Full auto Garand

[Allen]

Going out on a limb here. My brother, while in service witnessed a Garand firing full auto. On the old TV show "Combat" they show a Garand firing full auto close up (yeah, I know it's Hollywood).

Question is: do any of you know anything about this? Is this something a Garand wears into or can be modified to do or did SA or others produce a prototype of such?

I already quizzed my brother, it wasn't an M14 nor a BM59. It was a Garand. We even commented about the uselessness of it since they only use the 8 round embloc clip.

[S.A. Boggs]

When I was a kid had a neighbor who was @ Frozen Chosen and told us kids a story. In the early part of the advance north had several replacements who were careless with their M1's or slept when they shouldn't. Would pull the offenders trigger housing with one that was "modified" to go full auto. This usually was the trick to be more careful in combat. The offender usually took the hint, rarely was anything else needed to get their attention.
Sam

[Roadkingtrax]

Its a simple, and unnecessary modification to the hammer hooks to limit sear engagement.

I believe the correct term is "En Bloc" clip, as in "all together". Not sure if that's a credit to the Canadian designer or not.

[TomSudz]

Without looking at the books, I'm pretty sure that such an animal did exist. I think it was prototyped by Springfield and underwent some field testing. I can't remember the nomenclature, but I do remember seeing it on one of the Garand books I have and I'm pretty sure it was a late war thing.

[p246]

I bet that lightening was a joy to ride.

[Major Tom]

A M14 on full auto was a handfull at best!

[Sunray]

"...Is this something..." It's Hollywood and/or a broken or worn sear. The M1 Rifle was not designed to function in FA mode of any kind. Mind you, a carefully placed bit of wire will make one rock and roll.
There have been modifications to put a 20 round mag on an M1 though.
"...pull the offenders trigger housing..." Basically disengages proper functioning of the sear. The troopies have always been a clever bunch and knew how to re-work things. That's how Bradley got 1stArmy through the bocage. A sergeant came up with the idea to put teeth on a tank. Did it with German steel too.
"...credit to the Canadian designer..." Sort of. JC's first design had a 20 round box mag. The U.S. Ordnance Dept. said they didn't want it.

[Jeff L]

Maybe it was a BAR.

[Allen]

Maybe it was a BAR.

Nope. My brother and I both own Garands--we're very familiar with them.

[togor]

There is combat file footage of Garands firing bursts from the chest, and not in a bump fire technique.

[m1ashooter]

Major Winters of Easy Company mentions having a full auto M1 that was field modified.

[RCS]

Sometimes, when you remove the trigger spring housing and reinsert it backwards (not easy to do) it will
result in full auto fire.

The British did conduct secret experiments with a gas trap M1 rifle serial number 7114 which was converted
to fire full auto. The story is in Billy Pyle's book "The Gas Trap Garand"

[dryheat]

At 8 rds per enbloc that's a lot of reloading.

[heckinohio]

"8rnds...lot of reloading"...... I have a select fire .380 PP (8rnds) that has a rate of fire of 900-1000rpm.....the sear mechanism includes a forward bent L just above the shooters flesh between the thumb & fore finger.......keep the sutures handy.???!!!!!

PJH

[blackhawknj]

Not very practical. The M-14 was a failure in the full auto mode, too light for the round.