.308 M1 Garands

[kjdoski]

Just dropped a MO in the mail to pick up one of these from CMP. This is my first Garand, though certainly not the first I've shot. Who's got tips, best practices, etc on running this warrior?

 

[jcj54]

Lube with rifle grease, not oil.
Shoot military equivalent ammo, with bullet weight 175 gr or less.
Enjoy!!!

 

[Mongo59]

Coming from the CMP you will be good to go as long as you follow jcj54's advice. A Garand without grease is a dry gun. The CMP puts the mag blocks in which will eliminate the misfeed problems of ones that do not have them. The same enblock clips work in the .308s. It wouldn't hurt to pick up a few M1A chamber brushes since they are .308 also. I advise shooting it until you run out of money...

 

[2in1evtime]

Lube with rifle grease, not oil.
Shoot military equivalent ammo, with bullet weight 175 gr or less.
Enjoy!!!

I have been using lubriplate grease on my garands and m1a's and other semi autos too

 

[92FSTech]

I don't have much to add as the important stuff has already been covered, except be sure to share some pics with us here when that thing shows up! I've never shot a .308 Garand but I have a couple in .30-06. You're going to love that gun!

If you reload, at least for the 30-06, IMR-4064 and IMR-4895 are your friends.

 

[Hulberr]

I have a 308 Garand but it’s a Tanker and I love it.

 

[Squid556]

Congrats. Would love to see some pictures and a range report when you get it.

 

[BigMoose]

One nice thing about a Garand in 7.62x51/308 is the smaller case volume, is it means it simply doesn't have the potential for any factory loads to come close to the limits of the gas system.

I still would not use steel case, but it means those crazy expensive hunting loads in 308 you never have to worry about.

As for grease. Go to the auto store and ask for Wheel Bearing grease... you get a small tub of it that will last forever.

 

[Mongo59]

One nice thing about a Garand in 7.62x51/308 is the smaller case volume, is it means it simply doesn't have the potential for any factory loads to come close to the limits of the gas system.

I still would not use steel case, but it means those crazy expensive hunting loads in 308 you never have to worry about.

As for grease. Go to the auto store and ask for Wheel Bearing grease... you get a small tub of it that will last forever.

I wouldn't use that grease. When you find pitting on the receiver on CMP guns that is mainly under the edge next to the wood, that is from 'any old grease' like that.

Grease is made from mixing soap and oil together. Soap is made from adding animal fat and an alkaline together. Depending on how soap is mixed you can either have too much fatty acids or too much alkaline to the finished product. Both are bad for metal. Wheel bearings and spindles have a higher nickel content to prevent issues but the parts on the Garand that have high nickel are not the ones getting the grease. Preppers that think 'any old grease' is just like cosmoline are going to wake up to a real bad morning some day.

Synthetic greases do not have the acid/alkali problem but some of them won't stay where you put them especially during temperature changes. Products that are made specifically for this purpose do but are pricey as you say. What I have found that works as should and won't break the bank is 'Sulflo' which is a grease made for variable pitch propellers on planes. It is synthetic so it won't etch the metal and is designed to stay in place from the extreme lows and extreme highs in temperature. It comes in tubes that are designed for grease guns and it does cost more than what you find at Auto-zone and Walmart but it will never etch your metal or finish and one tube is a lifetime supply.

 

[jcj54]

"The CMP puts the mag blocks in which will eliminate the misfeed problems of ones that do not have them. "
.308 M1 Garands feed fine without the block. The sole purpose of the block is to prevent inserting a clip of .30-06 which can cause a very bad stuck live round in chamber problem.

 

[Miller Tyme]

I picked up one of the 308 Breda M1D's last year and like it alot.

 

[Mongo59]

"The CMP puts the mag blocks in which will eliminate the misfeed problems of ones that do not have them. "
.308 M1 Garands feed fine without the block. The sole purpose of the block is to prevent inserting a clip of .30-06 which can cause a very bad stuck live round in chamber problem.

I should have been more clear. A 30-06 in a .308 chamber is what I would consider a misfeed...

 

[BigMoose]

I wouldn't use that grease. When you find pitting on the receiver on CMP guns that is mainly under the edge next to the wood, that is from 'any old grease' like that.

No one really really makes that grease anymore.

They use LITHIUM soaps now as a thickener

https://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/msds/en/US/561720

For four to five bucks you can get the white high temp grease.

https://www.autozone.com/greases-and-gear-oil/lubricant-grease/p/stp-hi-temp-grease-tub-15oz/561720_0_0

It will last you a lifetime. And as it states on the can, it is an excellent rust preventative.

As to what to apply it with, go to an Arts store, buy a little detail paint brust (tiny one)... break off the end so that it can be left in the top of the container. That allows you to paint the grease on things you need.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

As to what to apply it with, go to an Arts store, buy a little detail paint brust (tiny one)... break off the end so that it can be left in the top of the container. That allows you to paint the grease on things you need.

I use cotton swabs (Q-tips) and they seem to work pretty well.

 

[Mongo59]

No one really really makes that grease anymore.

They use LITHIUM soaps now as a thickener

https://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/msds/en/US/561720

For four to five bucks you can get the white high temp grease.

https://www.autozone.com/greases-and-gear-oil/lubricant-grease/p/stp-hi-temp-grease-tub-15oz/561720_0_0

It will last you a lifetime. And as it states on the can, it is an excellent rust preventative.

As to what to apply it with, go to an Arts store, buy a little detail paint brust (tiny one)... break off the end so that it can be left in the top of the container. That allows you to paint the grease on things you need.

I shoot left handed, even the high temp grease won't stay where you put it. If for an extra $3 a tube I don't have to wipe warm crap out of my face, that is a price I am willing to pony up...

 

[SpinDrift762]

I had a Navy match conditioned Mk2 Mod1 a few years back, until a friend decided he had to have it and offered a price I didn’t turn down.

7.62 marked barrel on the M1, glassed stock and handguards, even had staked stacking and sling loops.

I never needed a receiver block, it fed nato type 7.62 really well.