M1 Garand

G
d Barrel
B
l
Replacement New Barrel

Tools and Material

You will need the following tools and materials to complete this job
correctly:
* Barrel Vise, * Action wrench, * Kroil (recommended) or other high
quality light penetrating oil, * Bench vise or gun vise, * A magnetic
angle finder (Harbor Freight for <$10 or a small machinist level, *
Anti seize, * An empty aluminum can (a soda can is recommended
since drinking beer before doing the process could impair you , *
G and
Go
d No-Go
N G h
headspace
d
gages, * St
Stripped
i
dG
Garand
db
bolt,
lt * A 30
3006 pull through reamer or, if re-barreling to 308, the appropriate
reamer w/extension handle, * A high quality medium to heavy
cutting oil (heavier the better)
better), * Plastic brush that will fit into the
chamber, * Rags, * Cleaning solvent (I use denatured alcohol), *
Air compressor, * New, short chambered barrel.

Place the barreled action in a padded vise, receiver down, barrel

up
p and apply
pp y Kroil to the area between the receiver and the barrel
shoulder.
At the very least, allow the Kroil to work overnight to penetrate the
threads of the barrel/receiver. If your original barrel breech is in the
black you should let the penetrating oil work for at least 24 hours
and it should be applied multiple times. Lightly tapping the receiver
with
ith a brass
b
hammer
h
in
i the
th area off th
the th
threads
d a ffew ti
times d
during
i
the soak will enhance the penetration process.
NOTE: If you plan to lap the bolt/receiver do so before removing the
old barrel or before finish reaming the new barrel.

Strip the receiver, and place the barreled receiver in your barrel
vise Tighten VERY securely.
vise.
securely As tight as possible.
possible

Cut a piece from the aluminum can the width of your action
wrench. This is to p
protect the finish on the receiver when using
g
the wrench.

Wrap the piece of foil around the receiver in the area of the
threads and
and..

Place the action wrench over the receiver being careful that the
aluminum is protecting the receiver from contact by the wrench

Be sure your vise is on a secure platform, brace yourself and pull

hard on the wrench in a counterclockwise direction (lefty loosely).
In some cases a cheater will be necessary with some wrench
designs (not usually on the pictured CMP wrench).

Unscrew the receiver from the barrel and set it aside. Remove the
old barrel from the barrel vice
vice.

Use a small wire brush and Kroil to completely clean the receiver
threads Wipe clean and dry with solvent
threads.
solvent.

This is why you soak the threads with Kroil overnight. Note how
the Kroil p
penetrated the threads making
g barrel removal much
easier.

Lightly
g y coat the barrel threads and receiver face with anti seize

Place the new barrel in the barrel vise leaving the bolts just loose
enough so you can rotate the barrel in the vise. With a CMP barrel
vise the vise itself will have to be secured on a level platform
(thats why I like this type of vise)

Slide your gas cylinder (with front sight removed) on the end of the barrel
at least half way (with a new Criterion barrel you may have to apply
grease to the barrel splines and tap the cylinder
g
y
on before placing
g the
barrel in the vise). Place the magnetic angle finder (or small machinist
level) on the sight dovetail (be sure there are no burrs on the dovetail that
could effect the accuracy of the level) and rotate the barrel until its level
or the angle finder is on zero.
zero Tighten the barrel vise VERY tight making
sure the barrel stays level while you tighten.

Screw the receiver onto the barrel until it stops

p

The receiver should be in approximately this position + or a few degrees

after hand tightening. A bit tighter is fine as long as it doesnt travel more
than about 10 degrees
g
before zero but, a whole lot looser might
g mean you
y
need to have a machinist set back the barrel shoulder a tiny bit before
indexing (not common).

Reinstall the aluminum insert and the action wrench

Tighten the receiver on the barrel a bit, check that the barrel assembly is
still level, remove the angle finder or level from the cylinder dovetail and
install it on the flat behind the receiver sight base.
base As you see here the
receiver is about 5 degrees from zero/index.

Continue tightening
g
g the receiver until the angle
g is zero or level

Once the receiver indicates its at zero or level, remove the angle
finder/level from the receiver and place it back on the gas cylinder to
verify its
it s still level.
level Place it again on the receiver flat to double check
that index is correct. Congratulations, your receiver/barrel is indexed!!

M1 Garand New Barrel Reaming

Position of bolt lug to receiver with new short chambered barrel installed.
This could be more or less depending on bolt or receiver wear.
wear

Lay out your workspace with the items needed. Be organized. Also have
rags
g available and a pan under your
y
work. This process can be messy
y if
done right.

Pour your cutting fluid into a container, dip the plastic brush into the oil
and liberally apply oil to the chamber with the brush
brush. The more the better
better.

Place the bolt into the receiver. Dip your reamer into the oil, install the
bushing on the bolt end of the reamer and slide it part way into the
chamber Coat the extension handle with oil and slide into the muzzle of
chamber.
the barrel and, turning it clockwise, thread it into the end of the reamer.

Using your finger under the receiver behind the bolt, ease the reamer into
the chamber.
chamber

While applying light pressure to the back of the bolt with your finger,
slowly rotate the reamer clockwise with the handle. Observe the bolt
slowly moving forward and the locking lugs moving toward battery.
battery
Go slowly, take your time and only apply enough pressure that reamer
cuts. You dont want the reamer to chatter or jam from too much
pressure.

Once the bolt lug is about half way to closing to battery, pull the bolt
rearward, slide the reamer back out of the chamber, unscrew it from the
extension rod and remover the reamer and extension arm from the barrel
barrel.
Most reamers have a flat that a small wrench can be used to facilitate
removal from the extension arm. Remove the bolt from the receiver.

As you remove the reamer you will see the metal shavings from reaming
the chamber.
chamber

Clean all parts and the reamer with solvent to remove all metal
shavings and debris. Blow out the chamber with high pressure air and
run a patch through the chamber from the breach end to make sure all
shavings and debris are removed.
Place the barreled receiver back in the vise.
Place the bolt back in the receiver
Coat the chamber with cutting oil as you did previously.
Coat the reamer with oil and screw back on the extension arm.
Move the bolt against the reamer bushing and slide it slowly back into
the chamber.

As before, reach under the receiver, apply light pressure to the back of
tthe
e bo
boltt pushing
pus g the
t e reamer
ea e into
to tthe
ec
chamber
a be aga
against
st tthe
es
shoulder
ou de o
of tthe
e
chamber. Slow turn the reamer in a clockwise direction until the bolt lugs
just close to battery.

Just closed during

g reaming
g

As before remove all tools and the bolt.

Flush the chamber with solvent, blow it out with air and run a patch
down the barrel from the breech to remove all cuttings and debris.
Clean the bolt and receiver.
Wipe the chamber dry with a clean patch and check the face of the
bolt for debris.

Install the stripped bolt

bolt, slide the Go gage into the chamber and slowly
slide the bolt toward battery. It should easily lock into full battery with no
pressure applied to the bolt (see picture on left). If it passes the Go insert
the No Go gage into the chamber and move the bolt against it. It should
nott close
l
(should
( h ld look
l k similar
i il to
t the
th picture
i t
on the
th right).
i ht)

If for some reason the bolt will not close on the Go gage you will
need
d to ream the
h chamber
h b a bi
bit more.
Follow the same procedure sans the bolt, apply very light pressure
back on the extension rod handle and only turn the reamer one or
two turns each time before cleaning and re
re-checking
checking headspace
with the Go gage.
Once it closes on the Go gage YOUR DONE!! You now have an
p
and accurate barrel to win that Gold at the
indexed,, head spaced
CMP games
Be sure to follow proper procedure to break in the new barrel:
http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Break_In__Cleaning-c1246wp2558.htm
2558 ht is
i th
the procedure
d
I lik
like tto use.