Did Garand Thumb change your go-to caliber? AKM vs M4 video

[DunRanull]

Over the decades that I've been a gun fancier, I've had probably 20 or more M1 Rifles. Of those rifles, I'd guess that about 3/4 of them the bolt wouldn't slam home on it's own, they needed a slight bump on the op rod hook most of the time to get the first round into battery. Yes, some would slap right home and you had to watch what you were doing. But those were well in the minority,.

Yes, I grease the action as recommended.

M1A / M14 Thumb, I've never had that issue what with the handy removable magazine.

When I think about it, maybe there is a wear factor that increases the tendency for the bolt to slap home on its own. I've always tried to get rifles in the best condition, nice frosty Parkerized finish, and avoided the rack grades that might've been very well worn-in.

Where I've had minor issues was with loading partial en bloc clips.

The M1A/M14 will take strippered ammo from the top.

 

[Koda]

We did it in the Marines to qualify. 500 meters with irons on a M16. Now they all get Acogs…..

I know its possible, but its still a lot of drop. The military front post just about covers a paper target at 100yds, its difficult to imagine the sight picture at 5x that.
That said, its been a bucket list thing for me to really spend some time with irons. I have backups on mine for this, and zeroed at 50yds as usual. I do think it would be fun to learn, but I keep using the optics.

 

[Koda]

Generally the rear apertures have two settings - near and far.

I thought the bigger one was for close range/fast sight picture use?

 

[Koda]

I run Ultimaks on all my AKs. They hold zero great.

The Ultimaks are solid and will hold zero but you lose half the handguard from the heat. The heat also transfers directly to the optic.

 

[P7M13]

The vid was one huge product placement ad.
I wanted my time back at the end.

 

[Rkangel]

Since I no longer own any guns that aren't rusting at the bottom of a lake, I don't have an opinion.

If I was to have an opinion I would weigh it against what would be commonly available if my soy lattes, hugs, and safe spaces didn't work.

 

[Mark W.]

All I want to know is what does "Garand thumb" have to do with a debate between 7.62 x 39 and .223/5.56?

 

[Member 53328]

 

[gmerkt]

The M1A/M14 will take strippered ammo from the top

Doesn't that design cause the clip to hold the bolt back until it's removed? I don't recall now. My first year in the army, we had M14's and I don't remember ever using the clips to load a magazine that was in the rifle. But they had that capability. Later, I owned three or four M1A's but never engaged in the practice.

All I want to know is what does "Garand thumb" have to do with a debate between 7.62 x 39 and .223/5.56?

I couldn't figure that out either.

 

[Paolung]

One must consider the entire system not just the cartridge or the weapon. I think. For example, you could say the 6.5 grendel is ballistically superior to the 5.56x45 for many purposes, and I would not argue. However in the AR15 it is not optimal as it makes the the bolt much more prone to failure. I have now broken one lug and one extractor shooting 2500 rounds or so or 7.62x39 through an AR. I love the combo for rec use but it would not be optimal for something you had to rely on to function correctly over thousands of rounds. I think Stoner and Kalashnikov both got it mostly correct and with proper projectile choice both weapons are still viable today.

It was literally designed for the AR-15

Re: bolts

More re: bolts

Two is one, and one is none. If you don't have a spare bolt for your 6.5 Grendel, your 5.56, or your 7.62x39, you're unprepared.

It's a risk either way, as I see it.

 

[Rkangel]

It was literally designed for the AR-15

Re: bolts

More re: bolts

Two is one, and one is none. If you don't have a spare bolt for your 6.5 Grendel, your 5.56, or your 7.62x39, you're unprepared.

It's a risk either way, as I see it.

Spare bolts usually become spare guns. Just sayin'. It's the other fact of AR ownership .

 

[osprey]

It was literally designed for the AR-15

Re: bolts

More re: bolts

Two is one, and one is none. If you don't have a spare bolt for your 6.5 Grendel, your 5.56, or your 7.62x39, you're unprepared.

It's a risk either way, as I see it.

Of course it was designed to work with the AR15, but opening up that bolt face to accommodate the 6.5 Grendel, among other chamberings, degraded the integrity of the bolt. I am just pointing out that from my experience the AR15 in 5.56 has better overall service life than the 6.5 Grendel. If I figured I needed a spare bolt for the 5.56x45, I would plan on 2 spare bolts for the 6.5 Grendel.