How bad are the Rack Grade CMP Carbines?

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SaxonPig

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I am on the verge of buying one as a plinker and I expect it to show much use and not be a collector piece but the CMP description of these rifles is positively scary. They are stated to be rebuilt and mismatched and pitted with dark, pitted bores and bad wood and they don't seem to have anything good to say about them. In fact, it seems that whomever wrote the text was trying real hard to warn you off from buying one at all.

Are they as bad as all that? The Underwood is $419 and the Saginaw is $479. Anything to choose between them? Why is the latter $60 more? Scarcity or quality?
 
CMP discriptions are worst case. Their weapons almost always exceed the discription. But, why not pony up $495 for a service grade?
I have seen some rackers posted on the carbine forum at CMP that were very nice.
I got a service grade Inland I picked out at North Store, and I couldn't be happier with it.
 
Cheapest Service Grade is $575. Starting to get too pricey for a pig in a poke purchase. For around $600 or a bit more I can buy one that I can see beforehand.
 
I guess you didn't look too close...Inland service grade is still $495...For a carbine worth more like $800.
Spending alot of time on the CMP forum, I havn't read many complaints about these "pigs in a poke"
I am glad I live about 45 minutes from North Store and can go pick one out, but I wouldn't hesitate to order one. When I was at North Store, I didn't see any carbines I wouldn't have wanted. I picked mine because it had a low six-digit serial number and an early I-cut stock with cartouche. It passed the muzzle wear and shiney bore test (the only one I got that far with, can't speak to the others).
Put a hundred rounds through it at the range, and it worked great, shooting fist sized groups at 100 yds and functioning perfectly.
I saw an IBM rack grade at the store that looked great, also.
 
i take offense to you calling the M1 carbines a pig and a poke weapon. how dare you. just kiddin. make the drive. like flyen bryan and helzs mick fugly said. its kind of a right of pass edge. i am. OMAHA to OHIO. fastest way their is a 110 miles an hour
 
Going to North Store and picking out my carbine was one of the highlights of 40 years of shooting, and the realization of two long-held goals...Getting a GI carbine, and buying from the CMP.
Now, I am scheming to get a Garand. I looked at the selection there, and the HRA service grades looked pretty nice.
 
Dang, I totally missed the Inland SG at $495.

That's the way I'll go.

Thanks.
 
The carbines they had out on the floor at the South Store last time I was there last summer were mostly in very good condition, going by the standards of what you typically see at gun shows.

If you can get to one of the two stores to pick out your own example, their price is absolutely a bargain. If you're ordering one blind, you're still likely to get one that exceeds the bare minimum for the quality level you're paying for.
 
About 25 years ago I bought a Garand. Seems to me it was like $165. What arrived was an IH model dated 1955 (didn't know they made them that late or was that not a date?) that was in about 99% condition. I figured I got lucky,

A few months later my house was burglarized and all the guns were stolen except for the Garand. They left it behind for some reason. Faced with rebuilding the collection I sold the M1 to buy something I wanted more at the time. Now I wish I had kept it.

Store is just too far to travel. Will roll the dice. Figure I can always sell it locally and try again.
 
I'm too far away to get to the store... so these are a couple of "pig in the poke" ;) CMP Service Grade Inlands after a few hours clean-up.
IMG_1738.gif
One is a 1942 five digit, the other a 1944 5.1 mil. Both with original barrels, both fine shooters.
Can't beat CMP.
Tinpig
 
Sure CZguy.
Same procedure I use on CMP Garands.
A field strip, then scrub dried cosmoline, dirt, and grease off the metal with mineral spirits and a toothbrush. Wipe everything down and give it a generous oiling, then wipe again.

The wood is often somewhat dirty and greasy, but I gently rub most of the gunk off with clean rags and denatured alcohol without stripping the underlying finish. 3 coats of boiled linseed oil brings the grain back to life and seals the wood.

Normal bore cleaning.

Most enjoyable way to get to know your rifle, and a good way to give it the thorough inspection that we 65 year-olds need. :)

Tinpig
 
I have 5 rack grade Inlands as well as many of the manufacturers in SG. I bought the Inlands because, when I bought them, they were the only RGs avail. I gulped and went for it.

ALL 5 have excellent bores. This is using the 'pretty, shiny bore' and the ammo bore test. Oh, and they all shoot very, very well. Remember, M1 Carbines never used corrosive ammo and thus, you are much more likely to get a nice bore.

The ones I received were from Italy and a couple were rebuilt (again) by them (very nice, except for the FAT stamps), and the others were as delivered by us to them.

Not one is, IMHO, worth less than $200 more than I paid...and no, they're not for sale <grin>.

CMP has done well by me for over a decade and their customer service can NOT be beat.
 
Tinpig,

Same procedure I use on CMP Garands.
A field strip, then scrub dried cosmoline, dirt, and grease off the metal with mineral spirits and a toothbrush. Wipe everything down and give it a generous oiling, then wipe again.

The wood is often somewhat dirty and greasy, but I gently rub most of the gunk off with clean rags and denatured alcohol without stripping the underlying finish. 3 coats of boiled linseed oil brings the grain back to life and seals the wood.
Click to expand...

Were the Garand stocks originally finished with boiled linseed oil?

Thanks,
 
CZguy, the M1 stocks were finished with raw linseed oil. It gave them a dull seal from the elements. Boiled linseed oil can give a stock a very nice shine.
The military wouldn't want that.
 
10X is correct. I use BLO because it dries quicker and the satin finish brings out the walnut grain and color without looking varnished.
I'm hoping these rifles' combat days are over.
Tinpig
 
I think that this has changed in the past few days...

The CMP's web site now shows that they're accepting orders again for Service Grade carbines from all manufacturers except for Standard Products (and Irwin Pederson - auction only).

I always thought that Rock-Ola sounded coolest, but now I'm studying computer programming...maybe I should get an IBM?

About your International Harvester M1: Scott Duff wrote,
International Harvester received its first M1 contract on 15 June 1951. It is believed they began delivery of rifles in early 1953 and ceased in early 1956. Ordnance Department records indicate International Harvester delivered 337,623 M1 rifles.
Click to expand...
Source: Who Made M1 Garands? How Many Were Made? When Were They Made?
 
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