As a follow-up to our video on the historical past of the M1, at present we’re taking a look at holding the Garand fed. Loads of M1 followers have been fast to bust the outdated fantasy that “you may’t high off a Garand.” It’s not technically true, however for the GI in fight, wouldn’t it have been a possible choice?
Particulars within the video beneath, or scroll right down to learn the total transcript.
Hey everyone, Chris Baker right here from LuckyGunner.com. I’m out on the vary at present with the M1 Garand to follow-up on one thing I discussed in our final video which was all in regards to the historical past of this rifle. The M1 was usually very well-liked, nevertheless it does have a few flaws that have been generally talked about by the troopers who really used them in fight. Weight is the primary situation. The opposite one I discussed final time is that it’s tough to high off or reload the M1 earlier than it’s utterly empty.
I didn’t imply to indicate in that video that it’s not possible to high off an M1. I ought to have phrased that in another way as a result of it may be carried out. However it’s not sensible for a soldier in fight. I’m going to demo the completely different loading, unloading, and reloading choices for the Garand, and I believe which may assist clarify why sure procedures have been most likely not utilized in fight.
Customary M1 Garand Loading and Unloading Procedures
I’m going to load my M1 right here with a full 8-round clip. I simply open the motion, pop the clip in there, push it down, and there we go. Now I’m loaded.
Usually, troopers have been skilled to fireside till the gun was empty after which reload from a full clip. However they could have had some administrative cause to unload. Or in the event that they needed to make use of the Garand’s grenade launcher attachment, they must unload the dwell rounds so they might load a clip of blanks.
So to unload, I’d open the motion, which ejects the spherical from the chamber. Whereas holding the motion open, I press the clip latch to eject the clip and the remaining rounds. I can let these come out and fall to the bottom, or I can place my hand over the motion and catch them as they arrive out. Then I can reload with a recent clip. That’s how the gun was designed to function and most GIs would have been taught some variation of that process.
Topping Off a Partially Loaded Garand
Now, let’s say I’ve bought {a partially} full gun and I wish to get it again to full capability with out emptying it first. I’d open the motion and maintain it open with one hand. Then I’ll take some free rounds and simply feed them into the clip.
The interior journal solely holds seven rounds, so I’m not going to have the ability to match that eighth spherical into the clip whereas it’s down within the motion. If I actually need that final spherical, I might manually load it into the chamber after which maintain the clip down whereas I launch the bolt in order that it passes over that high spherical within the clip. [NOTE: It is not recommended to load a round directly into the chamber of an M1 due to the small risk of inducing an out-of-battery slam fire]
One other method to do that is to open the motion, then press the clip latch, however solely let the clip come about midway out. Then launch the bolt in order that the bolt form of pins the clip in place. That method, I don’t have to carry the bolt open the entire time whereas I refill the clip. It’s doable, however tough, to suit the eighth spherical within the clip when it’s on this place, so I’m simply going to shut the bolt with solely seven in there.
Was This A Practical Reloading Methodology?
That’s all superb in case you’re out for a leisurely day on the vary, particularly in case you’ve bought a pleasant taking pictures bench in entrance of you to help the rifle. However I believe it’s fairly apparent why you wouldn’t wish to try this in fight. It’s only a sluggish and awkward method to load the M1.
You may additionally attempt to argue that we don’t hear about troopers topping off Garands as a result of they only didn’t find out about these methods. However I discover that tough to consider. With over 5 million M1s that GIs carried each waking hour for months at a time, ultimately a few of these guys would work out that you could high off a Garand. It might or could not have been widespread data, however this isn’t some unknown secret that modern-day Garand house owners have simply found out for the primary time.
One other chance is that troopers simply hardly ever had the necessity to high off their weapons. Which will have been the case for the form of large-scale battles that we regularly affiliate with World Warfare II and Korea. However wars contain many various kinds of fight conditions.
I quoted Lt. Col. John B. George within the final video. He complained about not having the ability to high off the Garand and gave the instance of a soldier together with his unit assaulting an enemy place. He will get to the final piece of canopy earlier than he has to go charging into that bunker or trench or no matter. He’d actually prefer to have a full weapon earlier than he does that. City fight, preventing home to deal with, would most likely be comparable. For any form of shut quarters preventing, particularly, I think about you’d desperately need all eight rounds.
So let’s say I’ve bought just some quick seconds earlier than I’ve to make this assault. What are my choices? I can take my probabilities with no matter ammo I’ve bought within the gun. Hopefully one in every of my squadmates with a Tommy Gun or a carbine can go in forward of me.
I might attempt to high off my rifle. Possibly I considered this upfront and I’ve bought free rounds in my pocket and never simply the loaded clips I used to be issued. How lengthy wouldn’t it take? I haven’t practiced this an entire lot, however for me to load 4 rounds instantly into the motion for a complete of seven took about 18 seconds. Possibly someone who’s actually good might do it in half the time. That’s nonetheless 9 seconds with a rifle that’s primarily disabled whereas I’m inside spitting distance of an enemy place. It’s very easy to induce a feeding stoppage in case you attempt to shut the bolt on the incorrect time. The entire operation occupies each arms. It’s only a lot to ask of someone who’s being shot at.
My different choice is to only fireplace off my remaining rounds and reload. Once more, I’m not tremendous well-practiced at this, nevertheless it solely took me six seconds to crank off 4 rounds, reload, and fireplace once more. It’s not splendid, nevertheless it’s quicker and rather a lot much less vulnerable to person error.
In fact, I might additionally manually unload and reload. However that’s additionally form of time consuming, and it’s actually solely helpful if I’m making an attempt to preserve ammo or keep away from revealing my place.
Reloading different WWII-Period Firearms
Now, as a comparability, let’s have a look at what was required to high off among the issued weapons from that period. With an M1 Carbine, BAR, submachine gun, or something with a removable field journal, it’s fairly easy. Drop the journal in case you’re in an actual hurry or put it aside for later in case you can. Insert a recent journal.
The carbine mags are sufficiently small that you simply would possibly even be capable to seize the recent magazine first and swap them out with the identical hand. That basically minimizes the period of time the gun is and not using a journal. In any case, you all the time have a minimum of the spherical within the chamber that may be fired at any time so that you’re not utterly defenseless in case you get caught mid-reload.
Now how in regards to the 1903 Springfield? I’d hate to be the man working into a detailed quarters combat with a bolt motion, however in case you’ve bought to do it, it’s fairly simple to high it off first. You do lose the spherical within the chamber once you open the bolt, in order that’s lower than splendid. However then it’s fairly simple to load. It solely requires one hand at a time and you’ll hold the inventory in your shoulder. This footage right here was actually the primary time I ever fired a 1903 and I didn’t have any hassle with this. The Garand was the higher fight weapon in virtually each different respect, however the Springfield was simpler to high off.
Col. George was a giant fan of the journal system from the M1941 Johnson rifle. The US didn’t formally undertake the Johnson, however just a few of them did make their method out to the battlefield. It was a semi-auto with a 10-round inside rotary journal. You’ll load it by way of a port on the aspect with single cartridges or 5-round Springfield clips. George actually appreciated this design since you might load it any time with as many rounds as you wanted with out opening the motion. For those who’re solely going to have ten rounds within the gun, a system like that has loads of benefits even in comparison with a removable field journal.
The M1 Garand had rather a lot going for it. It most likely was, objectively, the very best infantry rifle issued in WWII. However I hope it is smart now why the loading situation was a particular weak spot of the design. For those who guys loved this, the subsequent time you want some ammo, make sure to get it from us with lightning quick transport at LuckyGunner.com!
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