John C. Garand meets Townsend Whelen

[Cav1]

My new companion and camp gun in grizzly country. Maybe I didn't really need it, but I sure wanted it. A Shuff's Mini-G. An M1 Garand cut down to a 16-1/4 inch barrel length and, in this case, re-barreled to .35 Whelen. It was built from an old Federal Ordnance Tanker...no genuine M1 Garand was harmed. Requires a Schuster adjustable gas plug and a Holbrook device. I added an old Champion synthetic stock I had around, Andy's Leather Rhodesian sling, fiber-optic front sight, rail for a weapon light (I shoot southpaw), Olongapo Outfitters ammo pouch, and, after I saw the muzzle blast of a 16-inch Whelen, a replica T-37 flash suppressor. Due to the width of the Garand's receiver rails, the enbloc clip can only hold five rounds of .35 Whelen rather than eight like the .30-06 and .308 versions. But I suppose if I run into a critter that can soak up five 250-grain Speer Hot-Cors and keep coming, it's earned the right to gnaw on me a little.

 

[Ben Lamb]

 

[flatcoat]

That gets me hot and bothered. Cool gun!

 

[EastTNHunter]

 

[turbobrick]

I love it, awesome rifle. Someday, I'd like to have a Garand in 338-06 or 9.3x62, such a versatile rifle with unmatched heritage.

 

[geetar]

 

[sigpros]

That thing is awesome! I keep wanting to rebarrel one in 6.5x55 and a 35 Whelen. I just can't bring myself to take one apart and receivers are so expensive.

 

[HSi-ESi]

That is really cool - and would be a blast to shoot.

 

[F250]

Awesome rifle ! While I understand it was built as a short range weapon, I am curious as to how it groups at 100 yards.

 

[Cav1]

Turbobrick: I've heard Lothar Walther makes a 9.3x62mm Garand barrel and I know people have made the conversion, but I've never seen one and don't know who does such work. Choices for Shuff's Mini-G are .308, .30-06, and .35 Whelen.

F250: It's been so Godawful hot and dry here lately I haven't even tried it out at 100 yards yet. The limiting factor will no doubt be how the lens-corrected vision in my remaining good eye still works with a peep sight! Test loads over the chronograph at 25 yards showed good potential, though.

 

[Ben Lamb]

4895 & the Garand is a choice that saved the world from annihilation. Should work great as grizz insurance.

 

[noharleyyet]

....cool factor