M1 Garand from CMP

[Franchi20/28]

What's your opinion?

I'm getting ready to order a Garand from CMp and would like a shooter in nice shape. Should I.....

A. Buy a special grade for $1000, wait the 6 months or so lead time and be done with it. Or...

B. Buy a rack grade for $445, re barrel, replace any defective parts, get a new stock for $120 if the old one is beat beyond a refinish job, reparkerize everything not replaced myself.

C. Rack grade less wood for $375, re barrel, replace, restock at $150. Also needs rear sight assembly.

I'm thinking of going with option A as I doubt I'd save any money going with option B, unless I get lucky and it comes in with a new stock.

I guess I could always get 2 rack grades, and start fixing one up and just shoot the other one in the mean time........decisions......

[TXDMERC73]

i would buy the special grade M1 Garand and be on the waiting list-cuz they wont be around much longer and they wont have any special grades left in the future . Thats if money isnt an issue for ya then go for the Special grade M1 Garands, i plan on buying one in the future sometime.

best bet is ask for a Garand in good shape and you wont be disappointed ,they are a piece of history as well as an excellent gun for SHTF .

[SteveWag]

The Rack Grade rifles are fully functional right out of the box. I have two, shot both, one completely stock (Grand Match) and one bedded and a trigger job for quite a few years at 200, 300 and 600 yards. I still have a short chambered heavy barrel and unused through-the-barrel chamber reamer, both unused. I never needed them. I did the bedding and trigger myself using info from the net and the Marines.
Steve

[TXDMERC73]

The Rack Grade rifles are fully functional right out of the box. I have two, shot both, one completely stock (Grand Match) and one bedded and a trigger job for quite a few years at 200, 300 and 600 yards. I still have a short chambered heavy barrel and unused through-the-barrel chamber reamer, both unused. I never needed them. I did the bedding and trigger myself using info from the net and the Marines.
Steve

can i see some pics of it please

[thanker92]

I would go with option C.
When you get them completely dis-assemble both and put all the better parts into one and all the second class into the other. The first one becomes your show piece and the second one becomes your shooter.

[Franchi20/28]

I would go with option C.
When you get them completely dis-assemble both and put all the better parts into one and all the second class into the other. The first one becomes your show piece and the second one becomes your shooter.

Hmmmmmmmmm............

That wasn't exactly part of option 3, but more of an afterthought.

The only way to get better than a rack grade without going to auction right now is Bavarian marked. That doesn't bother me though.

Maybe I should wait a few more months......I read today, damn I wish I could remember where, that South Korea is returning 80 some thousand M1's and I think 20K or so M1a's in 2010 to be resold. Don't know if they'll go through CMP though as I would think they'd have some type of announcement on their site if they were.

[clarion44]

Hmmmmmmmmm............

That wasn't exactly part of option 3, but more of an afterthought.

The only way to get better than a rack grade without going to auction right now is Bavarian marked. That doesn't bother me though.

Maybe I should wait a few more months......I read today, damn I wish I could remember where, that South Korea is returning 80 some thousand M1's and I think 20K or so M1a's in 2010 to be resold. Don't know if they'll go through CMP though as I would think they'd have some type of announcement on their site if they were.

Are you talking about Garands or Carbines??? Because the only Bavarian marked items through CMP are carbines.

How about option D or E?

D. Send in an order for a Service Grade Springfield Armory Garand - $595. The Greek Air Force returns are being shuffled into the mail order mix now and you may come out with an all correct rifle with a replacement stock that has barely been fired. Luck of the draw of course.

E. Drive to the North Store (I know it's a haul), and pick up a Service Grade Special - $795. They are only to be had in the stores and are basically rebuilds with barely used barrels and new wood.


Also, those rifles that Korea is supposively selling won't be going through CMP. They were bought by Korea, not lent through the Lend Lease program, so they can sell them to the highest bidder. Orest (Chief of Operation, CMP) has said they have no interest in aquiring them.

[Koli01]

Agree with Clarion44

send for Service Grade

if going with a Rack Grade...........I would suggest driving out to the north store and picking one out. You can usually find a Service Grade rifle with a dinged stock marked as Rack Grade. When I say dinged, I'm talking some slight cosmetic stuff.

[clarion44]

Field grades aren't even a bad option. I hand pick mine at the North Store. I don't look at the cosmetics of the wood anymore. I look for structural integrity (no cracks, etc) and that's about it. Here's a picture of a field grade I refinished the wood for. At first I thought it was junk and I should just replace it... I'm really glad I didn't.

Beech Stock
Muzzle erosion = ~1.8 (just under 2)
Throat erosion = 3
Haven't had a chance to get it to the range, but it should be a great shooter.

[Nate7667]

I agree, go for a ride, you wont be disaponted.
It will be ALOT faster than waiting for them to ship it to you.

Besides, you might as well pick up your 10 cases/year of ammo while you're there