Alex Zedra Picks Out Her DREAM M1 Garand

Alex Arrives Looking for a Real M1 Garand

Alex Zedra arrives at Classic Firearms holding a miniature “goat gun” version of an M1 Garand and explains she wants a real, full-size surplus rifle. Clint greets her at the door and confirms they can help her find an actual M1 Garand. He introduces her to the audience, noting that many will recognize her as Operator Mara from Call of Duty, as well as from competitive shooting and Twitch streaming. The plan is to get her set up with a proper M1 Garand, then move into the video room and warehouse to look over options before heading to the range.

Touring the Video Room and Meeting the Crew

In the video room, Clint and Alex walk in on a lighthearted argument about a Mark 12 versus a Mark 18, with Ka holding Clint’s Mark 12 rifle. They joke about which rifle is actually the favorite and reference a previous shooting session where Alex outshot Clint with the Mark 12. Clint formally introduces Ka to Alex and explains that today’s focus is helping Alex shop for a surplus rifle. Alex hands off the miniature M1 Garand for safekeeping while they head toward the warehouse, with Ka jokingly calling the miniature a “goat gun” and everyone agreeing it is time to get her hands on a real M1 Garand.

Selecting a Surplus Springfield M1 Garand

The group walks down to the warehouse, joking about getting some cardio in on the way. On a table they reveal five M1 Garands laid out, mentioning that one may become a future giveaway. Clint points out that the lineup includes an actual Springfield Armory rifle, a couple of International Harvester M1s, and additional Springfield Armory examples. Alex says she has only shot an M1 Garand that was already set up, so she wants to learn more about the platform and how to run it herself. She is drawn to one rifle with a slightly worn stock, calling the mark “character,” and chooses that Springfield M1 Garand as her rifle. Clint notes its serial number and suggests taking it back to the video room to cover ammo and loading before heading to the range.

Opening the Spam Can and Explaining M2 Ball Clips

Back in the video room, Clint places Alex’s chosen M1 Garand on the table and describes it as classic World War II American hardware. He brings out a sealed spam can containing 192 rounds of .30-06 M2 ball ammunition, already loaded on en bloc clips and packed in bandoliers. He shows the key attached to the can, demonstrates how to hook it into the tab, and then twists it around the lid to open the container. Inside, the bandoliers are neatly arranged, each holding clips of .30-06 M2 ball ready to load. Clint emphasizes that the M1 Garand is clip-fed, not magazine-fed, and holds up a single en bloc clip to illustrate the difference. With 192 rounds available, he says there is plenty of ammo for Alex, Ka, and himself to run drills at the range and get Alex comfortable with her new rifle.

Range Rules and Avoiding M1 Garand Thumb

At the range, the group sets up a friendly competition focused on running the M1 Garand efficiently without getting “Garand thumb” or “M1 thumb.” Clint explains the drill: load an eight-round en bloc clip, fire until the rifle pings empty, then perform a speed reload with another eight-round clip and finish the string as quickly as possible. He notes that neither Alex nor Ka has real experience loading the M1 Garand, and Ka has never shot one before. They briefly review the manual of arms and discuss how to push the clip straight down with authority so it locks without catching a thumb. Alex demonstrates that her hitchhiker’s thumb bends backward under pressure, making it harder to press the clip in normally, and jokes about using her elbow if necessary to avoid injury while loading.

Speed Reload Demo and First-Time Runs

Clint runs the drill first as a demonstration, using two actual en bloc clips. After loading and firing his first eight rounds, he performs a speed reload and finishes the second clip. The timer shows 7.53 seconds for all 16 shots, which he considers solid given he does not run the M1 Garand daily. Ka steps up next, using Alex’s rifle. Clint reminds him not to be gentle and to drive the clip straight down until it locks. Ka loads, fires his first eight rounds in about two seconds, then struggles slightly with the reload, taking roughly seven seconds to get the second clip seated and fire the next shot. His total time from first to ninth shot is 9.06 seconds. The group notes that this is a respectable first attempt for someone who has never shot or reloaded an M1 Garand before, and they continue coaching technique to reduce reload time and avoid Garand thumb.