The reason for the bend the Garand op-rd----Maybe the reason why.

[ordmm]

Maybe it's been covered before but saw a link (over on jouster) to coverage of the prototype T3E2 .276 rifle. Very interesting video commentary about the why's and wherefore's of this rifle. About halfway through the vid it talks about the quick change by edict from Macarthur to use the 30-06 round rather then .276. Appears the .276 rifle used a straight op rod to match the centerline of the barrel. When they changed it over to 30-06 with a larger diameter barrel they used the existing gas cylinder assy and the op rod was modified with bend to match. Makes sense because in those days it always seemed that money was tight in development budgets. A guess of course lacking any written documentation but it makes so much sense it just about has to be the reason for the bends. So maybe that's the reason how the bends got there: to match an existing gas cylinder design. Would have been nice when they ditched the gas trap cylinder to gas port type they should have changed the center line to return to a straight op-rod....whoops...guess maybe part of the question remains.


link to video: You will need to scroll down thru the site to .276 T3E2 rifle.

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/



link to auction with detail pics:
http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/67/lid/1649

[timshufflin]

Look at all the other stuff they changed though, why not the gas cylinder?

[ordmm]

Look at all the other stuff they changed though, why not the gas cylinder?

Guess the answer is lost for all time. Somewhere around here is a book by Billy Pyle that had answers to a lot of this kind of stuff. The info came from Garand's right hand man. Been along time since I read the book so maybe that was addressed. In any event it's one of those deals where solving one question only creates another.

[Eli]

I read somewhere recently it was because the Army wanted to use the in-inventory bayonet.

Eli

[ordmm]

I read somewhere recently it was because the Army wanted to use the in-inventory bayonet.

Eli

Eli...yes, thank you! Forgot about that detail, makes sense.