Rifleman Q&A: My 'Defective' Garand Operating Rod

by
posted on April 22, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Garand

Q: I recently purchased an M1 Garand rifle and am looking forward to taking it out to the range. However, I was informed that the rifle has a “cut” operating rod. Is this a defect, and should I be looking for a replacement operating rod?


A: Assuming everything else on your rifle is in serviceable condition, you have nothing to worry about regarding the so-called “cut” operating rod. For shooting purposes, it is actually something of a benefit.

It was discovered during World War II that some M1 rifle operating rods could develop hairline fractures at the juncture of the tube and handle. It was determined that a 3/16"-radius “relief cut” in the area would reduce the propensity for cracking and also added a bit more flexibility to the operating rod. None of the M1 (or earlier) operating rods were manufactured with this relief cut. However, post-war replacement operating rods and all-new operating rods produced when M1 rifle production resumed in the early 1950s incorporated this feature. Also, most of the operating rods produced during World War II were subsequently modified or “cut” to add this feature during the widespread post-war overhaul programs. “Uncut” operating rods are in demand today for restoration of World War II (and earlier) M1 rifles, but the “cut” operating rods are preferable for shooting.

—Bruce N. Canfield

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.