What is a M1 Tanker Garand Rifle Earlier this week, we posted the photo below on our Facebook page thats me holding a heavily modified Korean War era M1 Garand. The reception was a bit more dramatic that we had expected, with dozens of comments ranging from I want one to those accusing me of sacrilege. These reactions reflect the wider debate over the M1 Tanker style Garands a classic rifle variant with a history thats often misunderstood. What is a Tanker Garand To get you up to speed if youre not in a mood to slog through the Facebook comments, the rifle in the photo is an original Springfield Armory M1 Garand thats been worked over by Tim Shufflin of Shuffs Parkerizing. The original 2. 4 inch. Win barrel, eliminating the need for a front handguard and dropping the overall weight from 9. The end result is what Tim has dubbed the Mini G, but depending on who you ask, it may or may not be accurate to also label it as a Tanker Garand. This photo from the Springfield Armory Museum depicts the sole surviving sample of the experimental T2. Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' title='Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' />The serial number listings by month presented below were developed by Scott Duff, a recognized authority on and author of a series of books on the M1 Garand. Browse all new and used Springfield Rifles M1 Garand for sale and buy with confidence from Guns International. Garand alongside the T2. Garand fitted with a muzzle device. Traditionally, M1s dubbed as Tankers have an 1. Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' title='Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' />
But labeling the slightly shorter Mini G a as a Tanker wouldnt necessarily be wrong since there never was a real or official M1 Tanker, and the term was invented purely for marketing purposes. However, the idea of a shortened version of the M1 was certainly being batted around in the latter days of WWII, and thats where we have to look for the origins of the carbine Garand variant we know today. A Day Late and Six Inches Short. This Marine is super ticked because the M1 Tanker Garand doesnt exist and hes stuck with an M1 Carbine. The original M1 Garand was technologically more advanced than its battlefield competitors in WWII, but it was still long, heavy, and cumbersome. This was particularly detrimental to both paratroopers as well as soldiers fighting in the jungles of the South Pacific. The shorter, lighter, and significantly less powerful M1 Carbine was never intended for front line assault troops, but was often pressed into that role because of its superior handling characteristics. There was a clear need for a rifle that would combine the firepower of the M1 Garand with the maneuverability of the M1 Carbine, but tanks had nothing to do with it. In 1. 94. 4, engineers at Springfield Armory set to work on the M1. E5 a Garand with a shortened barrel and a folding metal stock like the one found on the paratrooper version of the M1 Carbine. Interesting useful site for U. S. military collectors. Serial number information, inspectors marks, cartouche information, questions answered, Buy and sell collectible. Your Source for Service Rifles M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M14 M1A AR Types. Browse all new and used Springfield Rifles for sale and buy with confidence from Guns International. Basic Computer Training Manual. The results were disappointing. Due in part to the slow burning powders used in the standard. Oblivious of the M1. E5 experiments, a general in the Pacific Warfare Board put in a request for 1. Garands. He had the Phillipine based Ordnance division of the 6th Army hack together 1. Garands as proof of concept. A couple of these field improvised M1s were sent back to Springfield Armory to be used as a starting point for the larger order. There was a clear need for a rifle that would combine the firepower of the M1 Garand with the maneuverability of the M1 Carbine, but tanks had nothing to do with it. Right away, the guys at Springfield recognized the sample rifles as nearly identical to the M1. E5 they had tested the year before. They worked up a fresh prototype, this time with a standard wood stock, and dubbed it the T2. The subsequent tests with the T2. Index CMP Garand Grading Criteria Field Grade M1 Garand Service Grade M1 Garand Special Grade M1 Garand M1C Garand Sniper Model M1D Garand Sniper. M1. E5. In addition to the loud and flashy muzzle blast, the shorter action caused premature wear on parts, unreliable function, and excessive fouling in the gas system. By this time, Germany had surrendered, ending the war in Europe, and victory in the Pacific was near. The effort required to address the problems with the T2. Birth of the Tanker. Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' title='Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' />Garand Carbine Tanker ModelThe only T2. Springfield was damaged during testing and was either discarded or salvaged for parts. A similar fate likely befell the 1. Garands that were field modified in the Pacific. The sole remaining sample of the original modified Garands is one of the prototypes that was sent to Springfield in 1. Springfield Armory Museum where it remains today. In the early 1. 96. Robert E. Penney, Jr., who thought the shortened Garand would be a handy weapon for tank crews. Through his company National Ordnance and later Alpine, Penney was in the business of selling remanufactured M1 Garands made from the re welded receivers of surplus rifles that had been cut and sold as scrap. Penney took his new idea and had some of his sketchy Garands cut down to be sold as tanker models. Soon after, the Tanker Garand was being advertised in gun magazines alongside the more authentic military surplus rifles. Other companies later followed the trend, and none of them added their own markings to the receivers. Since only the original wartime serial numbers and manufacturers appear on these commercially modified rifles, many gun enthusiasts over the years have mistakenly assumed that the Tanker Garand was an authentic military variant of the M1. Modern Tanker Options. Considering the somewhat questionable origins of the commercial Tanker Garand, its understandable that some M1 fans would consider the modification to be sacrilegious. I look at it a little differently, though. Remember, the concept of a Garand carbine was born out of battlefield necessity. UserImages/132678/932550652/wm_8820363.jpg' alt='Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' title='Springfield Serial Numbers M1 Garand' />M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and 1903 Springfield, Quality Sales and Service, CMP rifle repair specialists and 98k German Mauser, 1917 Enfield and 1941 Johnson. Military Misc. Rifles US M1 Garand for sale and auction at GunsAmerica. Trending this week Military Misc. Rifles US M1 Garand. Sell your Military Misc. Rif. If WWII had lasted an extra couple of years, its at least a possibility that a shorter M1 rifle would have made its way into the hands of American GIs. I like to think of a well done Tanker modification as the realization of what many soldiers of the era actually wanted their M1s to be. Fortunately, Tanker modifications are not limited to those made from crudely re welded and dangerous surplus receivers. Many gunsmiths over the years have offered to perform the Tanker conversion on intact, good condition M1 rifles. In the past, a few companies have even made Tankers from their own newly manufactured receivers, including Springfield Armory, Inc not to be confused with the now defunct military plant of the same name. Fulton Armory T2. Tanker Garand. Today, some of the best Tanker style Garands come from Fulton Armory, who builds their T2. USGI receivers. And of course, theres also the aforementioned Mini G from Shuffs Parkerizing, which I would personally recommend if you already own a Garand and want to have it modified. Some Observations On The Failure Of U. Mu Season 6 Episode 3. S. Model 1903 Rifle Receivers Joseph L. Lyon, M. D., M. P. H. Purpose of this Paper. I collect and shoot the Model 1903 Springfield. With quality parts and a knowledgeable gunsmith, the Tanker Garand is a handy rifle with excellent balance thats fun to shoot and is, in many ways, far more practical than its full size counterpart.