what can i expect if i order a couple of cmp service grade garands?

[FlyinBryan]

i am thinking about ordering two, one for my brother and one for myself.

what can i expect from a service grade garand from these folks?

1. fit and finish, overall condition?
2. reliability?
3. accuracy?
4. can they be scoped?

anyone have experience with their service grade garands?

 

[lipadj46]

4. can they be scoped?

Yes but you either need to use a scout mount or a receiver mount that mounts the scope to the left of the bore because you still need to load the thing.

 

[skidooman603]

Service grades may well be the best "bang" for the buck. It is always best if you can go to CMP store and lay your own hands on em according to all accounts

 

[az_imuth]

I've pasted CMP's description of their service grade rifles below. Generally, the SG rifles will not have pitting on the metal or split/cracked wood, but will have a few dings and parts from various makers. The description is the very least you can expect, while most will be very nice rifles that rate well above the description. I think issue M1's were required to stay within 4 inches @ 100yds and were known to be extremely reliable.

If you can make the trip to one of the stores and pick them out, you'll be able to get a couple of really nice rifles.

SERVICE GRADE: (Good to Very Good)
Service Grade Rifles show less wear and better appearance than Field or Rack Grades. Good to very good condition. Rifle wear will be exhibited by worn and mixed colors of the parkerized finish. There may be some minor pitting on the metal parts. Wood will be either Walnut, Birch, Beech or other variety and will be basically sound but may have minor hairline cracks, dings, scratches and gouges. Wood may not match in color or type of wood. Wood may be of new production on Service Grade Garands. Bores will be generally good with only minor imperfections. The barrel crown may be nicked, but the muzzle will gauge less than 3 and the throat erosion will gauge less than 5.

 

[Kansan]

If you order them by mail, you can expect a 60-90 day wait... the recent election plus the availability of some Winchester Garands gave them a huge backlog.

 

[offthepaper]

As others have said, if you can go to the store and handpick, that I would expect you to get pretty nice rifles. But by mail, it's a crap shoot. while the SG's are in better shape than FG'sor RG's, it all boils down to "luck of tghe draw". I have 2 FG'S. One arrived looking like it fought every losing war in history, very rough. I ordered another one a nd reieved some as nice as some SG'S.

 

[GRIZ22]

1. fit and finish, overall condition?
2. reliability?
3. accuracy?
4. can they be scoped?


1. See CMP description.
2. Rifles are test fired during the inspection process. CMP offers no warranty but their customer service is next to none. I've read they will send parts or even exchange the rifle if there is something wrong with it.
3. M1s typically easily shoot 2-3" at 100 yd with service ammo. Many times you will find a stock M1 that will shoot under 2".
4. Not easy to scope best use iron sights.

I have several M1s from CMP I've ordered through the mail and I have never been disappointed by any. All have been in much better condition than CMPs description. The worst barrel I got gauged a 2 at each end. Expect to have to clean up the stock.

I would not hesitate to order anthoer SG through the mail. The best part about going to the store is you may find a sleeper in a Field Grade. I picked out a FG at the North Store. WWII serial number SA with a Danish VAR barrel (2 at each end), Beretta op rod and trigger group, and all matching walnut stock. The reason it was a FG as far as I can see was the stock was a bit dinged (moreso than a SG) and had an arsenal repair. the finish was a bit more worn than a SG. It also is my best shooting M1 and will shoot 1 1/2" @ 100 with HXP ammo.

 

[Gator 23]

Not sure about a backlog. My wife spoke with the CMP folks about their M1s last week...plenty available. No mention of a backlog or lengthy waiting times.

 

[Utah1]

Current wait is just over 60 days.

 

[orionhawk]

definitely want to go to the store. I went, looking for a Service Grade, found one that was so nice the staff kept giving it (and me) funny looks, like they thought I'd swapped the tag with a Correct Grade. I got it home and took it apart for cleaning, found out the reason it wasn't Correct Grade was a HR trigger group in an otherwise Springfield rifle. As far as I can find, that is the ONLY reason.

haven't got to shoot it yet, but will soon. fully expect it to outshoot my actual marksmanship skill.

 

[1KPerDay]

Here are some pics of my HRA service grade FYI... YMMV.click for larger pics. This one came with a new CMP beech or birch stock. It had to go back to the CMP to fix a doubling problem; they fixed it quickly and profesionally, and paid shipping both ways. Excellent service.

 

[orionhawk]

my Service Grade:




couldn't get my camera stable enough for any close-ups of the action or muzzle.




and Fulton Armory offers at least a couple scope mounts, including Scout type and receiver-mounted.

 

[brj3car]

Here's my son Dan and my Dad with an old friend.

CMP Field Grade

[/IMG]

 

[Farnham]

That's a nice looking Garand, 1KPerDay!

My SG Springfield was in far better shape than I'd expected, and shoots great. It was restocked at some point back in the '70s at Red River Arsenal (near as I can determine) and then was put back into storage, so the wood was almost brand new, and the metal was all in great shape.

 

[Tinpig]

I have a CMP Service Grade and a Field Grade. I really can't see much difference in quality. They're both excellent shooters and mechanically and cosmetically very good. Also have a couple of carbines from them.
CMP is a very honest organization and their customer service is outstanding.

Be sure to stock up on the 240 rd. spam cans of Greek HXP .30-06...it's good stuff .



Tinpig

 

[FlyinBryan]

so with the service grade sa garand i should expect a decent shooter right out of the box, after the normal surplus rifle cleanup?

all you guys posting pics, if i could end up with rifles that look like those, i would be tickled pink.

 

[DocBoCook]

A lot of paperwork and a long wait???? lol

 

[orionhawk]

FlyinBryan, that's pretty much right.

and if you go to the store it's easy to find a nice one.

also, if you get the idea to put a new stock on it, I have had it suggested to me that you NOT buy the stock from CMP. The stock they sell is a Boyd's, iirc, and you can get it cheaper from Boyd's (or from Fulton Armory, I think)