Thumb saver

Youngest son and I have been building an M1 Garand. He used an M1 Carbine to qualify at a Garand match last year and has been wanting to step up his game to the 30-06.

He helped mount the barrel to the receiver, headspace the bolt and assemble the remaining parts into a complete rifle. Of course these were "spares" that had been laying in wait in the garage.

I have been working with him on how to safely work the rifle and he is really hung up on loading.
The fast snap of the bolt closing and ensuring that body parts do not get cycled into the action has him worried.

Best solution to his fears was the Holbrook Device. You know, the modified part that forces the Garand action to work like an M14...you must slightly retract the oprod to get the bolt to close.

I swapped it out of another rifle and showed him how it works. No more fear of the mighty Garand. Had to purchase another device for me and received it in 3 days.

In short, if you are teaching someone to use the Garand, adding the Holbrook Device can make it more fun for everyone.

When we get out to the range, pictures to follow :)

I think its cool that you were able to do a father/son build experience with the Garand build....... However installing a Holbrook device is the wrong way to teach him to use a Garand. (my Opinion) I've been shooting Garands for 15 years and I've never been bit by one.

First off always pull the charging handle all the way to rear, That way it locks the bolt back,do not let the bolt rest on the follower that will get your thumb or whatever else you put in there caught when the op-rod spring finally pushes the bolt past the follower.

Teaching him the proper way to close the bolt/load the rifle will keep him from being bit

1. holding the rifle with your left hand, Take your right hand and put it beside the right side of the stock at the mag well. Palm resting against the stock.

2. with the heel of you right hand resting against the charging handle, take you thumb and press the clip/follower down while putting rearward pressure on the charging handle with the Heel of the right hand.

3. once you hear/feel the bolt unlock, roll your right hand up and rearward, letting you wrist be fulcrum point. as your hand rolls up your thumb will be outta the way and the heel and fingers of you hand will restrain the op-rod just enough and you'll never get pinched.


Jason

edit for grammar

Its all good info. He is young and has not yet aquired enough strength in his hands to run the Garand the proper way. Developing the skills and the device allows him to safely get started in the man sized rifle.

Hope it helps others that want to enjoy the rifle, but need a bit of help. Thinking small folks, females, injuries to hand, etc.

glad it worked out for your son, and hope he continues his interest,

but IMHO, it's not needed, (the preverbial solution waiting for a problem that does not exist)

Sounds like a great father-son project! That rifle is something he'll be able to cherish for life as the one that Dad helped him build. I think it's great that you were able to find a solution to his worries with the Garand. I've thought about the Holbrook device so my wife can shoot one of my Garands without difficulties.

Thanks. I am sure it would help get the wife started.

Here is the little guy with his rifle. It is a 1 million series, lead dipped Springfield receiver, using a 1950's Beretta barrel and mixture of other parts. The Alumahyde coating on the gas cylinder needs one more week to cure

With some warm weather, we can go send rounds downrange.

Holbrook device: the answer to a NON-question!

You will NEVER get M1 thumb LOADING! Only by being STUPID with an unloaded gun with the bolt "locked" back by the top of the follower rather than properly locked back by the bolt catch.

I bought a M1 with the HD and I didnt like it, I missed the PING! I could see how it would be good for a kid. You can make one yourself and save a bunch.

tag

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As scrambled said, teach the boy correctly and he won't smash his thumb. You may think he's too small to learn it correctly but if he can pull the bolt all the way back he should be able to load it correctly. Besides when loading the rifle with a full clip, the bolt usually needs help to close on the first round

WTF? $65? They used to be $35 just a few years ago....

You simply cant get M1 thumb while loading the weapon with an enbloc...

As I said earlier, this is installed on a rifle for my youngster. He is "snapping in" and doing dry practice with the rifle...the modified devise was installed so that he would not get Garand Thumb while working the action.

When loading live or dummy rounds into the rifle, the top round feeding from the enbloc clip pushes your thumb out of the way on its way into the chamber. So little chance of catching your thumb if you are using ammo feeding from the enbloc clip.

Without rounds, your thumb is in the path of the bolt without anything pushing it outta the way. So if the blade of your hand slips off the oprod handle and your thumb is slow getting out of the action... good chance of Garand Thumb. As you gain experience with the weapon, you learn to operate it without getting bit. The part is easily changed out to the standard version when he gets comfortable.

I still believe it is a good addition to the rifle to promote safe training for new folks.

As a side issue, we shot the rifle last week. It needed very little adjustment on the sights to get it shooting dead center. With good trigger control, we hit 2-4 inch groups on steel targets at a bit over 100 yards.

The rifle ran like a top and fun was had for the day

Respectfully, single-loading the M1 rifle can be a safety issue due to slamfire. I did not read the whole thread word for word, I merely scanned as I need to get in the shower and get out of here, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention. I'd rather be told "read the thread" than read that a problem was encountered when single-loading

A father and son taking an M1 to the range is a pretty good afternoon in my book

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