Cosmoline in Your Stock Many military surplus M1’s have been soaked in cosmoline or a similar grease product. These products soak into the wood and leach out as the rifle heats up. You’ll want to remove as much of this as you can before starting the stripping process. Using a hairdryer or a heat gun on medium heat, warm a small area of the wood.
Full Answer
How do I finish my M1 Garand stock?
(See our article on finishing stocks [Refinishing your M1 Garand] ) 10 When the wood has dried, sand the stock to smooth any areas that show raised wood grain. Be careful not to sand any areas that might have a stamp or other identification mark on the wood.
How do I remove the trigger from my M1 Garand?
2 If your M1 Garand has a sling attached remove it now. 3 Grab the trigger guard behind the trigger and pull toward the butt plate. This will unhook the trigger guard latch and allow the trigger guard to pivot forward.
Where to buy M1 Garand and M1903?
You can get the stuff at any good paint store. Also on the CMP website, the Wood Cleaning guide has useful information on the care and feeding of you M1 Garand, M1903 or M1 Carbine stock. And I got this note from Thomas Hinds…
Where can I find information on M1 Garand care and feeding?
Also on the CMP website, the Wood Cleaning guide has useful information on the care and feeding of you M1 Garand, M1903 or M1 Carbine stock. And I got this note from Thomas Hinds…
What wood is M1 Garand made of?
Black walnutBlack walnut was prized for making gun stocks, such as for the M1 Garand rifle, because of its density, durability and beauty. Larger black walnut trees were in demand, and the wood for the stocks came from the bottom of the walnut, which is denser from supporting the tree's weight.
Where do I grease my M1 Garand?
0:182:39M1 Garand Firearm Maintenance: Part 3 Lubrication - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhere the bolt rubs along the top. Remember to apply only a thin layer of grease wherever it'sMoreWhere the bolt rubs along the top. Remember to apply only a thin layer of grease wherever it's needed as any excess is going to get flung off in all directions of the gun cycles.
Does the M1 Garand have a safety?
The M1's safety catch is located at the front of the trigger guard. It is engaged when it is pressed rearward into the trigger guard, and disengaged when it is pushed forward and is protruding outside of the trigger guard. The M1 Garand was designed for simple assembly and disassembly to facilitate field maintenance.
What caliber is a M1 Garand?
.30” caliberManufactured at Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. on July, 31, 1931, this hand made, gas-operated, semi-automatic experimental rifle by John Garand was the prototype . 30” caliber rifle that developed into the US M1 Rifle.
What kind of oil does a M1 Garand take?
The two oils that were used on the M1 during manufacturing were raw linseed oil and tung oil. Raw linseed oil is cold-pressed from the seed of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum) and tung oil is pressed from the seed of the tung tree (Vernicia fordii). Each oil brings a unique character to the finished wood stock.
What is a good gun grease?
Best Gun Oils & GreaseHoppe's #9 Lubricating Oil. Good ole Hoppe's #9 (pronounced “hops” for those unfamiliar) is always going to be a part of the conversation when you start talking about gun oils, and for good reason. ... Break-Free CLP. ... Ballistol. ... Mil-Comm TW25B Gun Grease. ... Tetra Gun 004B1.
Which M1 Garand is worth the most?
The Top Selling M1 Garand RiflesJohn Garand's M1 Garand, Serial Number 1,000,000: $287,500 (September 2018)Primer Actuated Model 1924 (Type 2) Garand Autoloading Rifle: $172,500 (September 2018) ... 1931 M1 Garand Prototype: $172,500 (April 2016) ... JFK's National Match M1 Garand: $149,500 (September 2015) ... More items...•
Can a civilian own an M1 Garand?
If you'd like to own an original M1 Garand, it's easier than you might think. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) maintains two retail stores (Camp Perry, Ohio, and Anniston, Alabama) that sell government-surplus rifles to qualified buyers.
Was the M1 Garand used in Vietnam?
With more than 220,000 M1s sent to South Vietnam, many South Vietnamese troops, ranging from conventional ARVN units to Vietnamese Popular and Regional Forces, carried the M1 rifle. The Garand also found its way into the hands of the Viet Cong, and U.S. forces captured many M1s from the VC before 1968.
Can you purchase an M1 Garand?
Over the years, the CMP has offered several different grades of M1 rifles, from serviceable to excellent condition. While many grades are no longer available, the CMP is currently selling M1s ranging from $650 to $3,055, according to its M1 info page. Ordering information can be found on the CMP's M1 info page.
How many M1 garands are there?
Production of the M1 rifle during the World War II era was the high point of weapons production at Springfield Armory. At no time prior to, or following, this period, had the Armory achieved this level of production. In total, Springfield produced 3,526,922 M1 rifles from 1932 through 1945.
How heavy is a Garand?
Demonstrating technology Garand had learned as a teenager, the gun operated by using expanding gasses similar to a steam engine. Weighing only 9.5 pounds, it had a rigidly-supported barrel and fired semi-automatically from an eight-shot clip.
What is the finish on a M1?
However, your M1's can have a US made stock or a foreign one. The finish on your M1 typically would be Raw linseed oil, or Tung Oil. It's impossible to know what foreign countries used on the stocks. In later years the stocks can also have been treated with boiled linseed oil ...
How to make wood stock glossy?
Using a hair dryer or a heat gun on medium heat, warm a small area of the wood. DO NOT BURN THE STOCK! If the wood turns glossy in the presence of heat, wipe it with a paper towel. When no area of the stock turns glossy when heated you're done.
How to remove a spacer from a ferrule?
To remove the spacer you have to bend back the tabs holding the ferrule on and slide out the spacer. However, bending the tabs often damages the parkerizing and work hardens the metal.
How to clean wood with 3M pad?
Take the handguards and using warm running water begin to rinse the part. Use the cut piece of 3M pad and scrub the surface in a circular motion. When all the stripper has been removed from both handguards gently dry the surface and set aside. Avoid soaking the wood in water for any length of time.
What are the parts of a rifle handguard?
In the case of the front handguard, these are the spacer and the front hanguard ferrule. These parts were never designed to be removed once installed.
Can you leave ferrules on wood?
The ferrule can sometimes be wedged on so firmly that damage to the wood occurs upon removal. If the ferrule doesn't come off by hand, leave it on. Forcing it damages the part and often mar's the wood in the process. The spacer tool used during installation of the liner is shown below.
Can you remove a liner from a handguard?
Removing the liner from the handguard can weaken the wood significantly. Handle carefully! 2 The rear handguard also has a metal clip attached to it. This handguard is the most fragile of the wood pieces. Improper removal of the handguard clip will result in either a broken handguard or other damage.
How to disengage a trigger guard?
Pull the rear of the trigger guard toward the rear, then rotate the trigger guard down and away from the stock. As you can see, there is a small catch on the rear of the trigger guard. Pull the rear of the guard toward the rear to disengage this latch.
How to get a rifle to start with a buttstock?
You might need to hold the rifle around the front of the stock and hit the top of the buttstock with the heel of your hand to get it started. Rotate the stock further downward, until you can pull it to the rear and fully remove it.
How to lock a bolt in place?
Hold the operating rod handle back with your right hand while slightly depressing the follower with your left. Allow the operating rod and bolt to travel forward enough that the bolt is traveling over the follower. Remove your left hand and move the operating rod handle forward until the bolt is locked in place.
How to start a rifle with an empty chamber?
Start, of course, with an empty rifle! Pull the bolt handle back firmly to its stop, then allow it to gently move forward until it is stopped by a latch. You should see the follower in the magazine area, having moved to the top of its possible range of movement. In front of that you should see an empty chamber.
What is field stripping?
Field stripping is the term for disassembling a gun into its major components or assemblies. You don't completely disassemble it, but you break it down enough that you can clean and lubricate it . As the term suggests, this is something you might do in the field while further disassembly requiring special tools would be done back at the armory or shop. Here is how to field strip an M1 Garand, disassembling it into its major components.
What is the shiny steel on a gas cylinder?
The shiny steel, left "in the white" and not parkerized, is where the gas cylinder tightly mates onto the barrel. The gas cylinder and associated parts have been fully removed. The front hand guard can be slid off the end of the barrel once the gas cylinder is out of the way.
Where is the ferrule on a rifle?
The ferrule remains on the front of the stock, the lower band is the mating piece on the handguard. Turn the gun over, and notice where the follower rod disappears into the hollow operating rod. The follower rod has a fairly small rectangular cross section.
What color is the rear handguard?
The rear handguard is of new construction. I'm left with fairly different natural wood colors — a grayish stock, a darker front handguard, and a distinctly orange rear handguard. The rear handguard remained fairly orange even after plenty of sanding. It's just different wood.
Can you clean stock in a dishwasher?
And yes, I cleaned my stock by simply running it through the dishwasher. A dishwasher sprays hot water around 150°F or 65°C from rotating spray arms. Detergent is released as part of the multiple stages the machine goes through during a cleaning cycle.
Does the forward handguard change?
The forward handguard didn't change very much. I thought that the dark spots of oil on it might lighten further with application of brake cleaner and rubbing with steel wool. Brake cleaner is basically an aerosol spray of hydrocarbon solvents — acetone, methyl-ethyl-ketone, and so on.
What oil is used in M1Garand stock?
M1Garand stock treated with Minwax tung oil. Or Mineral oil (also had multiple folks say NOT to use Mineral oil) China seed oil like they were originally done at the armory. That is what Springfield Armory used to treat the original stocks.
How long does it take for linseed oil to dry off?
Raw linseed oil – Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO) is not the same, and will not develop that reddish brown patina that old rifles get. Rub in a coat, wait 1 hour, wipe the excess off. Repeat every 24 hours until the stock stops sucking up the oil.