vf1000ride Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) I had a plan years ago to buy one of those new Springfield Socom 16 rifles when I could save up the cash. Problem being I have nothing that currently shoots .308 so it was going to mean another caliber to reload for.Fast forward to my over winter website browsing and I found a guy online that takes M-1 Garands and knocks them down to Carbine size. Takes a standard 24" barrel on the garand and cuts it down to the minimum 16 and a smidgen. So in all my awesome photoshop skills I created this picture to give myself an idea as to the final product. Being I already have 2 Garands I figured I could take my post war gun and try to make a Garand based Socom style rifle.Well, the gun is getting a lot closer to my photoshopped image. I now have the real top picatinney rail mounted on the gun and just today my Eotech 517 arrived and got thrown on. Now just to send the gun out to have the barrel cut down. WooHooo.Oh, dang those Eotechs are bigger mounted to your rifle than I would have expected. Holding one at the gun shop doesn't do it any justice when you actually lock it onto the rifle. Edited March 1, 2012 by vf1000ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Nice! But why not just make the M1 into a tanker? LOL! Then you would have the .308 and not have to buy a new gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 If you want to get rid of that eotech cheap let me know! what is a 517 model? looks a lot like a 512 with the 2 aa batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 It will actually be about 2 inches shorter than a tanker. Staying away from 308 was one of the biggest reasons I haven't purchased the Socom 16. Keeping with the .30-06 caliber was the deciding factor to convert this gun as I already reload for it and have 4 guns total that shoot it.The Eotech 517 is the AA battery model with side brightness controls (non-nightvision) Has the standard 1MOA dot reticle with the outer ring. It feels really natural on top of the gun despite it's size. I was playing soldier around the house earlier and it really is amazing how much faster you can come around a doorway and pick up a target in the room with this sight and both eyes open. I just need to remember to keep my eyes focused at distance. I found myself wanting to focus up close on the sight and all that does is ruin the whole effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 I only have a bolt action 30-06 so I am still looking at buying a m1a. Plus the. 308 is lots cheaper then the 06 is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 That's cool, these days I don't doubt .308 is cheaper. I have the two Garands, a Springfield M1903 and an Eddystone M1917 that all shoot the 30-06. I used the old adage of buy it cheap and stack it deep a few years back and have roughly 3k rounds in sealed cans. That's on top of the roughly 400 loaded on clips and another 1000+ ready to reload. For me all it takes is time and effort, the 8lb keg of powder and 5k pulled 152r bullets are sitting there just begging me to be loaded into brass. That shelf is nothing but empty 30-06 waiting to be processed and put back into service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 .308 shoots flatter and holds much tighter groups out past 200 yds. Vs .30-06. There is a reason the govt switched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzer Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 .308 shoots flatter and holds much tighter groups out past 200 yds. Vs .30-06. There is a reason the govt switched..308 shoots flatter? You might be right with some standardized military load, but with the increased case capacity of 30-06, if you use the same bullets in both the 30-06 should be faster and therefore flatter.OP already reloads so he can pick all his components. This free ballistics calculator tends to agree: Holding tighter groups is arguable, and based on a lot more variables than just the cartridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) .308 shoots flatter and holds much tighter groups out past 200 yds. Vs .30-06. There is a reason the govt switched.This is very true of the military loaded ammo. The flat based 152gr M2 ball ammo is not known to be very accurate. It won't shoot better than a 5-6 inch group @100yards in any of the 4 guns I own that shoot it. The majority of what I reload is the same thing, 152gr flat base FMJ ammo mainly just as utility/plinking ammo. I do have a small lot (around 100) of some really well researched handloads that I worked up just for my match garand. They are a Sierra 168gr HPBT Matchking with all matching lot military brass that have been custom trued and prepped. I have my groups down to a honest 1inch pattern at 100yards for all 8 shots in the clip. It will hold the 1MOA group out to 300 with no problems. I can't compete with a match tuned AR but it will hold it's own against any 30caliber gun out there. (Edit: any semi-auto 30cal)Now granted, the gun I am using is not your normal worn out gun show special either. It is a 6 digit, pre-WWII Springfield M1 that has over a grand in upgrades to it. Barnett Medium weight match barrel, trigger work, all brand new parts in the sights, front gas system was all new and it was fully re-parkerized. Oh ya, and one of the best looking wood stocks I have ever owned. Edited March 1, 2012 by vf1000ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 I have the 60 rounds of spend factory brass from my 30-06. I only have maybe a 100 rounds of the coreloc factory stuff, and 60 or so winchester soft points. I don't reload yet but save my spend brass as much as I can for my center fire rifles just in case I start. And that is one nice looking piece of wood on that rifle your right. I even have brass from my .38 that I sold. LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 You do know that you should not shoot commercial through a Garand? Unless you are using an adjustable gas plug..or the American Eagle or Hornady that is specific to the M1.... Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedytriple Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 If that was directed at me I don't have a garand I have a bolt action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 You do know that you should not shoot commercial through a Garand? Unless you are using an adjustable gas plug..or the American Eagle or Hornady that is specific to the M1.... Right?Everything I have is either mil-surp or handloads. Nothing commercial in my inventory. Here is what roughly 3000 rounds of M2 ball ammo looks like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 If that was directed at me I don't have a garand I have a bolt action.Missed that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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