugs and a "phillips" for later ones.

and get some USGI clips. The AEC/AGE/CMP clips aren't very good

 

[Jeremy2171]

FYI....

 

[TrailerparkTrash]

I,like gas plugs.

 

[Laufer]

A buddy from 'near' Austin TX (Academy graduate, then P3 pilot 'PPC' at NAS Moffatt) retired from the Navy Rifle Team many years ago. Sometimes he competed with a Garand or M-14 in whichever matches at Camp Perry etc.

He didn't seem to think that 30-06 ammo was any actual risk to a Garand's op rod or anything else.

 

[TheMailMan]

A buddy from 'near' Austin TX (Academy graduate, then P3 pilot 'PPC' at NAS Moffatt) retired from the Navy Rifle Team many years ago. Sometimes he competed with a Garand or M-14 in whichever matches at Camp Perry etc.

He didn't seem to think that 30-06 ammo was any actual risk to a Garand's op rod or anything else.

So his opinion carries more weight than actual proof?

 

[Laufer]

TheMailMan:

It was an idle comment. The buddy might have been unfamiliar with any incidents involving people using 30-06 ammo.

We seldom communicate these days during the recent changes in his life.

My only related gun is a brand-new M1A, therefore I have "no dog" in the debate.

Good luck to your guys' discussion.