New field grade special M1 in 308

I like this rifle a lot...

Op rod handle punched a hole in the case, but it did not come through the cardboard box. Rifle is fine. Some park is worn off the new barrel crown, but no nicks or anything. Nicely greased. I'll put some PTO on the stock this weekend. Field grade receiver, but I can't see any pitting to object to! March 1943 SA serial number. The lead dip line is nicely visible (more so in person than in the photos). The white spacer block is also visible down in the magazine. All the parts I checked were SA also (barrel and stock excepted, of course! ) Lockup is REALLY tight. I must say, this is the nicest M1 trigger I have ever pulled. I think I'm going to enjoy this a LOT. I've wanted an M1 in 308 for a while.

Congrats! Always nice to cross long time wants off the list.

Man that’s nice

WOW that thing looks cleaner than a hound's tooth! Congrats!!! Bring it down in October!!! Ring the 300 yard steel!!

It was like opening up a brand new rifle. Felt and smelled like one. Well, new barrel, stock, and sling, it’s partway there!

OK, I have finally gotten some projects tied off. I think this is an interesting comparison.



The bottom rifle (with the orange muzzle protector) is an IHC SG I bought some months ago. It came with CMP wood. I didn't realize they had switched to a stain, so I sanded it all off, stained with USSR stain, then put a number of coats of PTO on. Finally got it done and the rifle back together. The top rifle is the field grade special in 308 that is in the post at the start of this thread. I just added some PTO to that one. So the two finishes are next to each other for comparison. The USSR stain seems a bit more orange, and the CMP stain seems a bit more brown. Both are nice

Wow, that is super nice! I'd be proud to own it, nicely done.

I have a 7.62mm M1 that I enjoy shooting also. I had it built on a SA Inc 7mil early receiver and a Boyd's stock set. It originally had a NM .30 barrel on it but I had a hankering for a 7.62mm rifle so I had the tube pulled and a 7.62 barrel installed.

rufrdr said:

Wow, that is super nice! I'd be proud to own it, nicely done.

I have a 7.62mm M1 that I enjoy shooting also. I had it built on a SA Inc 7mil early receiver and a Boyd's stock set. It originally had a NM .30 barrel on it but I had a hankering for a 7.62mm rifle so I had the tube pulled and a 7.62 barrel installed.

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7.62x ?

@BatteryOaksBilly wanted me to post pictures of his International Harvester, 30-06. The 8" AR pistol is for size comparison. After we took it out for pictures Billy said we might as well shoot it some. It still packs an awesome punch on the steel but it is very mild on the shoulder. Haha, old men shooting old guns.

Well, mine don’t have recoil pads on them

I’ve got to weep a little for that IHC. Lot fewer of them around.

RFMan said:

Well, mine don’t have recoil pads on them

I’ve got to weep a little for that IHC. Lot fewer of them around.

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Billy says that it just increases the value on the other ones out there.

Geezer said:

Billy says that it just increases the value on the other ones out there.

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Ha, well that it does!

I saw this thread and figured I would add. I don't mean to hijack your thread RFMan. ( didn't we converse over on the CMP forum?). I got my 308 field grade yesterday. The CMP says to expect receivers with pitting, but if mine had any it must have been covered up with the repark process, lol. The receiver is a six digit Springfield from 1942. Take a look!

Sweet!

groundsman said:

I saw this thread and figured I would add. I don't mean to hijack your thread RFMan. ( didn't we converse over on the CMP forum?). I got my 308 field grade yesterday. The CMP says to expect receivers with pitting, but if mine had any it must have been covered up with the repark process, lol. The receiver is a six digit Springfield from 1942. Take a look!

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No problem, jump right in, the water's fine! Yeah, pitting is pretty hard to find on mine too. I think repark covers up at least some of any pitting. Here is the rear of my receiver; you can see the lead dip line fairly well, and some really minor pitting. That's about the worst place on it, including the receiver legs and so forth.

I want to put something on the wood, been reading about linseed and tung oils. Not sure which I want. From what I have read about the oils I need to go to a woodworking shop to find the correct one. It looks like boiled linseed oil may be standard as long as that is what the can says. But tung oil, looks like what one gets at the big box retailers is not rally tung oil. Looks like I will stop in at the klingspor shop.

I usually hand rub in several coats of boiled linseed oil over a few weeks, then finish it by hand rubbing/applying several coats of Tom's 1/3 Mix over the top. The below finish is B.L.O. and Tom's Mix that I put on a service grade IHC that came with relatively dry CMP replacement walnut.

The original stocks were dipped into hot boiled linseed oil.
I hand rub thin coats of BLO on for several weeks.
Just a small dab and then spread it with the heel of your hand and rub until hand gets HOT.
This spreads and thins the BLO out and helps the drying process.
Wait a few days between coats.
I did a M14 walnut stock 15+ years ago that looked like it had been varnished, took about 6 months.

RFMan said:

OK, I have finally gotten some projects tied off. I think this is an interesting comparison.

The bottom rifle (with the orange muzzle protector) is an IHC SG I bought some months ago. It came with CMP wood. I didn't realize they had switched to a stain, so I sanded it all off, stained with USSR stain, then put a number of coats of PTO on. Finally got it done and the rifle back together. The top rifle is the field grade special in 308 that is in the post at the start of this thread. I just added some PTO to that one. So the two finishes are next to each other for comparison. The USSR stain seems a bit more orange, and the CMP stain seems a bit more brown. Both are nice

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Very nice @RFMan! I saw your posts on CMP also and can tell you're just giddy As you know I'm also a fan of the USSR stain but have to admit that just PTO on the new CMP stock looks quite nice. I agree there seems to be a bit more orange/red to the USSR but not enough to make it worth the effort in this case.

All I can say is congrats and sweeeeeeeeet gotta love it when a plan comes together!

Mike

FINALLY got to take the rifle out for it's inaugural firing. PMC bronze 147gr FMJ at 100 yards, and I'm just sitting in the back of my cousin's pickup in the field, and I didn't even have the sling on. Come up 10 clicks; first two shots are the bottom two. Up two more clicks gives me the other two greens. Then I settle down and quit thinking about does-the-rifle-function and pay attention to my position...and the last four are in the black/red.
I LIKE IT!!!

Very cool!

I mix two stains together to get the old BLO look. the time required to do a stock correctly with out the equipment is something I don't have time for. Don't like part guns in the safe, odd I know.