Tanker M1 Garand
I was at my favorite gun shop the other day. While checking out the milatery stuff I saw an M1 Garand that was about 6 inches short. The dealer told me it was a Tanker. It even said Tanker on the receiver. It also said Springfield on it. I have never seen or heard of them befor.
The dealer is asking $750.00 for it. Is it worth it? I think it would look prety neat in my collection.
TOOLS
General TOOLS RRG
Don't go blaming the beer. Hank Hill
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am grown, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
The dealer is asking $750.00 for it. Is it worth it? I think it would look prety neat in my collection.
TOOLS
General TOOLS RRG
Don't go blaming the beer. Hank Hill
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am grown, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.
0
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These so called "tankers" are an interesting commercial develpoment of the M1 Garand and are rather popular with cetain folks who feel that they need a short M1 Rilfe and can live with the increase in recoil and muzzel flash. By the way Tools, no on assigned to a tank was ever issued a shortend M1 Rifle. The men in tanks I've spoken with were all issued pistols and submachineguns for their personal defence- you really don't need a rifle when you've already got a tank!
The idea of a shortend M1 dated back to the end of WWII when a request for the Pacific theater came down for 100,000 shortend M1 rifles. There was also some experimentation with folding stocks as well but none of these progressed much beyond toolroom study rilfes. Tests showed that these shortend M1's were extremely unpleasent to fire and with the end of the war the entire program was dropped.
The rifle you were looking at was produced by Springfield Armory (the commercial firm and NOT the government arsenal) and I believe they trademarked the name "tanker" for use on their shortend M1 Rilfes. These were discontinued some years back and I think the last retail price was around $800. I see these move at gun shows and auctions in the $700 range so I think that your dealer is a bit high on his price.
Although I've been studying Garands for 20 years, I am only interested in collectable M1's so I'm not the right guy to ask about commercial guns that you simply purchase to shoot. If you like this style of M1 I can see no reason not to purchase it other than the heavier than normal recoil and the muzzel flash.
Mark T. Christian0 -
Seen one at the Rochester Ny Gunshow, I believe it was in .308 Caliber but I might be wrong. I think the guy was asking $600.00 for it, perhaps Woodsruuner or Lightning 93 could verify that as they were there also.
The guy had one Tanker and two Mi Garands, the tanker sold pretty quickly, and my two buddies ended up getting the Garands for $550 each!
In God We Trust0 -
I would recommend against buying a "tanker" M1. Because the barrel is short, the op rod must be cut in half, shortened, and the 2 parts welded together. It's difficult to get the size & shape of the new op rod exactly right, and malfunctioning "tankers" are common.
For a couple hundred more $, consider a SA Inc M1A, a far superior rifle.
But, if you MUST have a tanker M1, be sure that the dealer will give you a cash refund if it doesn't function perfectly.
Neal0 -
Back in the mid '60s (when I was in "Jr. High") it seems the Tanker M1 Garand was something of a fad, they were pretty pricy and a lot of gun rags were running info on them. Following are links to two open, and one closed auction.
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=7077824
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=7092110
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=6836129
If I were you I'd look at the BM59 or BM62, all the nice features of a short Garand with a 20 round detatchable mag. (I just had to say it).
To err is human, to moo is bovine.0 -
Hello
Springfield produced a short barrled M1
utilizing a new receiver and new components
this rifle was called a t26
never went in to production
in the early 60's a commercial frim built and sold some
short barrled M1's called Tanker Garands
most are made from parts
the one at Rochester NY gunshow went for $550 and was 308 cal.
the dealer said he had shot it and said it
function well (had a block in the receiver for 308 cal)
I had looked it over and what I could see it was made from
some parts with the gas rod cut and rewelded.
for the price It would have made a good shooter
Lightning930
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