[3Gunnah]

Just picked up a nice 1943 M1 Garand almost correct, it appears to have all original parts except for the gas cylinder and oprod. The bore is quite nice with a throat erosion of 3.5 the muzzle is a bit worn but the rifling is still visible. And the guy I got it from said it is a good shooter and I've known him for many years. The thing that bugs me is when I fire the gun I can feel the front to back movement in the stock. I am going to try to find a trigger guard without worn tabs, that should help lock up but I do not think it will help with the front to rear movement of the stock. Are there any tips besides bedding the rifle that I can do without major alteration to the stock as it is the original World War II stock. I would not be against replacing the stock if I could find a good GI stock that had good lock up. And just keeping this one if I ever decided to get rid of the gun. But I think I'm going to have a hard time finding a decent stock that matches the patina of the front handguards.

 

[JayKosta]

If the trigger guard has very low 'clamping power' then maybe a different guard would help.

What I'd try first (w/o doing a proper epoxy bedding) is getting some thin automotive flat sheet gasket material and cutting shims to fit between the bottom of the stock and the trigger group (both sides on the front, and small piece at the rear). You could also cut shims from an aluminum soda can.

When the trigger guard is locked closed, it should pull the rear heel of the receiver down firmly against the top of the stock. If you can see a gap between the receiver's heel and the stock, then maybe a different stock or epoxy bedding would be the solution.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[m1sniper]

Many years ago (early 90s) when the "imports" came in from Korea, good Friend of mine bought one. Action was very loose in the stock. He cut 2 strips of fairly heavy gauge copper roof flashing (we're all in construction) and placed it between the bottom of the stock and the trigger housing. Turned that rifle from a 5-6 inch group at 100 yrds to a 1.5 +- at 100 yrds. He didn't even glue the strips in, just tried it as a "field expedient" repair.

 

[NMC_EXP]

I've heard back in the pre glass bed era they would remove wood from inletting surfaces, then glue in thicker pieces and carefully re-inlet the stock.

This method would keep it legal (I think) for CMP as-issued matches.

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

I've heard back in the pre glass bed era they would remove wood from inletting surfaces, then glue in thicker pieces and carefully re-inlet the stock.

This method would keep it legal (I think) for CMP as-issued matches.

Nope....that's the same as a shim.

 

[NMC_EXP]

Nope....that's the same as a shim.

Even though it is wood and glued in permanently???

But it is within the rules to use a brand new commercial stock.....

Sheesh.

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

Even though it is wood and glued in permanently???

But it is within the rules to use a brand new commercial stock.....

Sheesh.

Yep. My understanding why it's a no go, is that it was originally done a Match modification or alteration. I personally don't think wedges worked all that good or were as strong from the start being made from a separate piece of wood than the original stock.

Yes, new stocks are legal as long as they follow the same contours (outside) as the original stock. If I were too build a hard core JC Garand Match rifle, my first choice in stocks would be one from Wineg, that is if I could get them too turn a blank at a reasonable price. As my second choice, a well fitting USGI Burch replacement stock.

 

[Earthquake]

I had a old timer tell me about gluing strips of paper on top of the stock to tighten up a loose action. I cut a couple of strips of a playing card and put them in the front of receiver of my Fulton M14 between the stock and receiver and it did give me more pressure on the front band and made the rifle shoot just a bit better.

Casey

 

[Orlando]

A trigger guard with round lugs (tighter lock up) will not keep the action from moving under recoil.
Only real fix is to completly bed the rife which is illegal for JCG Match.
Repairs of wood or glass bed to trigger guard area are also Match illegal. Even these repairs that were Arsenal done make the stock Match illegal
Your best bet if you plan on shooting it in Matches is to get a new commercial stock.
Stocks sold by Dupage Trading are the best deal if you dont mind doing alittle finish work on them.

 

[Wolley]

Nope....that's the same as a shim.

I actually had this conversation with Mark Johnson a couple of years ago.
I was building a 1941 USMC Sniper clone and had a pre-war C stock that had been bubba'd. The fore-end had been routed out trying to free float the barrel.
I asked about bedding material. He said "no".
I asked if I could cut out a section of the stock and patch in a new one. He said that was fine.
So I cut a section out of the nose, glued in a donor piece of walnut, let it dry and trimmed with a saw and then finished shaping it with files and sandpaper. Once fitted and re-oiled and covered with the bayonet band it is damn hard to see and legal.
Here's what the original glue in looked like.

 

[Orlando]

As I stated earlier, any type of shims, bedding etc is illegal for As Issued Garand Matches. This is copied directly from the rule book:

CMP Rule 4.2.2 As-Issued M1 Garand.
The use of shims made of any material in the action and barrel bedding
areas of the stock is prohibited.

 

[Wolley]

That is not a shim. It is a repair.
And I have seen Garands sold by the CMP that have repairs in the TG area. I doubt that they would disallow one of these.

 

[JayKosta]

...
I asked about bedding material. He said "no".
I asked if I could cut out a section of the stock and patch in a new one. He said that was fine.
...

--------------------------
Likely it wasn't considered to affect the 'bedding area' of the stock.
-
From the latest version of the CMP 'Games' rulebook -
"Broken or cracked as-issued stocks may be repaired
with the use of epoxies or other chemical adhesives, provided the
original as-issued stock dimensions are not changed and no epoxy,
adhesive or reinforcing material is used in or on any of the bedding
surfaces for the rifle action or barrel."

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Orlando]

If you would have read my earlier post I talked about those types repairs. Arsenal and Civilian repairs as bedding and replaced wood under the trigger group area have always been JCG Match illegal.

Unless something has changed in the last few years ( which is possible) they were not legal for a JCG Match. It may be up to personal interpetation of who is inspecting rifles the day of the Match. Is it worth taking the chance being disqualified?

 

[Dsc]

When I first started shooting the Garand Matches a few years ago my stock was a bit loose and went through this same thing. Now you can interpret the rules the way you like but I was told buy a nice person from the CMP that any work done on the inside or outside of the stock to improve lockup or a better fit of reciever would disqualify me at a match. I don't want to say what you would do but if everything came together and I shot a very good score and got disqualified because of a small shim or something I would be bummed. Just drop a hundo on a shooter stock and keep the nice one for the rack or resale if you plan on shooting the matches, you should. It's a good time.

 

[JayKosta]

The current CMP 'games' rulebook also says -
"Commercial or replica versions of as-issued military rifles are not
permitted"

Anyone know about that?
Does that include the rifles coming directly from CMP that have 'commercial' stocks?

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[NMC_EXP]

The current CMP 'games' rulebook also says -
"Commercial or replica versions of as-issued military rifles are not
permitted"

Anyone know about that?
Does that include the rifles coming directly from CMP that have 'commercial' stocks?

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

I would be amazed if a rifle in a truly un-tweaked 75 year old stock could shoot better than a 75%.

I suppose if the stock: had never had a rifle in it and had been stored under ideal temp and humidity it may not have shrunk, swelled, dried out, warped...etc.

That's a lot of ifs.

A single data point for what it's worth - my DCM M1 has a 1945 barrel and the stock appears correct for that era. The receiver literally rattles around in the stock.

 

[Roadkingtrax]

Just means Springfield Inc M1's, Universal Carbines, Santa Fe 1903a3's...etc.

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

Wolley, don't hold me too this but, I think there was a gentleman's agreement between CMP and the Pit Lawyers.. There was some stink some time ago, and three issues came up. Everyone knows there is a difference between NM type bedding and Arsenal type stock repairs that salvaged a otherwise unserviceable stock.

#1. Screws and brass pins are good too go for crack repairs as long as they don't support the receiver or trigger group.

#2. The common Arsenal type bedding used too restore stock compression is also OK because this was done at the lower echelon maintenance level, as long as there is no bedding material in the recoil and counter recoil areas. This is a easy check too perform, if there is a 1/2 of trigger draw and there is bedding in areas where it did belong, you got the boot..

I know the "RULES" say none of this is good. None of this really matters at the fun/local level anyway where its pretty much for fun and bragging rights, but? At Camp Perry #3. comes into play. You have too make it too the podium first too find out if #1 and or #2 gets you the boot. Personally if I was going too Perry I wouldn't take the chance and risk it just incase I got lucky, but then again I'm not a top tier shooter either..

In my opinion your stock repair uses neither screws, pins or bedding. The block of wood you used too restore the fore tip is called a Dutchman and that wasn't a common fix used back in the day not by the US anyway. Regardless as long as you didn't have excessive tip pressure I could overlook the repair if I even noticed it.. But the fruit cake eagle eye pansy jumping up and down behind your or my back crying about it, would scream foul at the top of his lungs too anyone that would listen and you know how that go's.

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

The current CMP 'games' rulebook also says -
"Commercial or replica versions of as-issued military rifles are not
permitted"

Anyone know about that?
Does that include the rifles coming directly from CMP that have 'commercial' stocks?

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Just means Springfield Inc M1's, Universal Carbines, Santa Fe 1903a3's...etc.

Yea, what Roadking said. But he forgot Golden State Arms on the don't use list. And as for your question, there's a small blurb in the rules about Commercial replacement parts meeting the same dimensions as USGI are also good too go. Like Boyds stock's and Critter barrel's come too mind off the top of my head.