[Hibernating Bear]

Greetings,

I have a 1952 Springfield Armory mutt that I love to shoot and have lovingly made the finish look nice.

I have a new DuPage Garand stock that I tried to drop in and lightly sand but I could not get the trigger guard to close.

I’ve seen this picture depicting people beating in the trigger guard with a mallet. Is this really how it should be done?

I love that the stock set is tight, the upper hand guard of my existing set is rattle and I fear the rifle isn’t as accurate as it could be.

Should I sand it down or beat it in?

Here’s the page with the purported beating of the trigger guard:

https://www.dupagetrading.com/product/finished-stock-set/

FITTING
The Dupage stock is manufactured to be as close as a drop in replacement stock as possible for all M1 Garand rifles. Little to no fitting is required for proper rifle function and MIL-SPEC accuracy. Initially, you may experience difficulty locking the trigger guard during reassembly. This is not a defect, a tight lock up is conducive to good accuracy. When installing our stock the first few times, you may need to use a rubber/nylon mallet to close the trigger guard…no different than the original armorers did at Springfield Armory when the rifle was first manufactured.

 

[boltaction]

Hello,
Give it a wack... just don't lift your shoulder to do it.

 

[WaM14gunner]

I would first ascertain where or if its binding improperly somewhere, before I start beating on it. Regardless history it really shouldnt be that hard to close.

Might show us a picture of how close/far it is to close all the way.

 

[Orlando]

You do not beat anything. Run the sight aperture all the way in, flip rifle upside down on padded table.Grease lugs on the trigger guard, insert trigger housing and tap the guard closed with mallet or man up and lean hard on it.

 

[m1sniper]

You do not beat anything. Run the sight aperture all the way in, flip rifle upside down on padded table.Grease lugs on the trigger guard, insert trigger housing and tap the guard closed with mallet or man up and lean hard on it.

I prefer the "lean hard" method. ^^^^^
I don't like the mallet method because you can't "feel" or tell if the leading edges of the trigger guard (hooks) are engaging the receiver properly, and if you hit with a mallet you chance distorting the triggerguard. (Yes I've actually seen it)

 

[oneshy1]

If it's "close" try light persuasion. I have a NM which I disassembled recently and could not latch the last 1/2 in. I persuaded it with the handle of a large screwdriver because it was close at hand.

 

[boltaction]

Hello,
I said, a wack without lifting your shoulder. That's a lot different than "beating" on something which would require lifting the shoulder, I would think.
But, if you drive a finish nail with a sledge hammer, that's your problem...just saying.
It's most likely a Minelli stock set which, are about 99.9% drop in fit. Yet, I could be incorrect on the maker.

 

[nf1e]

Most of my M14 rifles need the rubber mallet process to close after trigger pad bedding. If it's not tight, your action can move around in the stock. Not a requirement for safe queens. Whatta Hobby!

 

[Shomway]

Try this.....

 

[Hibernating Bear]

Thank you for the inspiration, gentlemen!

My Garand had been sitting in a chest all by itself for months and then I started this thread, and got some encouragement from you all. It seems like I was babying the rifle a little too much. These things were meant to be manhandled as they say.

The original stock set is beautiful, but it is super dark has dings on it, and is very loose. The forward hand guard wobbles and rattles around. I finally got the courage today to take everything apart take out the gas tube and install the handguards with a bit of light mallet tapping.

Finally through a stroke of luck, I was able to take the trigger assembly, put a couple drops of CLP on the locking lugs, pushed the trigger assembly firmly so that it would seat. Next I pushed back the trigger guard, hooked it , and Bob’s your uncle, it worked!

Now the whole shebang is working and tight. This makes me think. Is the upper handguard supposed to be rattly? The stock fits much tighter than the original one, that’s supposed to be good for accuracy, right?

Thanks a million, guys!

This was the original stock after I refinished it. Sorry for the confusing “after” text. Beautiful finish but too loosey goosey. Its a beautiful dark wood except for the loose forward handguard.

This is what it looks like now, supposed to be American black walnut:

 

[Shomway]

Links no workie.....

 

[KurtC]

If the trigger guard makes it to the tip of the trigger, you can get it to close.

Grease the camming lugs and use one of these to squeeze the guard shut.

 

[Pedro 1]

Links no workie.....

I thought it was my machine ...

 

[Hibernating Bear]

I thought it was my machine ...

Sorry, just reposted the images.

 

[Orlando]

Yes front handguard is meant to have movement

 

[stlm14]

I had a CMP M1 that I had to stand (gently) on the guard to get it to close. I sent it back because I couldn't
zero it because it shot way high. I think I had something to do with the new CMP stock and the way it fit.

 

[Orlando]

I had a CMP M1 that I had to stand (gently) on the guard to get it to close. I sent it back because I couldn't
zero it because it shot way high. I think I had something to do with the new CMP stock and the way it fit.

I am not sure it had anything to do with tight lockup. It probably had to do with the barrel channel was to narrow and needed the edges removed. This was a common problem on them years ago and still may be one some.
This is a picture of the edges beveled back so stock does not rest on barrel channel