* Available NOW!: LEGAL  Sub-Minute-Of-Angle John C. Garand Match Rifles...

National Match Armory 

John C. Garand Match Rifles*:

What is a John C. Garand Match Rifle?  

    The term "John C. Garand Match Rifle" refers to an "as-issued" M1 Garand rifle which has been blueprinted and carefully assembled so that it is as accurate and reliable as possible within the very specific CMP rules for that competition class.  

   A very popular misconception is that all government issue M1 Garand rifles are, except for inaccuracy caused by barrel wear, pretty much the same in the way they perform. 

    Nothing could be further from the truth. In the 40 to 60-year lifespan of the average Garand, it has in all probability been subjected to abuse and misuse beyond our ability to imagine. Most have been rebuilt at least once, many have been rebuilt several times over, each time with less and less attention to detail and the quality of workmanship. 

    The end result is that, maybe your Garand shoots as good as an as-issued M1 can...but more likely, it doesn't even come close.

    Eric Pierce at National Match Armory is the first and only nationally known riflesmith to build - and rebuild - rifles which are specially prepared for John C. Garand competition. 

    These rifles are referred to as John C. Garand Match Rifles and are competition legal in all respects, a very important consideration since the winning rifle can be, at the discretion of  Civilian Marksmanship Program match officials, torn down and inspected for legality immediately following the match.

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 John C. Garand Match Rifle Package (applied to your rifle):

• * New National Match Armory premium quality black walnut furniture, custom inletted, contoured and finished in a proprietary blend of traditional drying oils. and...

•  * A  crisp, smoothed and lightened match-ready trigger and...

• * All the "careful assembly" and "fitting" allowed within the rules of the CMP John C. Garand Competition Class -  this is the heart of the National Match Armory John C. Garand Match Rifles - to produce superior accuracy with ball ammo, and... 

• * Premium quality hand detailed gray/black parkerizing of all metal surfaces to give a better than new appearance to match the  greatly improved  performance. 

• * This is the ultimate** legal John C. Garand Match Rifle.

• Package price $1995*.

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* Price does not include replacing the barrel or any required parts and/or repairs required in addition to the JCG modifications. A Krieger-manufactured military profile match barrel, combination gray/black parkerizing/machine finish blue metal finish, and upgrades to semi-fancy and fancy walnut furniture are available at extra cost (see example at right).

** While is is possible that the barrel currently on your rifle is good enough for match use, we won't know until it's been inspected. If it is not in excellent condition, a replacement barrel will be in order as a mandatory upgrade. We highly recommend our Krieger barrels, but new and/or excellent as-new USGI barrels are sometimes available as well...please ask if you're interested.

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    Even if you'll never shoot in a match, a John C. Garand Tune-Up will assure you that your as-issued M1 rifle is truly as reliable and accurate as General George Patton believed it to be.

    While we can supply complete "turn-key" John C. Garand Match Rifles, most of the ones we build begin as customer-supplied rifles, often ones they've purchased through the CMP.

How do I know if my rifle will benefit from a John C. Garand Tune-Up?

    Virtually every M1 will benefit substantially from a John C. Garand Tune-Up.

    Having inspected thousands of M1 rifles from countless sources, every one of them could stand some improvement in one area or another. Most needed lots of attention, but even the best could benefit from a tweak or two...or three.

"The devil," it is said, "is in the details," and nothing could be more true when it comes to improving the accuracy of an as-issued M1 rifle. The big stuff, like worn barrels, cranky triggers and poorly fitting stocks are relatively easy to find, but the little stuff that effects accuracy in a big negative way requires the attention of an expert.

    And, when it comes to M1 rifles, Murphy's Law Of Accuracy is fully in force: "Whatever can effect accuracy, will effect accuracy." 

Believe it.

Why is careful assembly important?

    There are two aspects which are addressed during the John C. Garand Tune-Up process: First, the individual parts must be functionally perfect, and second, the functionally perfect parts must be assembled precisely right in order for the rifle to be as accurate and to function as well as it possibly can.

    This may seem like doubletalk...until one considers that most M1 rifles are over 50 years old and are in far from new condition. Also consider that most have been arsenal reassembled more than once with little more than a bean counter's regard for the fit or condition of the parts used. No attempt was made to assure the rifle was accurate.

    Experience has shown that even "select grade" rifles have their problems, having been arsenal rebuilt with fresh parts but without much regard for the way they fit together.

    None of this is to detract from the excellence of the M1 as an issue rifle or the superior value represented by the rifles sold by the CMP, but simply to recognize the harsh realities of outfitting an army at least cost to the taxpayer.

How much improvement can I expect?

     Nearly all rifles exhibit vastly improved accuracy if all recommendations are followed. Functional reliability is also greatly enhanced, as is the smoothness of operation. Even if you are not a match shooter, the difference is immediately apparent.

    A careful diagnosis of the rifle will disclose those parts which should be repaired or replaced before the John C. Garand Tune-Up can be applied.

    We will make recommendations based on the diagnosis, and can make the required repairs at the same time the rifle is being tuned up.

    "I can't believe it's the same rifle" is the most common comment from our customers when they pick up their newly transformed rifle, especially if it's had a cosmetic makeover as well as a J.C.G. Tune-Up.

    If all our recommendations are followed, the rifle will be able to shoot "possibles" (300 out of 300 possible points in a 300-point "A-course" match, 500 out of 500 in a 500-point "B-course" match) in John C. Garand matches - with a high X-count to boot - if the shooter and ammo are up to the task.

    You can also expect your rifle to be much, much smoother and more positive in its operation following a John C. Garand Tune-Up.

    Gone are the cranky little "glitches" and "hitches" that rob the shooter of confidence in his equipment...and affect his downrange scores.

    In virtually every case the difference is like night and day, greatly enhancing the enjoyment of the rifle, whether it's used in formal competition or just for "punching paper" at your local range.

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Here's an interesting test to see if your rifle could use a National Match Armory John C. Garand Match Rifle treatment...

These two confirmation test targets are fairly typical of our JCG Match Rifles. They were shot from the prone position at 200 yards using elbows and a sling - just like you would during a John C. Garand Match - using Korean surplus M2 ammo. Both include two sighting shots (in this case at 2 o'clock on both rifles) followed by 8 consecutive shots to confirm the adjusted zero. 

Both are National Match Armory John C. Garand Match rifles, just like the one we would build for you.  The rifle on the left is fitted with an as-new USGI barrel while the one on the right uses one of our JCG-legal Krieger barrels. 

Note that both targets represent easy "cleans" with 100 points, but that the Krieger barreled rifle scored a 6X while the USGI barreled rifle scored only 4X. 

Well, how did your rifle do?

PLEASE NOTE...

If you use a bench rest, bags, or any artificial support this test will not be valid! 

If you test at less than 200 yards this test will not be valid.

If you use commercial, hand-loaded or match-grade ammo this test will not be valid!

You must compare apples with apples to get a valid result.

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Here are some examples of NMA-built John C. Garand Match Rifles:

(This is one of the most recently completed NMA John C. Garand rifles. It is a Base Model with no upgrades. It has a standard American walnut stock and handguards and the metal finish is all parkerize. This is as "no frills" basic as it gets at National Match Armory.) 

(This is another example of a Base Level John C. Garand Match Rifle with no upgrades. Even at this most basic level, each rifle is hand-built by Eric Pierce personally and receives all the "careful assembly" possible within the rules for CMP Garand competition. These rifles typically shoot in the 1 MOA range with military match ammo or carefully worked up handloads.) 

(This rifle is an example of a NMA John C. Garand rifle with optional upgraded wood, in this case extra fancy American walnut in a "tabby stripe" pattern. Other styles of American walnut are available including "crotchwood" and "tiger stripe" patterns.  

Also available...and still 100% legal...are stocks in English Walnut and Maple, for those whose taste runs to the more exotic. And, NMA's unique combination of parkerize/military blue metal finish is also available on John C. Garand rifles.)

How do I begin?

    If you think a John C. Garand Tune-Up on your rifle, or a John C. Garand Match Rifle from our inventory might fit your needs, the next step is to get in touch with us. We can answer any questions you might have which are not handled specifically above.

    Sometimes a trade-in or exchange makes the most sense. If so, we are set up to do this kind of arrangement as well as the more conventional turn-around of your own rifle. 

    You can send us an email at nationalmatcharmory001@msn.com or give us a call at (817-478-5721) letting us know you're interested, and we'll figure it out from there.

    Talk to you soon.

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National Match Armory

"Why settle for less?"

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