Next Match project.... my first CMP M1

mac1911

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So I'm toying with the idea of shooting my first CMP M1 in the last match of the year.
It's a sept 1943 SA M1 garand 1,930,000 SA 1962 barrel post war rebuild with what I think is the greek black park?
I have not shot this rifle for score since 2010 with a high score of 399 with shooting HXP. So not really my best shooting rifle but better than others.
So I will be going through the rifle and double checking everything before the match and will be shooting what I have left of some loose HXP from cmp. Should be interesting.
Post some pictures later.

Only thing I did to this rifle is a detail strip and clean, tung oil and cheese cloth stock scrub and peen over the gas cylinder spline to snug up the movement. The trigger is pretty good and snaps right at 5lbs with just a little take up...predictable and im used to it. This rifle can be moody but I hope the attitude is ok come match time. its 10 ring capable but it prefers the dead of winter with all this fluctuating temps and humidity who knows what will happen.
Shooting mixed bag of HXP also will be interesting



has a nice crown and hang tag says 1+ and 3. I don't have a throat gauge and my muzzle gauge is MIA. been a long time since I used it?




will be taking it out for a test run between now and the match.
 
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Cool. USGI or CMP stock ?

I'm going to try a new load for next match.. based on "feedback" from Franco
 
Last edited:
Cool. USGI or CMP stock ?

I'm going to try a new load for next match.. based on "feedback" from Franco

It has a USGI stock .. don't recall what it is ....my data sheets are burried and I'm not digging them out. I will take pictures and such a little later today.


Franco likes them hot I found hot loads over kill for the M1.
I found in my service grade rifles a decent bullet proves the biggest gains vs powder charge.

My build with criterion barrel shows very little gain in powder vs charge weight but found the most consistent groupings came from the lower middle load data specs.

I like Varget over all the best because it meters well in my hopper and it's good across the board for so much of my other loadings. Sucks though cause Varget is a bit tough to find right now.

- - - Updated - - -

Cool. USGI or CMP stock ?

I'm going to try a new load for next match.. based on "feedback" from Franco

What was wrong with your current load? Seemed to do well for you at the match.
 
What was wrong with your current load? Seemed to do well for you at the match.

Nothing..... I'd been loading 47.0 Varget under the 155 for a long time. Been using 4064 in the bolt gun (46.0). Decided to hold onto the Varget I had for the AR, so I swapped my M1 load to 47.0 4064. Franco said my cases were coming out too dirty and I should up the charge, but I also don't tumble my brass until it's a mirror either, so...

Still on the fence about changing anything. If we had guys in the pits scoring, I could probably have eeked out a couple more points in slow prone since I couldn't see where my first 10 or so shots went (I knew they were in the black....)
 
Nothing..... I'd been loading 47.0 Varget under the 155 for a long time. Been using 4064 in the bolt gun (46.0). Decided to hold onto the Varget I had for the AR, so I swapped my M1 load to 47.0 4064. Franco said my cases were coming out too dirty and I should up the charge, but I also don't tumble my brass until it's a mirror either, so...

Still on the fence about changing anything. If we had guys in the pits scoring, I could probably have eeked out a couple more points in slow prone since I couldn't see where my first 10 or so shots went (I knew they were in the black....)
47 grains of anything should be sealing the cartridge...maybe if anything the chambers are a little on the loose side....? I have had little luck with IMR4064 ? For the M1 I find Varget, H4895 fits my needs.
 
It's fine. More I think about it today, I'm not changing anything :)
I think any "load development" is really just a waist of some good solid trigger time. Im flirting with 1" groups with my 03a4 clone with my basic load of varget 45ish grains.
maybe if we where shooting XTC 2,3 and 600 yards a hotter round to buck the wind might be helpful.
 
I think any "load development" is really just a waist of some good solid trigger time. Im flirting with 1" groups with my 03a4 clone with my basic load of varget 45ish grains.
maybe if we where shooting XTC 2,3 and 600 yards a hotter round to buck the wind might be helpful.

Yeah I'm right there with you. If I changed anything it would have gone from 47.0 to 48.0.

It's not gonna make a difference, the rifle can hold the 10 ring and a different load isn't gonna fix a sloppy rapid fire or wild offhand.
 
Mixed HXP's and your wildest shooting M1- yeah, I'm thinking it will be another good score from mac1911!

IIRC, I'm running 46.5 gr Varget for 168's and it works great for both the M1 and the '03. Very tight groups from the bench or prone when I'm not in a rush. Granted, the M1 has a new Criterion barrel and the '03 barrel is in great shape.

I also had a lot of trouble seeing my sighters. In the black, but no idea where. Can we please have spotters for future matches?
 
Mixed HXP's and your wildest shooting M1- yeah, I'm thinking it will be another good score from mac1911!

IIRC, I'm running 46.5 gr Varget for 168's and it works great for both the M1 and the '03. Very tight groups from the bench or prone when I'm not in a rush. Granted, the M1 has a new Criterion barrel and the '03 barrel is in great shape.

I also had a lot of trouble seeing my sighters. In the black, but no idea where. Can we please have spotters for future matches?

If we have enough shooters....
 
Mixed HXP's and your wildest shooting M1- yeah, I'm thinking it will be another good score from mac1911!

IIRC, I'm running 46.5 gr Varget for 168's and it works great for both the M1 and the '03. Very tight groups from the bench or prone when I'm not in a rush. Granted, the M1 has a new Criterion barrel and the '03 barrel is in great shape.

I also had a lot of trouble seeing my sighters. In the black, but no idea where. Can we please have spotters for future matches?

Not my wildest that would have been my HRA with famed LMR barrel that I used for by build.
Shooting mixed HXP can be tough. Just hoping it's only a few inches in poi between what every I have.
Heck I might even sort it just to see what I have..
 
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