M1 Garand - buttplate slippage problem

[AZRedhawk44]

I've had my Garand for several years and shoot it nearly exclusively at CMP C&R matches.  This means every time I shoot it, I've got a gamesmanship-oriented Creedmoor jacket on with a giant nonslip rubber shoulder pad.

This weekend I shot my Garand at an Appleseed and failed to shoot a 210 with it (206).  The buttplate slipped on me a lot in my 200 and 300 stages.  I ended up both rushing shots and saving rounds.  I don't drag out a Creedmoor jacket to Appleseeds because a 'Seed isn't about that kind of shooting and I don't want to encourage gear-chasing with attendees.

What solutions are available that are CMP legal* and also effective at treating the buttplate so that it does not slip on a T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt?



*Only interested in CMP legal solutions to this.  The Garand is not my chosen rifle for my own personal non-competitive uses due to its strong anti-left-handed biases.  My only use for a Garand is for C&R matches as a toy.  I have AR's and M14's for more important work, and their configurations are not constrained by competitive match regulations.

http://www.wbbsc.com/cmprulebook.pdf

[Fixer]

I had the same problem at a recent KD. 

With attention to rule 6.1.3(4): Permanent non-slip surface finishes may not be added to the firearm.
Spray adhesives may be used.

I used a small strip of athletic tape on the buttplate for friction and it had noticeable effect.  Many small, thin strips could be applied horizontally with minimal overlap (think shingles) to get a bit more edge available.  Now this is non-slip but also non-permanent.  I've never competed in a CMP shoot so I have no knowledge of whether it would be allowed in practice or just theory.

Either way, it worked well for me.

[viperrt1]

Get new reproduction with new spikes. Should fix it and it's cmp legal.

[spitstickler]

I don't shoot that many matches, but I have a Creedmore Hardback, and all that rubber everywhere is awesome and helping keep stuff in place. Like you I found that without it, things were a little different with a .30 cal. I've had the same problem with both the M1 and M1a.  On my M1a, which I don't shoot in matches, I have epoxied a piece of 40 grit belt sander paper on the buttplate, and that guy was still popping out of my shoulder. After a bunch of evaluation, I finally figured out that I had to change my prone position to alleviate it.

Instead of support hand slid up against the front swivel (where I really liked it) I had move it back closer to the receiver. Basically with my support hand that far forward I was in a really low position and when I relaxed my body it was actually pushing the rifle forward, essentially negating some, if not a great deal of the rearward pull from my trigger hand pulling the stock into my shoulder pocket. When firing the shot, the recoil would push my shoulder back and then as it bounced back forward that is when the butt would slip.

With my support hand positioned further back, it wasn't putting the forward pressure on the rifle which was the biggest part of the problem. I was also able to get a little bit more of my body behind the rifle, (less angle) This alone helped with recoil mgmt, and also raised my position a bit and helped with eye fatigue on SF prone.

The great thing about going through all of this, is that my change in position in a t-shirt, also helped out when I shoot with the jacket.

Food for thought, YMMV.

[azmule]

Looks like this stuff is allowed.  I've never used it myself, but I'm sure I still have a nice even coating in my lungs from other guys' use of it when I shot smallbore at mostly indoor ranges 35+ years ago.   

[AZRedhawk44]

Looks like this stuff is allowed.  I've never used it myself, but I'm sure I still have a nice even coating in my lungs from other guys' use of it when I shot smallbore at mostly indoor ranges 35+ years ago.   

Yeah, I'm aware of that stuff.  Not a fan.  Aside from in the lungs, it also gets all over your clothing.  Your shooting jacket isn't a big deal, but ruining a T-shirt each time you shoulder a rifle because you've just put aerosol elephant snot all over it isn't something I want to embrace.

By my logic, if one sticky substance inside a spray can is allowed, then other sticky substances inside spray cans are equally allowable.  I'm thinking I may plasti-dip the buttplate.  That would give a thin sheet of rubber over the metal.  I don't see that being any different than aerosol elephant snot.

[azmule]

On my M1A I used to use a strip of non-slip stair tread tape from Ace Hardware (not the really abrasive sandpapery stuff, the easier-on-clothes molded grey plastic stuff), and recently replaced it with a thin layer of very sticky feeling clear silicone adhesive.  I like the silicone much better for a permanent solution, but the tape is much easier to peel off for competition, as I'm sure neither is allowed.

If you had mentioned it to me while shooting, I keep about a foot of the tape in my Appleseed tool kit.  The only buttplate more slippery than the M1/M1A is that plastic thing on the stock 10/22.

[henschman]

Yep, I use that sandpaper stair adhesive strip stuff too.  I have no idea whether it would be considered an illegal "permanent" mod by CMP rules, but in reality it doesn't get much less permanent.  It can be peeled off in a second flat.  It is a hell of a lot less permanent than any spray-on adhesive.

[TaosGlock]

I use stair tread tape on mine.

[jmdavis]

If you have an appleseed style  Jacket, you could attach some top rubber to the shoulder pad. You could use skateboard tape for AS, but I don't think that it is allowable under the Games and SR rules of CMP. As pointed out, FirmGrip and similar substances are legal.

[SKSRifleman]

Here's what I did with mine. I bought a strip of stair tape from the local Ace Hardware and took the time to cut out the pieces in the general shape of the texture on the butt plate then stuck them on. Never had a problem slipping after that.

[PHenry]

A wee bit o "vet wrap" - easy to install and cheap to buy at a farm supply place (such as Tractor Supply). Sometimes sling tension can also be an issue.

[Sightwolf]

I've been shooting high power at Camp Perry since 1985, before CMP. it was DCM Department of Civilian Marksmanship, a government run organization. My first M-1 was immaculate and cost $98.75!

Back "in the day"  there was an aerosol product called "Hawkeye". You sprayed it on the butt plate of your rifle for offhand, and on your support elbow pad for sitting and prone. If you used too much, it got real interesting trying to get out of position. I saw a guy get DQed once  for cheating in standing because the stuff left a black residue on the shoulder of his yellow sweatshirt.  He was putting the rifle INSIDE his shooting jacket for "an edge."

Hawkeye is no longer out there. There are others, as are shown in other replies. BUT, if it is a product made specifically for shooters, there's a built in price premium.  Go to your local hardware store or home center. 3M makes a line of spray adhesives in differing holding strengths. They come in bigger volume cans for less per ounce. The medium stuff is all you need. And you still may have to fight to break the bond!

If you don't cherish feeling like a fly stuck to fly paper,  Brownells sells a spray grit. Spray it on, let it dry, problem solved.

A point of interest, free. Go to the CMP website and download their current rules.They tend to get more liberal every year. FYI, usually,  NO EXTERNAL MODIFICATION TO THE RIFLE ARE ALLOWED. Are you kidding?!

I saw a heavy handed line officer in a ten gallon hat DQ a guy for having 3 keepers on a leather G.I. sling!  What do you think gung ho would do if he was walking the line and saw the teltale dull non-metallic end of a buttstock?!  How much did the trip, entry fees, etc., cost you?  Frankly, Gomer, he don't care! You're outta here!

You achieve a certain score and your rifle is subject to a full technical inspection (torn down by a CMP or military armorer and checked for compliance with the rules.) I saw a known "rule bender"  & his buddies frantically swapping parts so that his barreled action mated with other parts that weren't on it when he fired could pass that inspection.
In his case, everyone who knew him knew what he had done. Does this make him a hero? If you have to cheat to win, who are you kidding besides yourself?! All of that for a cheap, cast, Chinese made medal?  Not in my book!

I carry the spray grit in my gear to Appleseeds for folks with slippage issues. It's also sprayed on the McMillan stock of my M1A Super Match. I made NRA Master with it and no questions asked, even when medalling at Perry with it in 1991.

Name your poison.

Good luck!

Sightwolf

[airplanejoe]

Everyone interested in CMP matches need to get and read the booklet "CMP Competition Rules". The one I presently have is the 16th edition (2012). There's probably a newer edition, but I haven't seen it. On page 26, section 6.1.2 Service Rifle Modifications states "Permanent non-slip surface finishes may not be added to the rifle, but spray adhesives may be used on the rifle". Question is: does skateboard tape constitute "permanent" even though it can be peeled off? On the other hand "spray adhesives" can be messy. I would submit for consideration, that you contact CMP directly and get an answer "from the horses mouth". You can contact them at competitions@odcmp com. But like it was mentioned before, Appleseed is not CMP.
aj

[AZRedhawk44]

I ended up using plasti-dip spray on the outer face of the buttplate.

I shoot High Power service rifle with an AR with an ambi safety, which isn't legal per NRA or CMP rules, and no one has cared so far.  Kinda doubt anyone is going to notice that the buttplate looks a little phosphated or black-rubbery.  You really can't even tell it's been touched.  Works well with a T-shirt or a shooting jacket, problem resolved.

[jmdavis]

The truth is that no one cares what you do, until you win. But when that happens they care and notice things. If you ever shoot a CMP leg match (EIC) they  have weigh in and technical inspection. They will DQ your AR for the ambi safety. If you never shoot one, it doesn't matter. If you don't win in NRA matches, it generally doesn't matter.

My AR slips more than my M1, but I have shot the M1 for KD with nothing more than a sweatshirt and don't remember any problems. Certainly no problems to keep me from scoring rifleman with it or putting 10 of 10 at 400 yards onto a 16" steel plate.

Good luck.

[Sightwolf]

Conundrum!

On the 03 and variations, there was a very sharply checkered buttplate made for a sniping. I had one that I replaced the issue slipper on mine with. The M-1, unfortunately,  has a mostly stamped sheet metal butt plate, with the exception of the the trap door for the cleaning kir access. Inevitably,  every time the butt was slammed to the ground on the command "order arms," that sheet metal became less effective as a non slip surface.

What to do? Where is it written that you can't use a slip on rubber or synthetic butt pad? It also helps with length of pull.

Give it a try!

Sightwolf