[Tom-M]

Curious if anyone has heard about such a thing. Friend, generally very knowledgible, told me the US Air Force had some Garands made up for competition in .30-06. Barrel is supposed to be marked "AF??" - something like AFMG, AFCG.
I know about the National Match rifles and the Navy's 7.62mm Nato rifles, but this is a new one to me. Can't find any such animal in my reference material.
Any one know about these? Was there ever an article in one of the GCA magazines?

Thanks - Tom

 

[Deputy Dan]

AFPG

 

[Tom-M]

Deputy Dan - I think thats what he said. Know anything about them?

 

[Deputy Dan]

Air Force Premium Grade NM M1 Rifles

Built into match rifles by AF Armorers at the USAF Competitive Weapons Shop at Lackland AFB... missed one in .30 Cal by about 5 minutes about 14 months ago, been kicking myself since. They were assembled in 7.62 Nato (circa 1972) and .30 Cal (circa 1967-68) Standard SA (only) barrels were air gauged and then stamped AFPG, most other NM mods were same as other services NM mods. One big tip off to a legit AFPG rifle is that the windage knob is modiified for 1/2 minute windage adjustment.

There was a very comprehensive article in the CGA Journal about 5 years ago.

 

[Tom-M]

Thanks for info. Any idea of value - friend says he has one for sale. Any idea how many made? Were the stocks glass bedded! Any other marks to look for?

Tom

 

[Tom-M]

Checked thru my GCA issues that are complete from Winter of 2002. Mixed issues before that. Could'nt find anything, but 4 good articles on the Navy trophy .308 rifles and countless articles on the NM rifles.
Do you know if the 1/2 click was accomplished with the same rear sight rings used on NM rifles - or did they do this differently.

 

[Deputy Dan]

A standard rear sight base is utilized. The mating surface of the windage knob was ground flat, and 8 grooves were milled on the knob at precise intervals. A hole is drilled into the receiver at the 6 o'clock of the windage hole on the receiver, and a spring and detent is installed to allow the system to work. The KEY point in identification... no sight mod, walk away... quickly.

Yes, they were glass bedded.

Don't know about total number assembled, probably in the mid hundreds, maybe a bit higher.

 

[Tom-M]

Thanks for great info. Found out which GCA issues are supposed to cover it, and I don't own them. Ohh - well! Least I know I'm not getting senial. Guessing they are not very well known, and know now that I'm not chaseing the "gen-u-wine vet bring back Tanker Garand brought back by my father during W W 2!"

Tom

 

[Deputy Dan]

Good Luck!

If you do happen to get it, please post some photos!

 

[lite-box]

The GCA article is a good referance on points to look for on AFPG garands. There are some other minor mods the author missed but not worth mentioning to help the forgers.

Note that there are two types of 7.62 AFPG Garands, one with as made 1960's 7.62 GI barrels and ones with chamber inserts. The Chamber insert rifles will have 1940's-50's barrels stamped 7.62 visable when op-rod is pulled back.

Very few AFPG garands made it into civilian hands, far fewer than Navy B's. Back in the day it was common for AF team members to " aquire " their rifles upon retirement, many ( and the source of most legit AFPG's ) were sold to state shooting associations and clubs through the DCM .

Sadly with the ritirement of Gen LeMay who was a major supporter of competitive marksmanship in the AF, the new Air Force leadership quickly killed off the big Air Force Teams ( Teams that did extremely well in the sixties ) and slowly choked off the active duty base level teams in the 1970's. The current AF rifle /pistol teams is a part time affair with less funding than the Air Force Bowling Team..Some Air Guard units still have Marksmanship teams and programs supported through the national Guard Bureau but funding has gotten to the point where no $ is allocated for days, travel and entry fees so most have to shoot on their own dime.

Sadly the Air Force is turning the surviving AFPG M1's into drill rifles rather than sending them back to Army control at Anniston where the CMP could get them...

 

[Clermont]

The Air Force Premium Grade M1 rifle article, a little over four pages, is in the Garand Collectors Association Journal Vol. 16 No. 2 Spring 2002 issue. Perhaps back issues are available at www.thegca.org.