David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. 104. Aerial Shooting M1 Garand

[Seancass]

M1 Garand built in 1945 at Springfield Armory, Massachusetts. Today the M1 qualifies as an antique, yet we may not have made to where we are without it. Accuracy comparable to a bolt action and better than many, reliable morning noon and night, strip it with your fingers, an offhand rifle supreme.

Video linked below. Sorry I can't imbed them here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymTiGL6pFQo

 

[Seancass]

M1 en bloc clip continued success of stripper-clips used to speed loading of late 19th century bolt action rifle. None are better than John Garand's adaptation. Black tips on FMJ designate AP——Armor Piercing. 30-06 AP has 25-caliber steel core.

Pressed to bottom of magazine well, 8-rd EN BLOC clip releases OPERATING ROD, which slams bolt forward to chamber a round. Clip ejects after last round is fired. Unfired rounds may be ejected at any time by retracting OPERATING ROD HANDLE and pressing CLIP CATCH on left side of receiver.

Technique matters with the M1. There is a right way and a wrong way to operate the bolt. Note OPERATING ROD forward of receiver, with OPERATION ROD HANDLE adjacent bolt head.

To retract OPERATING ROD, stiffen right hand as to salute. Press heal of hand against OPERATING ROD HANDLE and pull to lock back.

OP ROD HANDLED retracted with heel of salute hand.

To close bolt on an empty chamber or with a round in chamber:
1) Heel of hand holds OPERATING ROD HANDLE rearward the last quarter inch.
2) Thumb depresses FOLLOWER below bolt.
3) Maintain "salute hand." Ease op rod forward——bolt overrides follower..

4) … Once bolt overrides follower, raise thumb, the raise "salute hand." Bolt slams shut without crimping thumb——a nasty mistake called an "M1 thumb."

Operating rod at lock back. To close bolt, "Salute hand" retracts OP ROD HANDLE——and holds it back!... Thumb depresses follower… Salute hand eases op rod forward for bolt to override follower… Lift thumb… Lift salute hand…

Once bolt overrides magazine follower----seen here----there is nothing to hold it open. The spring-loaded OPERATING ROD controls the BOLT. The dreaded "M1 thumb" happens when hand releases the OP ROD with thumb in magazine well. Correct sequence to release bolt becomes second nature with practice

 

[don44]

Thanks for posting!

 

[WendyZXZ]

Fine thread and posts, we have an M-1 here and it is nice rifle although a bit large and heavy for my tastes, but my husband loves it!

 

[RSIno1]

Sold all of mine and got into No1s. It's a vertical learning curve on how to load an M1. One case of M1 thumb and you'll do it right every time after that.

 

[David Bradshaw]

Don, Wendy.... thank you for the kind words.

RSino1.... watched a good case of M1 thumb happen at, of all places, Camp Perry. Poor fellow knew better, but got cocky. Heat the end of a paper clip red hot, burn a hole through the back of the thumbnail into the blood blister, relieve pressure. Most M1 thumbs happen when closing the bolt on an empty chamber, or closing the bolt on a single, chambered round. The shooter eases the bolt onto the follower, then continues to hold the follower with his thumb while pulling his hand away from the OPERATING ROD HANDLE.

There is a bolt hesitation when mashing a load clip into the magazine well. Nevertheless, a firm "salute hand" maintains control of the OP ROD. One who practices correct technique need never experience an M1 thumb. Measured against other pre-war and WW II attempts at a semi-auto battle rifle, John Garand's U.S. Rifle, cal. 30 M1, is magnificent.
David Bradshaw

 

[cyberscout19]

Nice. Another informative writing. Always look forward to your writings Mr Bradshaw.

 

[GetGunz]

Always informative, enjoyable and entertaining. Your really ought to charge tuition....

I had one of those and learned "first thumb" the precarious nature of loading. A year later the CMP sent out a fabulous manual and I quickly grasped the concept.

 

[David Bradshaw]

cyberscout19 and GetGunz.... many thanks. Never caught an M1 thumb, as I paid close attention to my instructors----serious sharpshooters. Most cases of "M1 thumb" occur attempting to close the bolt on a chambered round or an empty chamber. To do it right, the bladed hand keeps pressure against the operating rod handle BEFORE, DURING and AFTER thumb contact with the follower.
David Bradshaw

 

[NH Rugerman]

David
Well done,

Thank you sir....it is nice to see the 'old way' is still the correct way.

Hooah!

 

[David Bradshaw]

Nh Rugerman.... yes, and thank you. My instructors learned the M1 during World War II. They taught me on the M1 National Match. Nobody kissed the rifle or carved hearts in the stock. They just shot it to beat Hell, and cleaned it. We cleaned them with soapy water when shooting corrosive, cleaned 'em with ammonia dope, hung 'em upside down to drain. Dried 'em & greased 'em.

Regard for the M1 came one evening at the dinner table of Bill Ruger. It upset Bill that the rifle John Garand worked so hard to design, develop and refine, while working at the government arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts, and which proved itself so thoroughly in America's hour of need, had earned for its creator a government pension. Bill Ruger believed that John Garand should have received a royalty on that rifle.
David Bradshaw

 

[Prescut]

I spent two years at NMMI my junior and senior year of high school. You drilled every day with your M1 after daily inspection. Weekends were for field training.

I even trained for Sally Port competitions. I lived with my M1 every day and several nights I was required to sleep with it after an unfortunate incident.

The M1 thumb was pretty common place. I certainly nailed mine on more than one occasion. I now have a WWII Garand from the CMP and am absolutely still in love.

Greatest instrument of war ever designed indeed.