AAR - M1

In Sunday School, I was asked if I had shot the M1 yet. This also served as a reminder that I needed to post about it here.

I took my new-to-me M1 to the range Saturday and fired off a few clips. Yes - clips. The M1 is one of the few rifles that really does use a clip. Sure, it has an internal magazine, but one keeps the ammo in a clip.

Reminder for my readers:
Clips feed ammo into magazines.
Magazines feed ammo into guns.

Notes:

A few shots into the range session, I realized I had not removed all the cosmoline (petroleum based preservative) via solvents. Cosmoline can also be removed via low heat (150 degrees, Fahrenheit). As I shot, the barrel heated up. Cosmoline came to the surface of the wooden hand guard.

The rifle has stout, but manageable recoil. The weight of the rifle helps with this. Shooting from a bench increased the felt recoil - I prefer shooting from "field positions" in general.

Putting my thumb across the rear of the handgrip and resting my cheek on it is good for .22's - not so much for M1's. Lesson learned.

Older RSO's at the range who see you slinging up properly with a hasty sling to shoot offhand (standing) will be impressed and ask where you learned to do that.

No M1 Thumb for me. That's a good thing.

Selling one's brass at the end of the day is a good deal for all parties involved.

I wish I could afford much more ammo for this gun!

Everyone needs to shoot an M1 once. Right Minded is of the opinion this rifle might be just a step down from heavy ordnance, but there are really multiple fun toys in between. I'm not rich, but any friend of mine who wants to shoot it is welcome. Because the rifle needs specific ammo, I'll offer a free clip (8 rounds).

I can see two things with regards to practical military application:

1) This rifle is light-years ahead of other rifles of the time period. It is easily as accurate as any bolt action of its time, and the ability to shoot semiautomatic, with a full blown cartridge must have been a demoralizing thought to our enemies.

2) Though the M1 is an excellent rifle, give me the AR15 for combat. It is much lighter, more accurate, better handling, more customizable, better ergonomically, and has been in service much longer. The only advantage the M1 has is in the power department. While that's good, the 5.56mm has been putting down bad guys for 50 years.