Reliability of M1 Garand chambered in 7.62mm (.308)?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Reliability of M1 Garand chambered in 7.62mm (.308)?

Posted: 1/19/2006 3:59:04 PM EDT

Anyone have experience with the M1 Garand Converted to .308? A good friend told me the US Navy had a devil of a time trying to get these guns to shoot reliably, does anyone have any experience with the Springfield Armory guns of Geneseo Ill?

Posted: 1/19/2006 4:06:22 PM EDT

[#1]

They are not as reliable. The Garand rcvr was built for the M2 (30-06) full length round. The shorter round sometimes can cause feeding problems.

(maybe its just both of mine. Occasionally a round, not always, will go above the chamber when feeding and jam against the top of the receiver. Only takes a second to clear)

Posted: 1/19/2006 4:12:01 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
They are not as reliable. The Garand rcvr was built for the M2 (30-06) full length round. The shorter round sometimes can cause feeding problems.

BS...

I have 3 Garands with .308 barrels and the damned things just keep running. They are GI parts otherwise, including the receivers...except for the purdy Wenig stocks.

The Navy Garands were not rebarreled - they were sleeved.

I would not buy a SA, Inc. Garand though, as long as you can get a GI rifle and rebarrel it in .308...

Posted: 1/19/2006 4:33:55 PM EDT

[#3]

Ditto, VARoadking other than he has 2 more than I do and I just have a Boyd's Stock. My SA Blue Sky was a perfect canidate to be rebarrelled in .308 and both VAroadking and myself were lucky enough to use a great builder for the jobs.

If you use a commercially available Barrel you wont have any problems with FTF or FTE. There are some issues with using a 30-06 barrel and cutting it down as was the case some years back.

Today there are plenty of aftermarket .308 barrels for the Garand...Heck I even had my SA 1903 redone in .308.

Karsten

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:03:46 PM EDT

[#4]

Ditto the above ditto.. I have 2 308 Garands.. one is a plinker rifle. .the other is a Match rifle and I shoot Master class with it......reliable as all heck!!!! both of them!!!

Posted: 1/19/2006 8:06:43 PM EDT

[#5]

Although I don't own one myself two close friends of mine do, and they both shoot great! Both were built by Orion Seven years ago, and are match grade...deadly accurate and functionally reliable. I'm jealous too...

Posted: 1/20/2006 1:59:42 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
They are not as reliable. The Garand rcvr was built for the M2 (30-06) full length round. The shorter round sometimes can cause feeding problems.

As stated above, this is bunk. The reason that the navy had problems with the garands was because of properly rebarreling the rifles to fire the 7.62x51 mm round, the navy converted the chambers by placeing an insert in the chamber that would shorten the chaber to accept the 308 round. These inserts would come dislodged during firing, being ejected with a spent round. The next round would be loaded and in essense cause a 308 to be fired in a 30-06 chamber. not a good thing.

this is what your buddy was refering to. A 308 garand is just as reliable as a 30-06 round if properly built.

Posted: 1/20/2006 2:31:30 AM EDT

[#7]

While an unpopular view I'm sure, Garands are supposed to be 30-06, just as AKs are supposed to be 7.62x39.

Even my Tanker is chambered for the '06 and shoots like a dream.

If I wanted to maintain a 308 rifle in my firearm collection, I wouldn't have sold my M14 (M1A).

Mike

Posted: 1/20/2006 3:23:56 AM EDT

[#8]

I own two .308 Match build M1 rifles. The barrels are both commercial, not GI. Both shoot just as reliably, if not more so, than any original 30-06 version.

Best to all,
Swampy

Garands forever

Posted: 1/20/2006 10:37:17 AM EDT

[#9]

I have a .308 with a Barnett match barrel done by DGR. Looks as good as it shoots.

Posted: 1/21/2006 9:30:31 PM EDT

[#10]

DGR is doing one for me right now,
CAN'T WAIT!

Posted: 1/22/2006 4:45:42 AM EDT

[#11]

I had Dean wrench a Barnett medium weight 7.62 on my HRA, she is my match rifle and I've never had a problem.

Posted: 1/22/2006 4:14:49 PM EDT

[#12]

If I wanted to maintain a 308 rifle in my firearm collection, I wouldn't have sold my M14 (M1A).

So...in other words...you have no experience to lend on this subject...correct?

Posted: 1/22/2006 5:24:00 PM EDT

[#13]

I have one that I had converted and it is 100% reliable with ALL mil-surp ammo that I have fed it. Shoots straight too.

Posted: 1/22/2006 9:17:35 PM EDT

[#14]

Mine is my favorite rifle to shoot. The only times I have heard of feed problems with .308 Garands it has been gas ports that were not opened up properly. The barrel I had installed came with a 5/64 gas port which is standard for .30-06, and a .308 needs to be 3/32. My rifle has been reliable and straight shooting. I agree that Wenigs stock sets are a great addition to a .308 conversion.

Posted: 1/23/2006 1:15:47 PM EDT

[#15]

I have a SA Navy Trophy NM in .308 and it has been completely reliable. Built on a WW2 SA 1.9million receiver with a 62 7.62mm SA BBL. Set up for Natl Match shooting, bedded and glued. Very accurate, its a shame it's wasted on me.

BTW this does not have a insert, and the Armorer who built it was named Charlie Frazer who was supposed to be one of the Armorers for the navy team in 67-68. The little I have found on him suggests he was more a 1911 builder then a Garand Builder, but the rifle still runs like a champ. I do not see a problem, after shooting this rifle, with 7.62 in a Garand.

Posted: 1/23/2006 1:19:04 PM EDT

[#16]

I also have an Orion 7 built .308 Garand. It was his premier package and beautifully done.

I have fired several thousand rounds through it and have never had a single problem.

Posted: 1/24/2006 6:49:11 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
While an unpopular view I'm sure, Garands are supposed to be 30-06, just as AKs are supposed to be 7.62x39.

Even my Tanker is chambered for the '06 and shoots like a dream.

If I wanted to maintain a 308 rifle in my firearm collection, I wouldn't have sold my M14 (M1A).

Mike

YEAH!!!! Mr. Wilson's keepin' it real ! !

Posted: 1/24/2006 7:46:47 AM EDT

[#18]

Mine is a Wilson bbl conversion by Jim Balogh of Black River Gunsmithing in Grafton OH, and it is 100% fine. He also welded the steel inserts that keep the longer 30.06 from being accidentally stuffed down the well. 1.5-2" groups with Aussie surp are my reward for the rebuild.

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:00:19 AM EDT

[#19]

I too have three Garands rebarreled in 7.62 and have never had a problem after 1000's of rounds through each. I converted them after having troubles finding inexpensive, non corrosive 30.06. I have the following barrels on them Wislon, USGI "Navy" and a Criterion. The Navy barrel is not sleeved and was actually chambered in 7.62 in the 60's when SA was making some real quality barrels.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Reliability of M1 Garand chambered in 7.62mm (.308)?

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