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Garand or SKS?

Qwikdraw45 said:
Part of the reason I'd think a ban would happen on those first is that they are easy to modify to the higher capacity magazine, as compared to the fixed 8 of the Garand.
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Very correct.
 
tuna said:
I’m lost. No, I understand the sound, but why is this always described as a good thing?
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Maybe not a "good" thing, but is probably the single most easily recognized sound in the firearms realm short of a pump shotgun's stroke...
 
SPO38 said:
Oh my god, the boomers are out in force today.
I'm gonna give you the straight dope.

The M1 is a great addition to your collection as it truly is an iconic firearm. It feels beefy, its fun to shoot, and it's a sound financial investment. Unfortunately, that's where its virtues end.

For one thing, the cleaning is a pain in the dick. You have to clean from the muzzle end, need a special tool to clean the chamber, and once its clean, it has to be greased (not just oiled) fairly regularly.
Next, 30.06 is waaaaay more expensive than 7.62x39, and its outrageous that people try to mitigate that by suggesting you reload. Even more importantly, Garand-safe 30.06 is not reliably available locally, so you really need to keep it on hand for any spontaneous range trips.

In terms of performance, the SKS obliterates the M1. Probably because there was more than a decade of firearms technology advancement involved in its design.
It's exponentially easier to take down and clean, requires less maintenance, and replacement parts are far more abundant and affordable. It's also more user friendly, despite what the boomers will tell you. Because 7.62x39 is a far better cartridge for broad use, the SKS is much more smooth shooting and is easier to wield.

Also, theres a couple of gems I wanted to address:

"The M1 is accurate out to just under 1,000 yards."
Maybe if you want to dump a much of money on a new barrel and some NM parts. A CMP Garand is going to be roughly as accurate as an SKS, and given the average range length in MA, it's a non-issue.

"Reloading 30.06 makes the M1 a more viable option."
If you have the money, time, and inclination, sure. But if you're already strapped for cash and limited in free time, you're not gonna want to spend them on reloading equipment and learning to use it. You should never have to learn and invest in such a comprehensive skillset just to support buying a gun. Besides, 7.62x39 is so widely available and affordable, you dont need to reload at all (even non-corrosive).

So yeah, the M1 is cool as hell and will appreciate in value so whichever you pick, I HIGHLY advise you pick one up in the near future.

But solely on merit of performance, the SKS is the clear winner. As Neal Stephenson said, "If you ask a Russian to design you a shoe. He'll come up with something that more closely resembles the box that the shoe should come in. If you ask him to design a device that kills Germans, well all of a sudden he's Thomas f*cking Edison."
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FB_IMG_1565432239674.jpg
 
mac1911 said:
You dont buy those things, you make them from defective clips like the ones that came in the 1972 HXP !

why no whapid fire?
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I know about making them, too. I did get one from Mountain as a prize for the M1 match which was like two or three years ago. So, I use that one.

I've been known to use the two-round "twist" on occasion, but I rarely use a full en bloc, although I have some loaded up. The majority of the time I'm shooting the M1s is an SR-1 although I've been known to make some "plinking" ammo with second bullets and practice off-hand on 100yd steel plates.
 
daekken said:
I know about making them, too. I did get one from Mountain as a prize for the M1 match which was like two or three years ago. So, I use that one.

I've been known to use the two-round "twist" on occasion, but I rarely use a full en bloc, although I have some loaded up. The majority of the time I'm shooting the M1s is an SR-1 although I've been known to make some "plinking" ammo with second bullets and practice off-hand on 100yd steel plates.
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Yeah I use HXP for off hand and at matches when I get lazy on reloading
 
A single-shot Garand is called a "Springfield of 1903"...

Springfield1903_03.jpg
 
daekken said:
I'd say get the M1917 instead, then he could have the main US rifle of each world war (M1917 in WW1, and M1 in WW2) and not both wars' "backup rifle."
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Lol. MILSURP = MESLURP™
 
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Get the M1, Have a 43. Go to Brownells and pick up an adjustable gas plug and 5 rnd enbloc clip to shoot commercial ammo and go hunting.
 
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