M1 Garand (Object)

M1 Garand

OBJECT

The M1 Garand is a semi-automatic, .30 caliber rifle issued to infantrymen during World War II.

Overview

Day of Defeat: Source

The M1 Garand Rifle (officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1) was the first semi-automatic rifle to be widely issued to the armed forces of any nation. It was the main battle rifle of World War IIand the Korean War, and also saw service in Vietnam. Praised by General George S. Patton as "the greatest battle implement ever devised," the rifle is widely credited with helping the Allied forces win the war. Today, it is mostly a ceremonial weapon used in military honor guards and marching bands, and is available for civilian use in its original .30-06 caliber, as well as a version chambered for the .308 Winchester round.

The rifle was invented by John C. Garand, a Canadian arms designer working with Springfield Armory, and after several revisions and delays, was issued to American soldiers in September of 1939 as their main battle rifle. In 1940, the barrel, gas cylinder, and front sight assembly were simplified, and many rifles from before were retrofitted, making early "gas-trap" versions of the rifle rare.

Today, civilians may purchase surplus M1 Garands from the US government through the [http:/odcmp.com Civilian Marksmanship Program]. It is often considered a collector's item, but also used widely for marksmenship competitions across the United States in NRA and CMP Matches, including the John C. Garand Match, held yearly at the National Matches in Camp Perry, OH.

Reloading

En bloc clip with eight rounds. (Photo by mr.smashy on flickr)

The M1 Ganand is fed by an eight-round "en bloc" clip that is fed from a port on the top of the weapon. A button on the left side allowed for the clip to be manually unloaded. Contrary to earlier World War II games, the rifle could be manually unloaded and reloaded at will, though it is advisable for the user to bump the bolt forward with the heel of his hand to prevent "M1 Thumb," where the thumb is struck by the bolt as the action snaps close. The recoil spring spec for the M1 Garand is 19-20.25", which is required for correct semi-automatic operation, but this also creates a large amount of force driving the bolt home and closing the action, hence the care needed to avoid "M1 Thumb".

If the Garand expends all its rounds without a manual reload, it will automatically eject the clip, often with a distinctive ping sound. A widely held belief is that this sound cost many soldiers their lives during the war, as the enemy was able to locate and kill them before they were able to reload. In reality this sound would most likely be lost in the noise of gunfire and explosions on the battlefield. The rifle was also very quick to reload. A competent rifleman can reload an M1 Garand in less than 3 seconds, with a full en bloc clip from a waist pouch. The Garand ping has been featured in the multiplayermode of many World War II games. In Red Orchestra: Rising Storm the player is able to fake a Garand Ping by hitting an empty clip so as to lure another player out of hiding.

Technical information

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault

Mechanism: Semi-automatic, gas operated, air cooled
Caliber: 30.06, .308 Winchester
Weight: 9.5 pounds, 11.25 pounds with accessories
Length: 43.5 inches
Barrel: 24 inches
Loading Device: En bloc Clip
Capacity: 8 rounds
Trigger pull: 5.5 - 7.5 pounds
Max Effective rate of fire: 16-24 rpm
Range: Max 3200 meters, effective at 460 meters

Game Appearances

Call of Duty: World at War

The M1 Garand on Airfield

The M1 Garand appears as the standard rifle of the Marines during the campaign. It is also available in the online multiplayer, as well as in Nazi Zombies mode. The M1 Garand is unlocked at Rank 17 in multiplayer. However it is not very popular online due to the 'firing rate cap' being much lower than that of other rifles. Despite being semi-automatic, the M1 Garand cannot be fired as quickly as other rifles, such as the Gewehr 43. This makes them much more popular online. However the M1 Garand is an extremely powerful weapon, despite its limited fire rate and considerable recoil. Unlike any other semi-auto rifle, the Garand can also be used with a Sniper Scope. These traits make it extremely good in Hardcore mode, but it is very unpopular in regular 'Core' game types. However, the iron sightson the gun are reasonably easy to use, which can somewhat make it easier for newer players to adjust to the game.

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