Anyone familiar with the M1 Garand in 7.62 NATO

[DonT]

Just acquired an M1 Garand converted to 7.62 Nato.

It is marked on the barrel as follows:
7.62 NATO M11

There appears to be an S in the O in Nato.

I have checked and it will not close on a 30-60 NoGo gauge by quite a bit. At the last gunshow someone who is suppose to be farmilar with these rifles said the chamber gauge for a 7.62 showed a 7 but it showed a 3 if he used the 30-06 chamber gauge.

The shop I got it from said they fired 16 rounds of 7.62 thru it and if functioned fine and brass looked good. I have dealt with them for years and trust they are being straight with me.

I know some of these have chamber inserts and some have new barrels. I have tried looking down the chamber with no luck. Is there an easy way to tell fi this one has a chamber insert or replacment barrel? If so how?


Also is there a way to tell if it is an original Navy rilfe or not?

Serial number is in the 1,06x,xxx range. I it has the white plastic spacer also.

By the way this is not a Springfield Armory recent manuf.

Thanks for any help you can offer. I want to make sure it doesn't have the spacer as I know these can be an issue..

Thanks,
DonT

[Aardvark]

The US Navy had many 7.62Nato Garands.

[Aardvark]

Look at these:
1.) http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/24931/t/navy-308-garand.html

2.) http://www.scott-duff.com/M1Garand.htm

3.) http://www.thepaulkfamily.com/gunweb/M1Garand_SFA.htm

[NickSS]

The Navy converted a lot of M1s to 7.62 Nato and used them for many years.  Some are still on ships of the fleet.  I also had one made up for myself for match shooting in the 80s.  I had a shot  out barrel in one of mine so sent it to a gunsmith and he put a Kreiger barrel in 7.62 NATO and tuned it for match shooting.  I used it for 8 years and wore that barrel out and sold the rifle when I took up black powder cartridge shooting to buy a Sharps rifle.

[John Traveler]

DonT,

I believe the official Navy M1 Garands had receiver engravings added showing the MkII modification and 7.62 NATO caliber.  Any M1 without those receiver markings and wearing a 7.62 NATO barrel is likely just that: a barrel added to an existing M1 receiver.

It's been many years since I chatted with the Navy ordnance fitter types about the differences between a properly chambered 7.62 NATO barrel versus one that had a sleeve installed on a .30-06 barrel.  The sleeved chambers had a very long leade to the rifling caused by the 1/2" length difference between the 7.62 (.308 Winchester) case and the .30-06 case.  If you chamber a long-bullet round (180 or 200 grain), there would be no rifling marks where the bullet ogive normally engages the leade.  The 7.62 NATO barrel, on the other hand, would clearly show a normal leade and leave rifling marks on the bullet ogive.  You can try this test using a .308 Winchester round with long bullet seated out of the case.  A chamber cast would also be definitive, as would a borescope examination.

[S.S.]

Beretta BM59, Oh yes, a very fine weapon. Not quite a Garand but nicely modified from one.