[shep854]

This video cleared up some misconceptions I had about the dreaded 'M1 Thumb';
mainly that it's mainly a problem with an unloaded rifle, and very hard to get loading a well-maintained rifle.
Garand Thumb

 

[IrishCop]

God, I love that "ping" when the empty en-bloc clip ejects! I have GOT to get down to Anniston and try and get me an M-1.

 

[TommyGunn]

God, I love that "ping" when the empty en-bloc clip ejects! I have GOT to get down to Anniston and try and get me an M-1.

The Germans loved that "PING!" too!!!!:twisted::cryinlaugh:oke::shocked: :sm_angel:

Naaah, I'm kidding. There's been a lot of debate on the Garand "ping" and the concensus is that soldiers in the midst of war do not hear this; just too much noise and confusion going on.
Anyway a German rising up to shoot at an American reloading his rifle would just as likely be shot by the soldier's compatriots who would still be firing their rifles, so the thing really is a myth.

 

[Kevin Gibson]

The biggest myth of "Garand Thumb" is that it's called "Garand Thumb". Soldiers in WW II called it "M1 Thumb". I've talked to many former WW II soldiers and every one of them called it "M1 Thumb" not "Garand Thumb". "Garand Thumb" seems to be a term coined mostly by collectors and shooters. Or at least that's how I see it.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Believe it or not, but I had some training on that beast... it is, and should be, M-1 thumb :!:

 

[shep854]

Yep, I've always heard it called 'M1 Thumb'. I was using the video title; this particular video did the best job of clearing up the loading misconception, which I believed until explained in the video.

 

[Charlie Petty]

No gripe about the technique.. he was right

 

[shep854]

No gripe about the technique.. he was right

After reading all the horror stories about the M1 Thumb, I always held the edge of my hand against the op-rod handle when loading, and thought the hand position shown in period films simply nuts!
When I finally get to shoot my M1 again, I'll try to work up the guts to load it 'that' way.

 

[ExSarge]

Never got one in the 6 years it was issued to me, nor with the one I own now.

We were trained to hold the op-rod tab with the heel of the right hand and depress the follower with the thumb. As soon as you could feel the op-rod release, you simply raised the thumb out of the way by pointing it forward towards the muzzle and then raising your hand out of the way, letting the bolt slam forward. The Marines were very particular about how this was done because one had to do it properly when closing the action to attain "Port Arms" from "Inspection Arms" during the hundreds of rifle inspections I had to attend. If you didn't do it properly to the satisfaction of the inspecting officer, you were given "Additional Instruction" to the tune of hundreds of opening/closing the action, which could leave a sore and sometimes bloody hand.

I did witness an intentional "M1 Pinky" given by one of our DI's. We were on the rifle range where the M1 action was required to be open 24/7 unless you were on the firing line. One of our platoon recruits somehow got up from the firing line with the action closed. He was made to put his pinky finger into the chamber and the bolt was allowed to close on it and it was then given a couple of hits by the DI to insure it was "seated". It looked broken when it was removed. Remember, this was back in 1955 when training and disclipine was a bit different than it is now.

 

[Kevin Gibson]

Never got one in the 6 years it was issued to me, nor with the one I own now.

We were trained to hold the op-rod tab with the heel of the right hand and depress the follower with the thumb. As soon as you could feel the op-rod release, you simply raised the thumb out of the way by pointing it forward towards the muzzle and then raising your hand out of the way, letting the bolt slam forward. The Marines were very particular about how this was done because one had to do it properly when closing the action to attain "Port Arms" from "Inspection Arms" during the hundreds of rifle inspections I had to attend. If you didn't do it properly to the satisfaction of the inspecting officer, you were given "Additional Instruction" to the tune of hundreds of opening/closing the action, which could leave a sore and sometimes bloody hand.

I did witness an intentional "M1 Pinky" given by one of our DI's. We were on the rifle range where the M1 action was required to be open 24/7 unless you were on the firing line. One of our platoon recruits somehow got up from the firing line with the action closed. He was made to put his pinky finger into the chamber and the bolt was allowed to close on it and it was then given a couple of hits by the DI to insure it was "seated". It looked broken when it was removed. Remember, this was back in 1955 when training and disclipine was a bit different than it is now.

That's the way I've always done it. Same procedure for a loaded and unloaded rifle; MO BETTA if you ask me.