History Documented

As we have started to interview veterans of the Korean Conflict and World War Two there’s one item that’s bound to bring a smile to their faces and a flood of memories from them, it’s the mention of the M-1 Garand Rifle. When handed one of the examples owned by Chris or myself it’s as if that veteran is transported back in time and is once again a twenty year old soldier. You see the change in how they talk and how the handle the weapon and their reluctance to set the rifle aside. The M-1 designed by John C. Garand was the standard issued military rifle used by the US Army from 1936 to 1957.

The M-1 rifle was one of the first semi- automatic rifles to see action in combat. It replaced the bolt action M1903 series rifle of World War One fame. It was rugged and reliable and universally loved by the combat infantry men whose lives depended upon its firepower and ability to take abuse and keep on functioning. General George S. Patton Jr. Called it, ” The greatest battle implement ever devised”. Over 5.4 million of these rifles were produced and were used well into the 1970’s by many countries. This article is by no means a technical study of the weapon just an overall comprehensive look at a rifle that made history. The rifle weighed in at a hefty 9.5 lbs. and had a length of 43.6 inches with a 24 in. barrel. It has a feed system of an 8-round”en Bloc” clip internal magazine and held a .30-06 Springfield cartridge. It has a muzzle velocity of 28,000 ft/s. with an effective range of 500 yds. Now that will certainly reach out and touch someone.

There’s still a good number of these old warhorses still around but the price of acquiring a collectable one has skyrocketed over the last fifteen years. Chris and I both agree that the greatest pleasures of owning one is sharing it with our veterans and sharing it with the public as a tangible piece of history least we never forget the sacrifice paid for our freedom.