I found a IHC M1 Tanker in .308 for cheap with a worn out barrel... I was wondering if it can be converted back into a "long" .30-06 Garand?
It is my opinion, that it would be cheaper just to buy a CMP Garand than do the conversion. You will need to change out the stock, piston, sights, hardware, etc all you would keep is the receiver. You may be able to save the rear sights as well, but why don't you just re-barrel the tanker model, I understand they are sought after by collectors and bring you a good price for it? Jim
Trez, I'd get the tanker, and just re-barrel it. You'll eventually find that IHC Garand you have been wanting, and when you do, you'll have a IHC M1 tanker to go with it.
there are no real "tanker garands" or T26 in private hands. there were only 3 actually made two are in museums and the third was destroyed in testing. what that is, is almost certainly a rewelded reciever converted into a clone of the t26 by robert penney he made and sold thousands of em many decades back. he would take demilled garands an reweld em and make t26 clones.
This is one time I am going to have to (Quote) Wikipedia................ Variants Quick reference U.S. Army designation U.S. Navy designation Description T1 N/A Prototype T1E1 N/A A single trial rifle that broke its bolt in the 1931 trial T1E2 N/A Trial designation for gas-trap Garand. Basically a T1E1 with a new bolt. M1 N/A Basic model. Identical to T1E2. Later change to gas port did not change designation M1E1 N/A M1 Garand variant; modified cam angle in op-rod M1E2 N/A M1 Garand variant; prismatic scope and mount M1E3 N/A M1 Garand variant; roller added to bolt’s cam lug (later adapted for use in the M14) M1E4 N/A M1 Garand variant; gas cut-off and expansion system with piston integral to op-rod M1E5 N/A M1 Garand variant; 18-inch barrel and folding stock, for Airborne and Tank crewman use. M1E6 N/A M1 Garand variant; sniper variant M1E7/M1C N/A M1E6 Garand variant; M1C sniper variant with M81 scope (though the M82 or M84 scope could be used) on a Griffin & Howe mount M1E8/M1D N/A M1E7 Garand variant; M1D sniper variant with M82 scope (though the M84 scope could be used) on a Springfield Armory mount M1E9 N/A M1 Garand variant; similar to M1E4, with piston separate from op-rod M1E10 N/A M1 Garand variant; variant with the Ljungman direct gas system M1E11 N/A M1 Garand variant; short-stroke Tappet gas system M1E12 N/A M1 Garand variant; gas impingement system M1E13 N/A M1 Garand variant; "White" gas cut-off and expansion system M1E14 Mk 2 Mod 0 M1 Garand variant; rechambered in .30 T65/7.62x51mm NATO with press-in chamber insert T20 N/A M1 Garand variant; select-fire conversion by John Garand, capable of using BAR magazines T20E1 N/A T20 variant; uses its own type of magazines T20E2 N/A T20 variant; E2 magazines will work in BAR, but not the reverse T20E2HB N/A T20E2 variant; HBAR variant T22 N/A M1 Garand variant; select-fire conversion by Remington, magazine-fed T22E1 N/A T22 variant; unknown differences T22E2 N/A T22 variant; unknown differences T22E3 N/A T22 variant; unknown differences; uses T27 fire control T26 N/A M1 Garand variant; 18-inch barrel and standard stock, for airborne and tank crewman use. T27 N/A Remington select-fire field conversion for M1 Garand; ability to convert issue M1 Garands to select-fire rifles; fire control setup used in T22E3 T31 N/A Experimental bullpup variant T35 Mk 2 Mod 2 M1 Garand variant; rechambered for .30 T65/7.62x51mm NATO T36 N/A T20E2 variant; T20E2 rechambered for .30 T65/7.62x51mm NATO using T35 barrel and T25 magazine T37 N/A T36 variant; same as T36, except in gas port location
I really would love to order one from the CMP.. But they dont carry any IHC made ones... So really none of the parts are the same on a "Tanker" and Garand? I really have no interest in a .308 Tanker... I want a real Garand made by IH!!! Why are IH Garands so #@%* much and hard to find? IH made 337,623 M1's, But H&R only made 428,600... But H&R's are cheap and plentiful... I found a IH Garand but the guy wants $1700! And if I ever see the IH Garands on gunbroker they go for well over $2,000!! Is it still not cost effective to try to restore a IH tanker into a Garand? I cant believe a mere difference of 90,000 rifles makes a $600 rifle into a $2,000+ rifle... found this: It doesnt look like I need much? Barrel and gas system?
Over the past decades I have on several occasions acquired various once military owned weapons with 'shot out' barrels which when held up to the light appear to have almost no rifling left. This trick worked for most of them. Remove the bolt. Plug the muzzle end and stand the barrel up in a corner muzzle side down. These days I put the muzzle in a pan in the corner just in case my plug isn't as pluggy as I thought. Fill the chamber with Hoppes 9, or Benchrest, or a similar formula that dissolves copper but won't harm steel. Walk away and come back in a week or two. Pour out the green paint that is now filling the barrel. Repeat and come back in a week. Continue this until you are down to a weak green tea. Remove the muzzle plug and clean the barrel normally. In almost every case once invisible rifling was now very sharp and visible. If this doesn't work, what are you out? A month and a half bottle of cleaning fluid? After cleaning as described, how does it shoot? If all that soaking did nothing, and your Tanker barrel really is shot out (vs. simply being dirty or needing a new muzzle crown) I personally would just put a new Tanker barrel on it. Original Tankers are fairly cool IMO.
