My father and I just bought a M1A scout squad and I really like the Garand. I want it to go with my paratrooper carbine and Thompson semi. I am not a collector but this would be the closest thing to a collection I have. I have a legit job and I work for what I have. My uncle has two garands that he bought and never shot them. When I was at his house I shot both. They are both broken

 (Gun1) One shoots a few rounds then the cocking handle flies off of the bolt (but stays on the reciver). You have to dissassemble it and put the cocking handle back on the bolt.

 (Gun2) The other one sometime prematurely ejects its clip but not all the way, blocking the bolt from traveling forward and preventing you from firing the last round. You have to lock the bolt back take out the clip, and insert the last round into the chamber and let the bolt fly to complete the eight round volley. This one worked better and did not malfunction everytime.

I suggested that putting a round in the chamber and dropping the bolt could result in a slamfire and was bad for the extractor. He said it was ok. I know the extractor part is true for 1911s and the slamfire part might happen in an AR. Who is right?  

Here is my question. Can these problems be easily fixed? He said he just wants them to look at anyway. Should I go to the CMP? If the can be easily fixed which one is in less sh*t. Gun 1 or Gun 2? I say Gun 2. Can you all point me to someone who has a quick turn-around time and can fix this POS?

Quoted: (Gun1) One shoots a few rounds then the cocking handle flies off of the bolt (but stays on the reciver). You have to dissassemble it and put the cocking handle back on the bolt.

Op rod needs to be rewelded and shaped back to spec at the receiver slot retension point/clip.  Depending on the rod, you may just want to replace it if the gas button has too much wear.



 

(Gun2) The other one sometime prematurely ejects its clip but not all the way, blocking the bolt from traveling forward and preventing you from firing the last round. You have to lock the bolt back take out the clip, and insert the last round into the chamber and let the bolt fly to complete the eight round volley. This one worked better and did not malfunction everytime.

Need to change/swap a few parts to see which one is out of spec and is causing the problem.  Use parts off the working/feeding rifle to determine which feed parts need to be replaced.

I suggested that putting a round in the chamber and dropping the bolt could result in a slamfire and was bad for the extractor. He said it was ok. I know the extractor part is true for 1911s and the slamfire part might happen in an AR. Who is right?

If you plan on single loading the rifle, use a single round sled to do such.  The sled is nothing more than a clip modifed to stay in the rifle, and hold a single round to be stripped off the clip.  This stripping action slowes the bolt down and prevents slam firings (bolt running full speed}.  The bolt slamming into the breech (round hand loaded into the chamber) is going to cause a slam fire since the bolt is not slowed down, such as when a round is stripped from the clip.

Here is my question. Can these problems be easily fixed? He said he just wants them to look at anyway. Should I go to the CMP? If the can be easily fixed which one is in less sh*t. Gun 1 or Gun 2? I say Gun 2. Can you all point me to someone who has a quick turn-around time and can fix this POS?

On the feeding problem rifle, use parts from the rod problem rifle to swap out until you find the part that is out of spec/worn.  The all you need to do is either buy a new opt rod (or have have the old one repaired), and buy the feed part that you have found to be out of spec/worn.  This at least puts one rifle into action until you receive the parts to correct the other rifle.  

You can get a new (surplus) oprod from Coles for $30 or so.  

Quoted: Quoted:   I suggested that putting a round in the chamber and dropping the bolt could result in a slamfire and was bad for the extractor. He said it was ok. I know the extractor part is true for 1911s and the slamfire part might happen in an AR. Who is right? If you plan on single loading the rifle, use a single round sled to do such.  The sled is nothing more than a clip modifed to stay in the rifle, and hold a single round to be stripped off the clip.  This stripping action slowes the bolt down and prevents slam firings (bolt running full speed}.  The bolt slamming into the breech (round hand loaded into the chamber) is going to cause a slam fire since the bolt is not slowed down, such as when a round is stripped from the clip.

Sounds like another old wives tale. In the thousands of rounds I've put thru my M1 when I was shooting NRA Highpower, I never used a sled and never had a slam fire.  I never heard of a slam fire either, from a properly maintained rifle. A stuck firing pin will do it every time. If slam firing were a problem, the sled would have come into being back in the 40's and the training changed accordingly.


Both those rifles sound like they just need a good overhaul. Have you tried swapping the op rod from the R2 to R1? If it's the bolt on R1 you'll need to find one that headspaces. What part of GA do you live in? Contact the Garand Collectors Assn. here and see if they can point you to someone in your area or have someone in your area contact you. Parts wear out. Replacing them is fairly simple.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted:   Actually, the SLED is recognized as a safety aid. By those selling it. No surprise there. The fact that you haven't had a slamfire YET is irelevant to your having one in the future, especially as milsurp .30-'06 dries up and people switch to reloads, some of dubious quality.  No offense, but I haven't been struck by lightning yet, either, but you won't see me on the course during an electrical storm.

I load my AR mags with 20 or 30.
I tear the tags off matresses and pillows.
I eat rare-cooked meat.
I walk under ladders. (I don't walk under hanging piano's tho.)
I let my black cat cross my path all the time.
My favorite # is 13. (It was my Uncles WI State Patrol badge # btw.)
I single load my M1 in slow fire w/o a sled.
There are odds I could die in a car wreck. I still drive.
There are odds I could die in a plane crash. I still fly.
There are odd I could die from being hit by falling space debris. I still live above ground.
There are odds...etc.

This argument, like many, is just po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe.

Like Clint said at the end of his article..."just my opinion"

Do you know the history of these garands, especially the one with the op rod problem?

At one time, garands were quite scarce on the civilian market, and there were some rewelded receivers sold.  Some of these exhibited dismounting oprods as a result of the reweld not quite being right.

The premature clip ejection should be an easy fix.  There are several garand guys here in central Ga, we are glad to help if we can.

Just to add............ For an added  safety  ....    I have never shot with a sled neither. Ive fired many rounds , thousand at least , single shot...  .  Just load the round half way into the chamber.Then ride the opRod half way forward.Then let go.  Then shoot only Military ammo OR if you shoot reloads , use the harder primers and seat them correctly. Where in Georgia are ya at. The rifles can be fixed.That ain't a problem unless they are rewelds..... WarDawg.

Raf,
I've heard of bad factory ammo. Just to be safe I won't use any factory ammo.
Somewhere in my thousands of reloads, I could have a bad one. Just to be safe I won't shoot any reloads. I recommend you do the same, for your safety and that of those around you.

What's your face and/or life worth?

po-tay-toe.....po-tah-toe



HK_Shooter,

If the one receiver does turn out to be a reweld. Strip it and toss it. One thing that probably can be agreed on is rewelds are unsafe junk. A receiver can be bought from the CMP for $200 and you can have a good shooter assembled.