Garand for under a grand

[gregintenn]

I went to the Sparta gun show today, not expect to buy anything, but scratched an itch I've had for decades. I've never owned a Garand, but always wanted one. I've yet to find one at an acceptable price. Today, lady luck shined down on me. I picked up this nearly mint example for $950. I do not know much about the Garand but this was cheaper than an rough example I've seen in years, and appears nearly mint! I expect it has been refurbished, as there are no cartouches on the stock. I do not know what else to look for, but the receiver and bolt are correctly marked. The seller claimed it was correct, but stated the date of manufacture as 1951. I believe it is later, however, with the 555.... serial number. I'd love to hear your opinions, suggestions, etc. on this rifle. If I got burned, that's o.k. too. I've always wanted a Garand, and now I have one.

http://

[RED333]

I do not have one myself, not an itch I have just yet. Nice looking way to scratch that itch.

[gregintenn]

If you have a suitable handload for this old warhorse, I'd like to hear that as well.

[Garufa]

Congratulations!  Great rifle that you’re going to love.  The wood may not be original or matching, but I think you did alright considering the prices these days and you were ready to just get it done.

Have yet to reload for one but there is plenty of info out there, especially on the CMP forum, about duplicating M2 ball.  I believe IMR 4895, something around 48 grains, and of course, a 150 grain pill.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Garufa

[Quavodus]

I've shot a lot of 150 gr. fmj and Hornady spire points behind 47.0 gr.- 48.0 gr. of IMR 4895 with Cci 200. Thetes not a lot of suitable powders

Edited December 14, 2019 by Quavodus

[Quavodus]

If memory serves, 4895, 4064, AA2520, maybe Win 748, and theres others. I think you did good for the price. 

Edited December 14, 2019 by Quavodus

[Erich]

OOOOhhhhhh!! They may not be loved by all, but I am a huge fan of wood and steel service style rifles. Nice!

More pics and details!!

You need to pop it out of the stock and start looking over the components for appropriate stamps. Even if its not all correct, it looks pretty nice in that one pic.

Plenty of online references for serial ranges by maker as well as ID guides documenting markings. CMP forum is a great resource.

You can buy a throat and muzzle gauge to check out where the barrel is.

I've got a couple HRA service grade specials. I hope you find it all correct.

[Quavodus]

Don't be sad if the parts are from different manufacturers. Most are. My '44 WRA has a lot of SA parts. The barrel when I got it was an SA and it looked like sewer pipe. I rebarreled it with a Dutch barrel that I bought for 10 bucks.

[Garufa]

Is it a an HRA?  555xxxx is Harrington Richardson.

If you pull the op rod back the barrel make and date information will be visible.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Garufa

[gregintenn]

8 minutes ago, Garufa said:

Is it a an HRA?  555xxxx is Harrington Richardson.

It is.

[Erich]

One of mine is in that range. Its '55. Some of the barrels could predate by 6 months and still be considered correct. For example, a 55 receiver could have a late 54 barrel.

Like G man said, your stamp under the op rod will show you. If it went thru arsenal, it could have a replacement LMR barrel and still be fine.  The op rode will be stamped on the inside of the forwad part of the handle. The trigger group parts are next. Some HRA hammers were not stamped iirc. Trigger guards were not stamped either, but your appear to the correct style.

 

[gregintenn]

My barrel is stamped HRA 11-51.

[Grayfox54]

Bubba, ya done good!  

 

[Sunfish]

That's a late one made after Korea. Has the op rod been cut on it? You know SG ammo sells ammo specific for a Garand. Its fairly reasonable.  

[gregintenn]

21 minutes ago, Sunfish said:

That's a late one made after Korea. Has the op rod been cut on it? You know SG ammo sells ammo specific for a Garand. Its fairly reasonable.  

I do not know and did not know about the ammo. How do you tell if the operating rod has been cut? What we f it has?

[Jeb48]

Always wanted to try shooting a Garand. The club I used to belong to was a CMP member and had monthly CMP match shoots. Went a couple of times to watch. They actually had 6-8 club owned Garands that you could rent with enough ammo for a match plus a few for practice for $50. It was on my list to do but never got around to it, then we moved. A good friend (retired Marine) that no longer had guns but talked fondly of his Garand he carried post Korea, even would rattle off the serial number. I took him to a couple of gun shows and he always had fun talking to the guys that had Garand for sale. I figured I would challenge him to a match, him an expert shot that hadn't shot a Garand in 50+ years and me never having shot one. 

Good luck with your find, give us a range report.

[Erich]

Cut OP rods have a radius machined into them where the handle meets the saddle that's under the barrel.  Else it's a straight 90 degree.

Intent was to take out a stress riser.  HRA rods usually aren't cut. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Erich

[Erich]

Technically your barrel is not correct for the receiver,  but even if it's a mix master,  that's not a bad thing. It's just a value thing.

[gregintenn]

3 minutes ago, Erich said:

Technically your barrel is not correct for the receiver,  but even if it's a mix master,  that's not a bad thing. It's just a value thing.

Dude said it was correct. I bought it to not be correct. If it shoots as well as it looks, I’ll be happy.

[hipower]

3 hours ago, gregintenn said:

I went to the Sparta gun show today, not expect to buy anything, but scratched an itch I've had for decades. I've never owned a Garand, but always wanted one. I've yet to find one at an acceptable price. Today, lady luck shined down on me. I picked up this nearly mint example for $950. I do not know much about the Garand but this was cheaper than an rough example I've seen in years, and appears nearly mint! I expect it has been refurbished, as there are no cartouches on the stock. I do not know what else to look for, but the receiver and bolt are correctly marked. The seller claimed it was correct, but stated the date of manufacture as 1951. I believe it is later, however, with the 555.... serial number. I'd love to hear your opinions, suggestions, etc. on this rifle. If I got burned, that's o.k. too. I've always wanted a Garand, and now I have one.

http://

That's a beauty! You did very well on it. I've had several in my hands and walked away. Regretting it every time.

[Erich]

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

....If it shoots as well as it looks, I’ll be happy.

No doubt, that is all that matters. Nothing sucks more than spending big money on a collectible safe queen that doesnt work or isnt fun to shoot.

You'll have to update this when you take it out. Its too bad you didnt get one earlier. I had 3 cans (600 rounds) of surplus Greek HXP ammo in the Classifies here for sometime. Its like finding your rifle, timing is everything.

[MacGyver]

That’s a nice find matching or not. 

[Omega]

I hadn't realized they had gone up that much.  Mine is basically a safe queen, might have to get it appraised.

[Grayfox54]

On the ammo, commercial .30-06 hunting ammo is a little  hot for the Garand. It can bend the operating rod. Many ammo makers do make ammo specifically for the Garand. You can also get an adjustable gas plug which will let you shoot the hunting stuff. While not s common as it once was, there's still some mil-surp ammo out there. Often already loaded in en-bloc clips. 

Speaking of clips, do you have any? If you need some PM me your address and I'll send you some. 

[DaveTN]

Shoot it Greg! That will tell you more than anything.

Get some Lake City M2 ball, that is what it was designed to shoot and will perform the way it should with. That will give you a baseline information and rule out any ammo issues.

I don’t know anything about reloading but know if a 30-06 round is too hot it will bend the Op-Rod in a Garand.

I’d like to see more discussion here on the Garand instead of having to run to the CMP forum to discuss. But there is a lot of information there. I know there are more of us here that have them.

The CMP site has a very good step by step procedure with good pictures to disassemble and reassemble that rifle completely. I started putting that into a PDF format; but didn’t finish.

I had two Garand’s. I just sold one. I have a Wenig Custom Walnut Gunstock, CMP scope mount, and a long eye relief scope I have to put on the remaining Garand.