As Tyler was constructing our new deer blind by himself (despite my multiple offers of assistance) I decided to go sight in my rifles. With me this weekend: my Remington 700 AAC-SD and my M1 Garand. Both are pretty to look at, but the Garand is mechanically beautiful. And the light was just perfect to get some glamour shots of the old girl in action. I might have to update this later with some better slow mo video of the action though…didn’t have the GoPro with me at the time.
The M1 Garand is America at its best right along with apple pie, BBQ ribs, hot rods, and baseball.
Just what I was thinking. Something about the design of the gun is quintessentially USA — solid, heavy, takes a little know-how, but doesn’t back down if you treat ‘er right.
…solid, heavy, takes a little know-how, but doesn’t back down if you treat ‘er right.
Wait, are we still talking about the gun, or have you met my ex-girlfriend?
I’m a fan of this video, and this rifle.
I just recieved my CMP M1 just as storm Sandy hit.
Just a quick question, does anyone do anything to the stock. It feels dry as a bone
Just a warning, you will get a million different answers to this question. Hope mine helps
Twice a year, I take all my guns out and do a total wipe down with a cloth LIGHTLY sprayed with some WD-40. No magic stock shiner or expensive Rem Oil. Just a feather light touch with WD-40. It’s brought plenty of dry stocks back to life for me.
Do a little research and you will be amazed at what household items you can use to keep your guns clean inside and out that will not ruin them. Don’t buy into the hype of “specialized cleaning solutions” when you can probably find them all in your house.
Back in the day when my dad was in the Army they used linseed oil to keep the wood shiny and waterproof. I’d go with old sergeant Phil’s advice and wipe her down with linseed oil.
Linseed oil is the correct answer.
Looks like I’ll be buying a can of linseed oil when I get home. Disregard my WD-40 nonsense.
Agreed 100% — with the caution not to use too much at a time, but to rub in several light coats throughly.
I was going to offer another household product to help restore you stock. I’ve been using a furniture care product my wife bought for our dining room set. When I went downstairs to get the name of the product, I also looked at the ingredients. Guess what the magic formula is that I’ve been using for years to maintain my wood stocks?
Linseed oil. Nothing else was listed in the contents.
from “On Oils for Guns” here on TTAG:
a lot of gunsmiths and gunmakers (who make stocks, not just shine them up) use called “Lin-speed Oil.” It’s linseed oil that has some carriers and thinners in it to speed drying.
Same situation w/ a CMP Special–beatuiful but dry stock. Do you have to remove the woodwork to treat it w/ linseed oil, or can you do it without disassembling the rifle?
First time, I’d take it apart and give it two treatments a few days apart from each other. Every time after that, no, just a light rub down once a year.
For all wood stocks that aren’t finished on the inside (meaning: Aren’t covered in bedding compound or laquer/varnish), an application of BLO or Linspeed inside the stock should be done once/year in most of the US, perhaps twice a year in the dry desert southwest. Stockwood that was made or stored elsewhere and then moved to the desert southwest is apt to crack and check over 3 to 10 years as the wood dries out, so you need to prevent that. The end-grain of the wood should never be ignored either – so pull the buttplate and the foreend hardware and get some oil into the end grain as well.
Thanks for everyones replies. I went to take her to the range and met someone who was a CMP Competitor who helped me get zero. His recommendation was BLO (Boiled Linseed Oil) or Tung Oil.
This just reminds me of why I’ve never owned a gun with wooden parts.
Now that’s what i call gun porn.
Nice video, got to love the Garand.
The M1 is one of those rifles that just feels right.
Pretty Garand is redundant.
very cool video, good job, love that m1, reminds me of my granddad.
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Whoo-hoo, score!
Awesome. I just got my CMP Garand today (Springfield Service Grade with new wood). I can’t wait to shoot it!
Thanks for the video. My son and I shot our 3 week old CMP Winchester M1 Garand this morning for the second time and got home just in time for my eBay, genuine WWII M1 bayonet to arrive in the mail. Fortunately, I can’t and shouldn’t, accessorize the Garand like my AR.
Sweetness and light.
Nick – nice video. That rifle made some good Nazis out of bad ones. One note- that ammo looked really bright and shiny – if it’s commercial hunting ammo, be careful. Some of those powders are a little hot and fast for that M1’s gas system – a little is here and there for hunting will be okay – but a lot can put a bind in your op rod.
Since posting that – I see the commerical-ammo issue has been well addressed here, and here: http://www.garandgear.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106:shooting-commercial-ammunition-in-your-m1-garand&catid=39