The M1 Garand

“The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised”

General George S. Patton once referred to the M1 Garand as “the greatest battle implement ever devised.” Beyond this glowing review provided by a prominent American general, the rifle’s service and effective use in mainline use during two major conflicts speaks for itself. Simply put, the M1 Garand is a warhorse though-and-through.

 The rifle saw extensive use in both the Pacific Theatre and European Theatres of war during the Second World War. Everywhere American troops went during the war, the M1 Garand followed. The M1 Garand served in places such as North Africa, Normandy Beach, Bastogne, and Iwo Jima, enduring harsh conditions in a variety of combat zones. Beyond World War Two, the rifle saw use in the Korean War. Like World War Two, the rifle was used to great effect and was well-liked by troops. The rifle even performed well during the harsh cold and freezing conditions during the Chosin Reservoir Campaign.

Simply put, the M1 Garand established a legendary reputation among troops due to its effectiveness in military use. The rifle marked represented a considerable leap forward in standard issued small arms technology, helping legitimize autoloading rifles in mainline use.

Standard Issue Autoloader

The M1 Garand distinguishes itself from other rifles of the era due to its status as a standard issue semi-automatic rifle. At the time, the main service rifles of other Allied powers and the Axis powers were of the bolt action variety. This meant that American troops during World War Two were armed with significantly more advanced rifles than their friends and foes. While bolt action rifles such as the No. 4 Mk. 1 Lee Enfield, Mauser Karabiner Model 98 Kurz, and Type 99 Arisaka are proven in their own right, they simply weren’t in the same class as the M1 Garand.

Not only was an M1 Garand capable of firing more rapidly than its bolt action counterparts, it also held more ammunition than most of the standard issue rifles of the era. With the exception of the Lee Enfield series of rifles which held ten rounds of .303 British in a magazine, the M1 Garand eclipsed the other standard issue rifles of the era in terms of magazine capacity. Eight rounds of .30-06 Springfield in an accurate and rapidly fired package was truly a technological marvel during World War Two.

The En Bloc Clip and “Garand Thumb”

The rifle features an internal box magazine which is fed by en bloc clips. These en bloc clips hold eight rounds of ammunition and are designed to be pushed down into an open breach to feed the magazine. Later en bloc clip renditions included two round, five round, and SLED, or “Single Loading Enhancement Device” variations. These variants are commonly employed in competiton and match use cases.

The process of loading an M1 Garand requires the bolt of the rifle to be locked back, providing the shooter with an open action. The loaded en bloc would then be pressed downward into the magazine, a process which would begin to relieve tension on the locked back bolt. There is a distinct “click” that one will hear and feel once the clip has been inserted properly. From here, the shooter can remove their thumb from the top of the clip to send the bolt forward and chamber a round. Once loaded, the rifle can be unloaded easily by pulling the bolt to the rear and hitting the clip latch button on the left of the receiver. By doing so, the rifle’s chamber is cleared and the en bloc clip is ejected from the internal magazine of the M1 Garand.

Mistakes during the loadings process or hastiness can lead to what is referred to as “Garand Thumb” or “M1 Thumb.” If the bolt is not completely locked back during the loading process, one may have the bolt come forward early as they apply downward pressure onto the en bloc clip. The phenomenon can also be experienced if one allows their thumb to linger too long in the action of the firearm after indexing the en bloc clip. One can make efforts to counteract this potentiality and ensure proper loading is achieved by pressing against the operating rod with the blade of the hand loading the rifle. If light pressure is applied rearwards during this process, one can ensure the bolt remains to the rear and won’t slam forward prematurely. If one practices the loading process enough, one will find that the possibility of encountering this phenomenon is quite low.

One of the most iconic features of the rifle is the fact that a distinct “ping” is audible when the rifle runs out of ammunition. This source of this sound is the ejection of an empty en bloc clip from the action of the rifle. Various forms of media such as movies, shows, and videogames have cemented this iconic sound in the minds of many throughout the years.

Can You Still Find M1 Garand Rifles?

At this point in time, one will still find M1 Garand rifles from a variety of sources. The rifles will still show up on gun racks, through private sellers, and on auction sites regularly. Additionally, one can go through the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) to acquire an M1 Garand and other vintage American service rifles. Original rifle production took place from 1934 to 1957 with about 5,468,772 units built. Exportation, sales to foreign governments, private sales, and destruction of these units has led to the number of available M1 Garands dwindling. As supply decreases and demand increases, prices will increase. Long story short, one will still be able to find M1 Garands for purchase, though prices and availability are in a constant state of change.