[eon047]

Hey guys I was thinking of purchasing an M1 Garand (mil surplus if its cheaper). What should I look for, what kind of ammo cant/or can it feed? What kind of accuracy can I expect out of mil-surplus rifles(M1 Garand)? Also what Kind of problems can I expect If i buy mil-surplus? Thanks ahead of time. Any links/websites concerning the subject would be appreciated, as I haven't been able to find any so far with good information.

[Trez]

If you dont care about specifics, the best bet is to order one from the CMP. You MUST use M2 ball ammo or reload. If you want to shoot "off the shelf" ammo you gotta buy a Schuster adjustable gas nut. I learned this the hard way and bought a M1 with a bent op-rod.

[c3shooter]

FWIW, ALL Garands are going to be "mil-surp", since they were not made as a civilian rifle.

How accurate? Depending on the wear of the barrel, it will usually be more accurate than the shooter using it. You can hit a man at 500 yards. Beyond 500 yards, ability to judge movement of a target and read the winds will control your accuracy.

By all means, DO go to the CMP website- and DO look at their program- it is about the best game in town. So long as you are a US citizen. BTW, IF you are a comissioned officer of the US Military, a copy of your military ID card meets all of their program requirements (proof of citizenship, participation in marksmanship activities, etc)

DO stick with M2 Ball 30-06. Here is a primer on the Garand to get you started- Collecting and Shooting the U.S. M1 Garand .30 Rifle - HISTORY

[JonM]

buying milsurp you run risk of getting shot out bores and worn gas cylinders. cylinders can run up to 150$ for a like new and barrels can be 200-500$ plus installation costs. like trez said bent op rods are common.

if you dont want to spend a LOT of time looking in person the cmp is the cheapest way to go while you can get a match grade m1 from fulton armory like new.

my milsurp is a damn fine shooter with tuned ammo but i spent a lot of time looking for one with little bore erosion. if your gonna hunt one in person get a 30cal muzzle gage and beware of the op rods. not much you can do about gas cylinder its a crap shoot.

i load using garand safe loadings for target shooting. my opinion your better off loading your own ammo.

garands make excellent long range target guns and there are no gunsmith mounts to install optics out there.

it took me 2 decades to get around to buying one and i regret not doing it years and yers ago.

[eon047]

Awesome thanks for the replies. Any price range for rifles from cmp? On their website i couldn't find any. I'm not looking to spend more then $1200. Also, if i buy a Schuster DCM Adjustable Gas Plug will it be able to feed Federal 220 grain
Sierra Pro-hunt? or am I asking too much out of it? If further modifications can be made or if some sort of gunsmithing is required,is there a step-by-step guide. Can I also use different type of ammunition with no problems or are there specific ammo i cant use? I'm talking after modification. Thanks in advance.

[CA357]

CMP M1's in Service Grade can be had for $595. That will get you a decent shooter grade M1. Install the Shuster gas plug for peace of mind.

I don't know if a 220gr. bullet in a Garand is a good idea. With the adjustable gas plug, you'll be able to shoot hunting loads. If you want to shoot something that heavy consider a good bolt gun.

[therewolf]

Another vote for CMP.

Everybody is selling manky, half worn-out, dinged up stock having, used

Garands for 800$ to 1300$. IIRC, for 1000$, at CMP gives you a new barrel,

stock, and guarantees the finish, and reconditioning.

CMP gives much better quality for the money, IMO.

To date, I've restricted my ammo purchases to between 150Grain and

175 Grain and had no problems, but I wouldn't

push it as regards to cartridge power in any semi 30.06...

[c3shooter]

CMP price data- depends on what you want, in what condition: Rifle Sales

[JonM]

the main reason you dont want to use 220 grain is the rifling twist is best in the 150-168 grain range. in general the further you get outside that range the worse the accuracy gets. a shuster style plug is a cheap guaranty to save you bending a pricey op-rod. shooting out of spec ammo isnt going to blow up your gun, just make you say 4 letter words as your looking for a new rod

[eon047]

I see. So just stick to that weight range and I should be fine. Thanks you guys pretty much answered all my questions. I look forward to getting myself an awesome piece of american history.