Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled An M14 Garand? and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/an-m14-garand/.
An M14 Garand?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Talyn
SAINT
Talyn
SAINT
BET7
Ronin
As Talyn mentioned, the Italians (Beretta), took the M1 Garand design (with U.S. Blessing), and designed a rifle to use 7.62x51 NATO rounds. It's the BM-59 and below are 2 videos from Classic Firearms that currently have these rifles produced by James River Armory. The Videos give a brief history and go over the Rifles features. Ben does the 1st video and Clint does the second and current video for their current selling. I bought a reproduced M14 (non select fire 
), from Classic Firearms made by James River Armory and it's a beautiful looking, well made and functioning rifle, much like SA's M1A I also own. I'm interesting in getting one of these BM-59's at some point as well.
Ben's Video:
www.classicfirearms.com
Clint's Video:
), from Classic Firearms made by James River Armory and it's a beautiful looking, well made and functioning rifle, much like SA's M1A I also own. I'm interesting in getting one of these BM-59's at some point as well.Ben's Video:
Video: BM-59 Rifles By JRA
www.classicfirearms.com
Clint's Video:
Regarding Garand's Selective Fire 30-06 Model, that's a new one on me. I have long wondered though re the following. If what I read was correct, there was a modification to the Garand proposed late in WW2. A 20 round box magazine, possibly a BAR magazine in stead of the 8 round enblock ammunition feed.
As to a selective fire Garand, firing the 30-06 ct'g., given that the rifle weighed 10 pounds, not 20 as did the BAR, I doubt that many people could manage the rifle in full auto mode. The M-14, fired full auto was more than most people could handle, from what I have heard.
I used a personally owned Winchester Garand in competition for 5 or 6 years, mostly with hand loads, doing reasonable well with it, even at 1000 yards. I occasionally shot matches with borrowed M-14's and M1A's. I could shoot well enough with 308 caliber rifles, semi auto's and bolt guns out to 600 yards. For me, shooting 1000 yards with a 308 was akin to throwing ill matched rocks. Almost all the ammunition I fired was hand loaded/reloaded.
As to a selective fire Garand, firing the 30-06 ct'g., given that the rifle weighed 10 pounds, not 20 as did the BAR, I doubt that many people could manage the rifle in full auto mode. The M-14, fired full auto was more than most people could handle, from what I have heard.
I used a personally owned Winchester Garand in competition for 5 or 6 years, mostly with hand loads, doing reasonable well with it, even at 1000 yards. I occasionally shot matches with borrowed M-14's and M1A's. I could shoot well enough with 308 caliber rifles, semi auto's and bolt guns out to 600 yards. For me, shooting 1000 yards with a 308 was akin to throwing ill matched rocks. Almost all the ammunition I fired was hand loaded/reloaded.
Keystone19250
SAINT
Beautiful gun, a question from a gun stock guy, does any staff member on this forum know where Springfield gets its wood Gunstocks??
RangerBill
Operator
I've seen only one of these Garands with the box magazine, and that was at a small gunshop in Nampa, Idaho a few years back. The wood stock had been painted black, it was UGLY, and the price was $800. I never closely examined it, so I have no idea what condition the barrel was in.
Keystone19250
SAINT
What a shame to paint a wood stock, my only guess as to why is it had been not taken care of and was in such bad shape he painted it to cover up the damages.
HansGruber
Ronin
BM59’s are so freakin' cool...on my list for someday.
I just purchased one of these, it had been in my friends stepdads attic for the last 30 years, I thought it was a m14 untill I looked at the receiver and saw it said us 30 caliber, it has a 1944 Springfield receiver and a lmr barrel..it shoots great, but I have no information on it.. anything will help
Attachments
HansGruber
Ronin
First find out if it's .30-06 or 7.62 (might be marked on the barrel)...because there were, iirc, some aftermarket Garands converted to use box mags (BAR?), but...they’re a rare duck, and I don’t think they worked very well.
That might be a early BM59...but it doesn’t look right.
RangerBill
Operator
If you are an NRA member, you can write to them to get some definitive answers. Bruce Canfield has researched US military rifles extensively, and they have much information archived on just about anything you care to know. If it was an Arsenal conversion, there should be tell tale stamps on the barrel and action, as well as the stock. The latest American Rifleman had a great article on the original "gas trap" Garand, and the eventual conversion to the "gas port" that is much more common.
Regards,
Bill
Regards,
Bill
jbh1975
Alpha
I know this is an old thread but just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the great reading topics! I joined the forum to learn more about the Garand! I just inherited 2! One has a box magazine with an original barrel coating and the other with the original Enbloc design and a stainless barrel . Super clean guns but wood has some character marks we will call them! i had never laid eyes one until these so i got a crash course in cleaning some old oil from the rifles. Super easy to field strip in my mind and enjoyed the process Both are marked 30 caliber M1. Even the stainless one has 30-06 hand written in black marker under the furniture. Not that I would try it but they both came with a conversion insert to enable the rifles to shoot 7.62x51. serial #s 2679945 & 392293. would be interested to know when the box magazine was converted on the one rifle. Appears to have been well done but i am only a shade tree gun smith so I might not recognize some poor conversions! Really cool that they came with a 50 cal ammo can of M2 ball ammo!
Attachments
Keystone19250
SAINT
Good deal. Someone should know about them to help you out. Unspoken rule is we don’t post or show serial numbers on the forum and you have plenty of time to edit them out if you want to.
BET7
Ronin
No problem posting on an older thread jbh1975, it's great to hear more about this subject or others at anytime. Great pick-up on your two rifles, I have a 1940 M1 Garand (30-06), that I bought about a year ago. Great rifle with tons of history. Welcome to the forum.
Pitdogg2
Professional
Many couldn't handle the m14 in full auto IIRC