                      M1 Garand Compensator

                        Staff Evaluation

IF you own an M1 Garand you are aware of the strong recoil  these 
rifles can generate.  Western Ordnance, a firm which  specializes 
in  high  quality after market accessories for  guns  and  custom 
rebuilt firearms, has developed a new compensator for these rites 
which  installs quickly with only a wide blade flat  head  screw
driver and can significantly tame the strong kick and muzzle rise 
generated by firing these big guns. Similar compensators are also 
available for the AR-15/M16, Galils (both calibers), AR-180,  Dae 
Woo and AK-47 rites as well as custom made compensators for  such 
rifles as the Mini-14. We tried out one of the MI Garand  compen
sators  sent to us by Western Ordnance on our test  Federal  Ord
nance Tanker Garand in 7.62 NATO caliber.

  The  compensator  is a 2 1/2-inch-long cylinder made  of  solid 
steel bar stock and parkerized. It has six small holes on top and 
two  more,  behind the first six on top, which  face  toward  the 
muzzle. It's designed to aid in rapid target reacquisition  with
out altering the rifle.

  All  that's needed to install the compensator is a  wide  blade 
flat head screwdriver. You might also want a bore brush to  clean 
the  threads of the gas cylinder and around the muzzle which  the 
compensator fits onto.

  To  install you unscrew the gas cylinder lock screw and  remove 
gas cylinder lock and clean of the threading if needed. Then  the 
compensator is screwed onto the barrel and the gas cylinder  lock 
screw is tightened down to hold it in place. That's all there  is 
to it.

  The  smaller,  lighter  Tanker Garand  model  has  considerable 
recoil and muzzle climb in either 7.62 NATO (.308 Win.) or  30.06 
calibers.  After firing it without the compensator, we  then  in
stalled  the  compensator and noticed a pronounced  reduction  in 
felt recoil and reduced muzzle flip. While there is still a  fair 
amount  of  both kick and muzzle climb, it's  definitely  not  as 
strong as without the compensator.

  We  will  shortly be trying out the compensator on  a  recondi
tioned  Fed Ord G.I. Garand in 30.06 caliber and will report  the 
result.  But we're satisfied this great little device works  well 
from our test with the Tanker model.

  The  Western Ordnance MI Garand Compensator is $59.95  postpaid 
(dealer discounts offered). The other compensators range in price 
from  $25  to  $35 for custom made types. For  ordering  or  more 
information contact Western Ordnance, Dept. ASG, 325 South  West
wood, FL, Mesa, AZ 85210; (602) 964-1799. 

(This article was optically scanned from :
             American Survival Guide / January 1992

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