M1 Garand Rebuild

[hhuber50]

I've recently acquired a M1 Garand that I would like to make into a decent shooter.  It has a Springfield receiver, and as best as I can determine so are most of the other major components.  The exception is the trigger group which is Winchester.  The stock and forearms have no armory marks leaving me to believe they replaced a very bad looking or damaged set.  They appear to be birch or a similar wood.  I don't have any records for the rifle.  As a result, I don't think this is a collector's rifle and rebuilding to improve performance wouldn't adversely affect the value of the rifle.

The rifle is functional (I've had the head space and through checked; both within acceptable tolerances).  However, the rifle shoots consistent 4 inch groups at 100 yards using surplus ammo from CMP and different shooters to make sure it's not me..  I'm pretty sure it should do better than this

I personally don't have the skills to do the work I would like to have done.  At a minimum I like to replace the barrel, replace the wood with a good walnut set, reparkerize the metal, rebuild the rear sight (possibly replace with NM sights front and rear), and have a NM job done on the trigger group.

I have looked at the web sites for Fulton Armory and Miltech.  I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has anything good or bad to say about either.  I would also appreciate any information about anyone else who does quality work on M1's.

Thanks in advance.

HH

[Castaway]

Although not a Garand expert, barrel tests done at Frankford Arsenal showed they eroded to the the point accuracy started to go down after about 8,000 rounds but were servicable to around 23,000.  They also determined that if the bullets were seated longer to compensate for the throat erosion, accuracy could be restored back to normal standards.  Of course, if you don't reload this is not an option but may be enough incentive to start.

[S.S.]

Get something to really clean the copper fouling from the bore.
and then try your groups again. You will probably be surprised.

[jeff]

HH

If you want that thing to shoot there's only one way to go, Check the link on Clint Fowler  http://m1-m1a-ar15.com/

There's nobody that knows Garands better.

[Aardvark]

Go to www.brownells.com and spend the $50 for a throat erosion guage or find somebody that has one and check the TE...If it is less than 5 you should be OK...It may save you some $$ on rebarreling if it is not neccessary...also check the muzzle wear by doing the bullet test..Muzzle wear is more critical then is TE...Just getting it recrowned would be simple and inexpensive if that is the problem.