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Posted: 7/9/2026 1:18:42 PM EDT
| I wanted to ask for opinions on leaving the trigger group locked/clamped down on wood stocks on M1 Garands or M1As. I've read that it is recommended to leave them loose/unclamped when in storage or between use to prevent compressing the wood. I've been doing this myself for some time but was wondering what others think about this practice. |
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Originally Posted By svt40: I leave all of mine clamped. Never had any concerns about that even with 80 year old stocks. Bought mine new in 1978 or 79. Wood stock. Other than for cleaning it was clamped until around 2004 or 2005 when I finally put it in a GI synthetic stock. Zero issues. I have no idea how long my M1 Garands were clamped in before I got them over 20 years ago. Been clamped into the stocks ever since. |
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Originally Posted By flcracker: The simple solution if you're worried about compressing the wood on your M14/M1A stock but you're also concerned about the rifle inadvertently falling out of the stock when rummaging around in your safe is to get a USGI fiberglass stock to store it in. This. Years ago I read to leave them unlocked, so I did. I was pulling one out of the safe, and the action fell out of the stock. Never did it again. |
3-7-77
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
LETS GO REDWINGS!!!
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
LETS GO REDWINGS!!!
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I used to accurize M1 Garands and M1A for folks back in the DCM days when accurized rifles were allowed in service rifle matches. Keeping the trigger group closed in the rifle doesn't cause any issues as the actual force on the wood surfaces in question is within their limits and its an over center design where the clamping and unclamping movement exerts more pressure than just leaving it alone. The major damage in match tuned rifles with snug fitting or bedded stocks is the pivoting of the rifle on the stock ferrule which means the action wears against the wood or bedding material behind the magazine inlet in the stock. For a bedded rifle, I advised customers to leave it alone and remove it no more than once per year for a detail cleaning. I had a customer call me once concerned that the action would not come out of the stock. I had to explain to him - again - that it was bedded with a single coating of release agent when bedded for minimum clearance, and the action had been removed by me after bedding to remove the release agent and lightly oil the metal. I explained he'd have to hold the sight ears and then repeatedly strike the comb of the stock with his palm to get the action out because it was, by design and intent, very tight. I reminded him that he did not need to do that until the end of the shooting season and if he wanted a toy to play with he had the wrong rifle. |
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It is another Garand rumor that has no basis. It would be a problem for any wood stock rifle if occurred. The deformation is called creep. Creep is the slow, time-dependent, permanent deformation of a material under constant stress, occurring below typical failure stress. It occurs in most materials to some degree, including metals, concrete and wood. There is many research papers that detail creep in wood. Most of the deformation happens initially, the first week to month. After that is subsides and stops even though it is subjected to the same stress. The amount of creep is very small. A stock can’t come loose from creep. If there was substantial creep, the bearing stress is reduced further slowing or stopping it as some equilibrium where the stock is still secure. Opening and closing the trigger guard every time you want to use the rifle will wear the trigger guard lugs. Their contact point is small with high friction that causes wear. That will, more likely, be the cause of a stock coming loose than creep of the wood. |
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Originally Posted By FlipTopLid: The CMP armorers and serious competitors that I’ve talked to all recommend to leave it unlocked so that’s what I’ve been doing. This, straight from the dudes at CMP who teach the advanced armorer’s course and from HueyGunner who specializes in the Garand/M14. |
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