M1 Garand holbrook (Thumbsaver) device for Honor Guard.

[Woollybugger]

Our Legion Honor Guard just received 10 M1 Garands. They work near flawlessly but do require all 8 rounds in a clip. We usually load at the cemetery, and have transported rifles back to the hall loaded, since unloading an M1 usually sends the clip and the remaining 5 rounds in to a mess in the grass or snow. x7 rifles. I had thought, for safety, to load 5 dummy rounds under 3 blanks but it is till a PIA when you get back and have to unload and reload clips. I have found the Holbrook, “thumbsaver” modification which allows you to load rounds into the clip while in the rifle. It also prevents the clip from flying out. Purists will tell you “you don’t need a thumbsaver, learn how to load an M1”. I get that and we do know how, but this looks like a better option for 3 round of fire. Has anyone been there done that?

 

[tominboise]

I made one years ago after I ran into John Holbrook at a gun show and he showed how it worked. It works pretty well but I took it out of my M1 as I have a dozen of them and they weren't all equipped the same, so the manual of arms was different. I'd rather have them all the same and I don't have any trouble loading/unloading them without it. Given your use case, I think it would work fine for what you are doing.

M1's don't require all 8 in the mag. You can load less then a full load by inserting the clip in the rifle and then feeding rounds in from the top. It works fine. The clips would still eject after the last round, however.