Infantryman in World War II with M1903 Springfield, .30-06 in bandoleers and a modified M1910 belt.
Loading the M-1 Rifle with the 8-round en bloc clip.With the increased availability of M-1 Garand rifles and Greek military ammunition in bandoleers and en bloc clips to feed them, more modern day militiamen are looking to combat carry the little "tingers full of stingers" as a Korean War veteran I once knew called them. (So called because of the distinctive "ting!" the empty clip makes when it is ejected from the weapon.)
M-1 Garand en bloc clip.
Spam Can of Greek .30-06 available from CMP.
Bandoleer of Greek M-1 fodder.Now carrying the rifle and bandoleers is perfectly acceptable but many fellows, especially recent veterans, who cut their military teeth on the MOLLE load bearing system, find the old modified M1910 style cartridge belt that soldiered through two world wars and Korea to be hopelessly antiquated.
An M1923 belt, a slightly updated version of the M1910.Thus, I was interested to receive an email today suggesting a modern fix for the Garand-toter.
Woodland MOLLE Grenade Pouch.Irregular Brian forwards this discovery:
Mike, here's a little tip you might use on one of your "praxis" posts:
I have found that two full enblocs for my Garand fit very nicely into a MOLLE single hand grenade pouch.
Snug enough not to rattle, loose enough that you can grab the first one and leave the other.
The GI bandoliers are swell for an easily handled, portable and tossable hunk of firepower, but the MOLLE grenade pouch is faster and easier to dig from.
Works especially well with black or silver tip rounds, but maybe that's just psychological.
A MOLLE vest in ACU. Infinitely adaptable.
16 comments:
The M-1 was my first in military school, and remains my favorite.
Just another example of great ingenuity! I gotta get me one of those...
Great rifle, the Garand. The Springfield as the '03 or the '03-A3 is its fine backup. Same bayonet fits each. The standard bandoleer of WWII and Korea is hard to beat.
Mountain rifleman
Mike, another good way to carry an enbloc clip is to slide the bullets down and on both sides of a belt or your h or v harness. They will stay pretty snug there, you can even put them on your sling. That is one of the ways we carried them in Germany and the states before the M-14.
The pouch is a good idea, but might I suggest this:
http://olongapooutfitters.com/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=5
Garand grab & go. I have the garand stock pouch - it's very nice. I'll be ordering the garand grab & go once I've saved up more pennies.
43% now strongly disapprove of Obama, same as Bush when he left office
http://volokh.com/2010/03/19/rasmussen-43-now-strongly-disapprove-of-obama-same-as-bush-when-he-left-office/
This country sure have the basis for civil war, now if they use that slaughter rule, it might just ignite it.
This week-end is the most important moment in US history in the last 50 years or more probably.. It will decide the next century of america and probably the world too because of the ramifications.
Here are two links for Garand gear:
olongapooutfitters.com
antipersonnel.net/fmco/008.html
Both companies offer excellent molle solutions for Garand enbloc clips.
As a Garand adherent, I've done a fair amount of experimentation with modern methods to carry en bloc clips.
I've found the double grenade pouches to be the most useful MOLLE gear thus far (IIRC it's the frag grenade pouches). Each pouch holds two en blocs, one pointed up, one pointed down. Thus the double pouch set up gives you 32 handy rounds that can be attached just about anywhere that has MOLLE real estate available. The double pouch approach is also small enough to set up for just a standard belt if you don't have MOLLE gear. Very versatile.
(If you have .308 Garands, try to get the ones with adjustable fastex buckles - or velcro. Then you can set them up to be a bit tighter for the shorter round.)
In addition to the grenade pouches, one of my favorite methods is to re-purpose the excellent Australian 7.62 bandoleers. Yes, they are a bit tight with .30-06 Garand clips, but they work. Where they really shine is for use with Garands converted to 7.62 NATO. For them, the Australian bandoleer is a perfect fit. Have several ready to go and you have a potent and flexible package.
Other reuse items:
-the old three M16 mag pouches can hold a fair number of clips rather snugly (cut out the dividers for the old M16 mags if you have this variety). You lay the clips HORIZONTALLY and just work your way down the stack. Works for either .30-06 or 7.62 NATO. If you have big hands the last one can be a little tough to grab, depending upon the flexibility of the pouch itself.
-similar to the above are the three M16/two M14 pouches (just no need to cut out the dividers)
-the SA surplus web gear works well too. IIRC they were set up for FAL/L1A1/whatever mags and thus the double pouches for FAL or M14 size mags. They work just like the triple M16 mags mentioned above, with the clips stacked horizontally.
My personal "grab and go" set up is one of the SA web gear mid sized shoulder bags. It has a largish central pouch where I have 4 of the Australian bandoleers (each with 5 en blocs, 40 rounds). On either end of the pouch is one of the double FAL mag pouches, with 5-6 individual en blocs laying horizontally in each. Thus I have 250+ rounds of 7.62 NATO in en blocs ready to go, just grab it. It can be easily redistributed or replenished given the use of bandoleers.
More possibilities exist, these are just some handy ones.
Gotta love that Garand....
PING!
Keep your powder dry,
Atlas Shrug
III
Here's another option: http://www.originalsoegear.com/m1tray.html
I also make MOLLE pouches for Garand clips, as well as saddles for the butt that can carry one or two clips
Angry Settler; This is the way it's going to be for the rest of "the enlighten ones" term. I think it is a part of their "rules for radicals". Keep everyone upset and on edge and soon enough people will give up and he will be able to pass whatever he wants. Keep paying attention. Sorry Mike, I didn't mean to help your thread get hi-jacked.
Back to the thread, if you're short on cash make sacks out of the bottoms of worn out jeans. Sew the bottoms and sew on a carry strap. Wrap each en bloc clip in its own cloth wrap so they won't rattle. Make it as fancy as you want, doesn't take long. Carry it as Ernie did (12 gauge, loose in a sack) in the last scene of "The Wild Bunch."
Mountain rifleman
Built an M1 for my USMC Korean War Vet Father in 05. We shot it togrether and I was totally suprised at the accuracy and lethality of the 06.
what an awsome hammer, ok then reloded 2k of ammo for a defensive primary arm and quelled the AR for CQB.
Got plenty of clip/magazines and bandeleros for a sustainable packqage. It really is a totally overlooked weapon and I thank my father for its aquaintance.
count on it!
Having recently added a Garand to my collection I really appreciate all the praxis for it lately.
Its trigger makes me realize how much work the one on my variant of China Doll needs.
Through the end of March Midway is selling a tac case that'll fit the Garand or M1-A for $16.99 +shipping: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=767873
btw how is it so many of us chomping at the bit havent gone off yet to the tide rising.
we got some resolve and dicipline i guess.
I love my life and am willing to keep it nice and tidy,... ugmd iasbs biin
good good
god
thanks MIKE
Thanks for the fine post, the M1 is currently my go to gun so to speak. I have had good luck adapting viet nam era 40mm grenade vests as a combat vest for the M1 Garand and if you look around you can find modern era "panels" with velcro on the back that are made to carry grenades as well, they work excellent as a grab and go bag once a M60 carry strap and a small bag is added to the back for possibles.
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