Complete M1 Garand (Paperback)

by Jim Thompson (Author) "Those who jot down the production life John Garand's rifle as if it were a continuous span from 1936 to 1957 are not wrong but..." (more)
Key Phrases: operating rod catch, cylinder lock screw, operating rod assembly, Springfield Armory, National Match, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A heavily illustrated, practical history for shooters and collectors alike, this book tells the complete story of the robust M1 Garand. High-quality, detailed photos; functional and troubleshooting data, including original military manuals; market information and much more make this a valuable resource on a classic battle rifle.

About the Author
Jim Thompson is an internationally published firearms writer, photographer and consultant with more than three decades of experience as a serious collector and shooter. His dedication to precise historical research combined with his practical, empirical insight has yielded significant contributions to the fields of military history and weapons development.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873649842
• ISBN-13: 978-0873649841
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #181,063 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #40 in	Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Conventional > Firearms
  #92 in	Books > Home & Garden > Antiques & Collectibles > Firearms & Weapons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entirely Adequate, April 21, 2000

By	Scott A. Massey (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

The COMPLETE M1 GARAND does an effective job of guiding the reader through identification and recognition of it's idiosincracies relative to each particular contractor. The presentation, while dry, is certainly adequate for the novice owner or collector. An interesting feature is the use of an older field manual, (from Baretta), and a match conditioning manual, both copied verbatim. The majority of Thompson's contribution is information about various contractors, the variations in these models, timelines, and common pitfalls of M1 ownership. Photography is fair, but appears to be photocopies of original photographs; blurred, slightly fuzzy, and dark. Very difficult to see detail. The captions are not of much help, although with the more blatent examples, they are entirely adequate. To put a review into two words...entirely adequate.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic guns, written a classic style., February 14, 2002

By	Joy (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

From the introductory pages, through to the list of resources, "The Classic M1 Garand" held my complete interest. Beginning with Jim Thompson's moving dedication to his friend, this book is written straight from the heart.
As a newcomer to the world of classic rifles and firearms,a female neophyte, I was happily surprised that the information within was compiled in an efficient way. The descriptions of various types of guns and their proper care and preservation, is explained in finite detail. Mr. Thompson leaves no stone unturned covering the past 60or so years in the life of this beautiful treasure. The accompanying photographs of the author field testing his rifles, and photos of various guns and accessories are well described and captioned.
War (and Peace) stories are spun through tbe context of the book.I love Jim Thompson's personalized style of writing, I seemed to flow with him from one chapter to the next eager to learn more. Definately an excellent choice for the gun collector and the merely curious as well. I highly recommend it. Thank You.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete?, December 15, 2001

By A Customer

Thompson's M1 work is not complete without his latest book, THE CLASSIC M1 GARAND... But the two are a formidable and exciting package. His insightful handling of issues and clever debunking of a lot of widely-held bogus conspiracy theories is as sharp as his examination of the anti-gun lobby, and his new tome gives some insight into what the man is about. He also sheds some light on peripheral but all-important American issues, which seem to totally elude most firearms writers. The first three chapters are particularly enlightening... His new "Great Guns" books, out about 2002-2003, promise to be entertaining and enlightening, just like these two missives. Thompson explores threads others can't even find, and presents rather dry technical material--essential to his kind of work--in a manner which can make even the clumsiest oaf laugh from time to time.