CMP M1 Garand

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sisyphus

sisyphus

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I think I want to get one of these. Right now I have a choice between a service grade, which could be an H&R or a Springfield, or a special rack grade. The special rack grade will have a new barrel and stock, and the receiver could potentially be pretty rough. The service grade may or may not have original stock, everything will likely be mismatched, will display more throat and muzzle wear, but the receiver will potentially be in better shape.

I think I'd take the wear of the service grade if I knew I was getting something that didn't have a new stock. Not being able to guarantee that, I think I'd take the new barrel and stock of the special rack grade and take my chances on what receiver came with it. Seems like the likelihood for problems as a frequent range visitor would be less with the new barrel. It's just going to be a plinker and a cool historical relic, not for collection or competition.

What are your thoughts on this? I know many of you have already gone down this road. Which way sounds better to you? Thanks!
 
If you are not going to "soup it up", CMP mixmaster is plenty good for plinking/general shooting. Get whichever one you want. Choice is yours, not ours.
 
this is my Service Grade, I got in the 1990's

back then, they were $275 "without wood"

I got the walnut from a gunshow vendor for $50

I found a stock that fit well, and cleaned it up.

It's a Dec1944/Jan1945 S.A. . . . with a beat to hell 1952 HR barrel.

Amazing history, and so much fun. I feed mine IMR4895

clanging 400 yard steel with it...

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derek45 said:
this is my Service Grade, I got in the 1990's

back then, they were $275 "without wood"

I got the walnut from a gunshow vendor for $50

I found a stock that fit well, and cleaned it up.

It's a Dec1944/Jan1945 S.A. . . . with a beat to hell 1952 HR barrel.

Amazing history, and so much fun. I feed mine IMR4895
Click to expand...

your M1 looks fantastic to me, if I knew my service grade was going to look like yours I wouldn't hesitate to go that route. Thanks!
 
If you like road trips, a visit to the North Store in Port Clinton OH would be the way to go.

A service grade will NOT look like the above post. I don’t think I have ever seen a stock at the North Store that was in even remotely that good a condition. There will be scuffs, dings, and other “what is that from” marks on the stock. Replacement stocks are available from multiple sources.

Check the ODCMP web site forum and look to see what condition people are getting rifles in.
 
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If it were me, I would get the special rack grade. Those are gone over very closely and you cannot up grade a service grade to that quality for less $. I have seen plenty of new, unfinished stocks on the internet for around $100. But a good barrel that has been head spaced properly and all other parts in good working order is what makes the difference.

And I like either Varget or IMR-4064 for my hand loads. And you may find that many 150 or 165 grn soft point spitzer bullets can shoot better than many FMJs in your gun. It's a hoot to shoot the gun Gen. Patton said was the greatest battle riffle ever built.
 
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I wanted to shoot mine, and give working rifles to my sons in law someday, so I bough Specials. That they function, well, was more important to me than any particular matching/manufacturer, etc.

They might be the coolest rifles I own! It's a real kick thwacking a plate at 300 yards with that beautiful piece of engineering.
 
A little off topic but while we're doing show and tell. A friend bought this from the DCM in the early '60s and used it to shoot Service Rifle at Camp Perry in '66. Got it from him about two years ago. I get 1.5 MOA off a front bag with 150gr Hornady Inter-Locs and H4895. It's a July '41 Springfield.

IMG_20180131_154914956 (2).jpg
 
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Unless the CMP is offering Correct or Collector Grade M1s all of the Rack, Field or Service grades will be a mixed parts guns, most brought to standard for the military in 1957.
If you just want a shooter get the Special Field Grade, if I remember correctly they will come with a Boyd's stock and Criterion barrel.
 
mlankton said:
What are your thoughts on this? I know many of you have already gone down this road. Which way sounds better to you? Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you could go to one of the stores, then you could pick a good special rack grade off the rack.

Otherwise, I'd get the service grade, you'd have better luck with the "luck of the draw" in my opinion.

If the service grade came with a rough stock, replacement stocks are not expensive and a fun project to finish. Put the USGI stock aside for the next owner and then you will have a nice looking shooter.

I bought several Garands 10-15 years ago from CMP. I bought some field grades but only at the Anniston store. I could cherry pick a better one from what was on the rack. I also was looking for examples from particular serial number ranges at the time. They shoot well and with a new stock, they look good. I've saved the old stock but some are pretty rough.

Anything I mail ordered was a service grade or better. For a primo shooter, the CMP Specials are great but I noticed they are out of stock currently.
 
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I bought a few Field Grade's back when they were about $500 each. Both were Springfield's, one from 1942, and the other from 1952. The wood on both is definitely worn but not terrible. Hard to say when and how the wear and tear occurred but that's just part of the mystique.
 
There're about 30 CMP Garands (fresh from the CMP) for sale at a marked up price on GB at any given time and a couple dozen more parted out as well.
 
derek45:
That Garand wood is some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

In my opinion it has character equal to the very appealing older reddish/brown stains on church and palace doors in Europe.
 
If you go the Service Grade route...consider adding a “sticky note” to the order. Use the “sticky” to indicate you want original vs new wood. Just remember, the wood will be USED. The CMP will try to accommodate. I have bought at the store, and through the mail. You are buying a pice of history. The CMP forum will give you a lot of info. The advise above is spot on.
 
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