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I use 50/50 BLO and mineral spirts or turpentine. The thinner does two things. First it helps the BLO go on in a thinner coat that prevents build up and helps it cure faster. Second it helps to remove grim and oil. I rub it on with a piece of rag and then let sit 15-20 minutes before wiping it off. I then check it every few hours to rub of any oil that may bleed out.

When you use curing oil on wood, make sure it is fully dried between coats. In the summer thin coats of blo will dry in a couple days. In the winter, it may take a week or longer to dry.

Avoid pure tung oil or raw linseed oil. Those take weeks or months to dry. People use them because they were the original oils used. However they were used in heated vats and the raw oil was seeded with partially cured oil. Those things increased the curing rate that you don't get using them just raw.
 
Anything that degreases will pull the finish out of the stock and strip it, ask me how i know (includes pouring boiling water over it)

If it's actually dirty, you can use Limonene orange oil to clean it: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FL9QGWA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Otherwise, some wax paste from Garand gear, some Howard's feed 'n wax, anything like that. If the finish needs touching up, some BLO is fine, if you're doing it from the start, some raw linseed oil, and finish it with BLO so the finish finally dries (ask me how i know *that* :( )
 
Anything that degreases will pull the finish out of the stock and strip it, ask me how i know (includes pouring boiling water over it)

If it's actually dirty, you can use Limonene orange oil to clean it: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FL9QGWA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Otherwise, some wax paste from Garand gear, some Howard's feed 'n wax, anything like that. If the finish needs touching up, some BLO is fine, if you're doing it from the start, some raw linseed oil, and finish it with BLO so the finish finally dries (ask me how i know *that* :( )
That was the idea. Pulling some of the oil/finish from the wood. That also takes the the dirt laden oil with it. A little extra, gentle, effort where the darker finish is until it's closer to other parts where the finish wasn't darkened from humans hands. And you'll be replacing the old oil with new which will bring out the nice grain.

From the reading I've done. And working on my own stock, I don't think your going to hurt anything unless you start taking wood off in the process.
 
I prefer thinned tung oil topped with a paste wax because it doesn't get chalky like BLO which is just modified flax seed oil.
What do you mean chalky? I only used BLO because that's what I have. And have used the same process on a Swede Mauser. And a Lee Enfield that had so much hardened LO it was hard candy like. The finish on both, after adding some BLO back to them ended up very nice.
 
Then i'd use the Limonene oil, it'll clean the dirty oil portion of the wood like you described, where even careful cleaning with one of the other methods will really soak that colour out of the wood.

BLO doesn't go chalky unless there is dirt there. It's not related to what it's made of. Doesn't mean tung oil isn't good, but the Garands were never done in Tung from what i remember (always linseed oil, or later the boiled version)
 
I still havent been able to get out and shoot this, the weather has not been forgiving to me. I think I'm gonna go tomorrow though to DRRC and just shoot it at wet targets to try it out.

I got the barrel scrubbed, it was a lot dirtier than I anticipated.

Row 1 - hoppes bore cleaner soak x 2
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 2 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 3 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 4 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 5 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Dry mopped x 15
Row 5 hoppes bore cleaner wet x 1
Dry runs x 4
20211122_191437.jpg
I feel like I could scrub it some more. It was quite dirty as you can see.
20211122_191401.jpg
 
Last Edited:
Hi Everyone,

So today I received my first M1 garand and would love to hear some opinions on the condition of my new to me rifle. I don't know anything about these but I'm wanting to learn and ordered a book. I also signed up for the upcoming Garand Service Rifle class at DRRC the first week of December.

I think from the top serial number this was made in July, 1943? I don't know what the other serial numbers mean, couldn't find the info on the CMP forum.

The muzzle and throat reading are both 2's. Is that "okay" or should I consider replacing the barrel?

Here are the pics of it.

View attachment 1071731 View attachment 1071732 View attachment 1071733 View attachment 1071734 View attachment 1071735 View attachment 1071736 View attachment 1071737 View attachment 1071738 View attachment 1071739 View attachment 1071740
That's an absolute beauty! Looks better than Service Grades I've seen. Readings are really good too. 1943 manufacture, your rile has some profound history to it, too bad it can't talk. Nice going.
 
That bore cleaner eats the brass/bronze brushes. I put an oiled patch down the barrel of mine, with a jag, before I shot it. It was came out pretty clean. It wasn't until after I shot 24 rounds I soaked it with Hoppe's, and scrubbed with a plastic brush. My patches looked like yours.
 
I still havent been able to get out and shoot this, the weather has not been forgiving to me. I think I'm gonna go tomorrow though to DRRC and just shoot it at wet targets to try it out.

I got the barrel scrubbed, it was a lot dirtier than I anticipated.

Row 1 - hoppes bore cleaner soak x 2
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 2 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 3 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 4 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Scrubbed with brass brush
Row 5 - hoppes bore cleaner wet x 4
Dry mopped x 15
Row 5 hoppes bore cleaner wet x 1
Dry runs x 4
View attachment 1075592
I feel like I could scrub it some more. It was quite dirty as you can see.
View attachment 1075593
That is a good start cleaning the barrel. These old Garands can use some barrel cleaning with J B Bore paste.
It will make it shoot better and not copper up the barrel. Just ahead of the chamber is the most critical spot.
You will feel the barrel get smoother and less CU fowling. Will not harm the barrel this has been used by shooters
for many years.
p_083065025_1.jpg
Ask me how I know.:D
tpUOWdTsXg89tpeXAIdottUjWw=w834-h625-no?authuser=0.jpg
 
Hi Everyone,

So today I received my first M1 garand and would love to hear some opinions on the condition of my new to me rifle. I don't know anything about these but I'm wanting to learn and ordered a book. I also signed up for the upcoming Garand Service Rifle class at DRRC the first week of December.

I think from the top serial number this was made in July, 1943? I don't know what the other serial numbers mean, couldn't find the info on the CMP forum.

The muzzle and throat reading are both 2's. Is that "okay" or should I consider replacing the barrel?

Here are the pics of it.

View attachment 1071731 View attachment 1071732 View attachment 1071733 View attachment 1071734 View attachment 1071735 View attachment 1071736 View attachment 1071737 View attachment 1071738 View attachment 1071739 View attachment 1071740
nice rifle - the stock looks in excellent condition
I have several Garands - my concern is the '43 barrel - the US Military used corrosive ammo back then - have you inspected your barrel with a bore lite
second - in '43 GIs used steel cleaning rods - my '44 had a ruined muzzle due to cleaning, not shooting
when I had my '44 rebarreled, my gunsmith told me more Garand barrels were ruined by GIs with steel cleaning rods than shooting them out
NEVER use a sectioned steel cleaning rod in your Garand - a one piece Tipton is my suggestion

Happy Shooting
 
Congrat's on a great Garand. CMP sells Garand-safe .30-06. The best source is to reload you're own. Hornady's reloading manual has a section devoted to Garand-safe .30-06 loads. Best primer is the mil-spec CCI #34 as it's tougher and less prone to slamfires.

Creedmoore Sports sells the Schuster aftermarket gas plug to help control gas pressures. Basically it's a hogged out plug which increases the initial volume of the cylinder and therefore reduces initial pressure. I've installed one on my Garand but have not tried it yet so can't say how well it works. See link below.

There's a plastic gadget you can get to hold the bolt open while cleaning. See link below.

GG&G makes a cleaning rod with a universal joint which is great for cleaning the chamber. It also works great for cleaning the chamber of a Ruger 10/22. See link below.

The stock front sight is 7 MOA wide or about the width of a human torso at 300 yards. Thinner aftermarket front sights are available. Aftermarket hooded rear sights are also available. Both are legal for CMP/NRA Service Rifle but not for John L Garand matches. Barry's December match is a CMP-style match but I don't think it's an approved match for record.

GG&G cleaning rod
Cleaning Aid
Custom Gas Plug
 
....

Creedmoore Sports sells the Schuster aftermarket gas plug to help control gas pressures. Basically it's a hogged out plug which increases the initial volume of the cylinder and therefore reduces initial pressure. I've installed one on my Garand but have not tried it yet so can't say how well it works. See link below.

....

You're describing the GarandGear plug, but naming the Schuster adjustable plug.
Funny, they look to have done the same thing as GarandGear did as the adjustable plug wasn't really needed.
 
On the subject of Garand ammo and aftermarket gas plugs.

Aloha,, Mark
I was aware of all that, but seeing the op-rods in action with the different ammo was very interesting. it would be fun to play with that adjustable gas plug to get the rifle down to where in just cycles dependably. Less recoil = more better.

I have a question though. What is the proper pronunciation of Garand? Guh-rand or Gairund?
 
I have a question though. What is the proper pronunciation of Garand? Guh-rand or Gairund?
It's both. If you are talking about the rifle it's Guh-Rand. If you are talking about the designer, it's John Gair-Und.

If you listen to guys at the CMP and GCA they use the two pronunciations so fluidly it's like they are two entirely different names.

-E-
 
It's both. If you are talking about the rifle it's Guh-Rand. If you are talking about the designer, it's John Gair-Und.

If you listen to guys at the CMP and GCA they use the two pronunciations so fluidly it's like they are two entirely different names.

-E-
That's good. I kind of figured. I like try not to sound like an idiot.
 

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