My Homemade Almost BM-59

[w10085]

Before the November election I was concerned about a potential ban on magazine fed rifles. Luckily we won the elections! I wanted an M1A SOCCOM but I saw a Shuff's Mini-G and decided to build a short 30-06 Garand. I don't like the "tanker" name so i just call it a short Garand. I was getting binding with the Garand gas cylinder so I got me a BM-59 gas cylinder and muzzle break. I put a Schuster gas plug in so I didn't beat it up. I've been shooting it with CMP LC69 ammo because I read that was loaded a little softer for use in the hot Vietnam climate. I have really liked it so far. It is as accurate as any of my normal Garands (with my bad eyes). I bought a "tanker" barrel and op rod so I didn't molest any US GI parts except for a spring and a follower rod. I built it on a loose CMP IHC receiver and can always put it back with a new barrel and op rod. It's a little tough getting the clip all the way in so i need to fine tune the spring a little more. Recoil is not unusual. I have not shot it and a normal Garand side by side to compare. I need to do that plus I need to crono the load to see what velocity i'm getting. I just wanted to share. I understand if you consider this blasphemy but I have enjoyed it so far.

[Major Tom]

Cool! Nice job and probably fun for you too.

[nf1e]

Looks like a very fun rifle. I do wish you would flip the sling keeper over though.

Semper Fi
Art

[Bill E]

Interesting project. How's the muzzle flash?

[bruce]

Cool rifle! Such projects ... go all the way back to the earliest days of the M-1 Garand when efforts were being made to improve the M-1. Sincerely. bruce.

[S.A. Boggs]

Somewhere in my dim memory I remember something about port pressure and action timing.
Sam

[w10085]

I have not noticed muzzle flash with the BM-59 break. I need to watch it from the side. I added the Schuster gas plug to reduce the op rod pressure to the point it just cycles the action enough to latch the op rod on the last round. It may not be 100% reliable but I didn't want to beat the parts up.