A $1,000 Garand

[FPrice]

What would make, or justify a Garand being worth and offered at $1,000 in your opinion?

I ask because I was at a local dealer's tonight and saw the unmistakable underside of a Garand behind the counter. I asked if I could see it and he said that it was already sold. I said I'd be careful with it and he let me take a look. It was a Springfield with a 1.9 million serial-numbered receiver, I think a Springfield bolt, and an HRA 1952 barrel if I read the markings correctly. The wood was in good shape, definitely NOT original GI wood (too nice condition for that much use). Also, I did not see any markings on the wood. The metal looked clean with no obvious dings or wear markings.

When asked the price he told me $800 which I could believe. He then went on to say that it was easily a $1000 gun as some people told him later. I kinda scoffed at that price and he got a bit defensive. We discussed pricing for a bit and he challenged me to find a Garand at this week's upcoming gun show that was in this condition for less than a grand.

He's probably right about the gun show but it got me to thinking. What would it take, in your humble or not-so-humble opinion to justify a grand for a Garand? Condition? Matching parts? Orginal parts? What? Oh, and keep in mind that I am in the People's Commonwealth of Massachusetts and gun prices are a bit high here.

Thanks.

 

[cracked butt]

I see a lot of $800 garands at gun shows, though I've never actually seen one sold for that kind of price.

You can do better from CMP- get a service grade Springfield and a couple tins of ammo for that price.

I'd pay that much if the rifle were match prepped- a new aftermarket barrel chambered in 7.62, NM sights, and bedded action, then it would certainly be worth it

 

[jefnvk]

Nothing, usless it said M1A on the side.

Don't get me wrong, I love Garands. But even looking at the rack of Collector's Grade M1's yesterday at CMP, I just gotta say no. To me, the $300 Rack grade that I picked through to find a good one is much more appealing. Won;t worry as much when I shoot it, don't have to buy another to shoot, I save $700 which would be used to buy a 1903 and a 1917.

Until CMP runs out, I don't see Garands as more than a $500 gun.

 

[AZ Jeff]

The only $1000 Garands are:
1. a US Navy .308 conversion done by AMF under contract in the 1960's (fairly uncommon)
2. a full blown national match rifle in excellent condition
3. a "gas trap" type M1 from VERY early production. (Actually, a REAL gas trap rifle, one that was not restored back from the 'gas port' update, is REAL RARE, and would command FAR more than $1000, more like $10,000!)

 

[Gewehr98]

There are indeed $1000 M1 Garands out there.

Or even higher prices. An early Gas Trap model, a Navy .308 conversion, M1C or M1D snipers, minty specimens that escaped arsenal rebuild, and of course, properly documented Secretary of the Navy Trophy Garands, like the one on the right, nearest to the camera in the stack:



But a rack-grade M1 Garand without pedigree shouldn't approach $1K, yet. Someday, I'd wager they will, especially when the CMP runs out of them...

 

[jefnvk]

Thanks G98, I've been trying to figure out how those stacking hooks worked

 

[Gewehr98]

That's really not a good view of the stacking hooks at work...

Here's a better angle:

 

[PaulV]

(Actually, a REAL gas trap rifle, one that was not restored back from the 'gas port' update, is REAL RARE, and would command FAR more than $1000, more like $10,000!)

$20,000-$50,000 would be more accurate depending upon condition, early/late style gas trap. In other words, the only one I'll ever see is in a museum.

A correct rifle, (all parts correct for the manufacturer and manufacture date) will easily command $1,000+ dollars.

 

[bamawrx]

When I have questions like that I just do a quick search of gunbroker.com and see what auctions are running and what kind of bids are in. That can give you a good idea on a larger scale what things are going for.

I would pay 1,000 for a garand if the gun justified the price. I agree with the others, a "parts gun" garand should be right around $500-600. If your gunshows are like ours you won't find many in that price range, and the dealers will leave with everyone they brought. Sometimes I think they don't really want to sell their stuff.

Join the Garand collocters association, get a great publication a couple times a year, and be eligible to purchase from the CMP. Nothing like having a rifle show up at your door!

 

[Trebor]

I think you guys are underestimating the current Garand market. Interest in Garands has gone up in the last few years and more collectors are entering the field chasing an ever declining supply of rifles. You can still find bargains in "shooter grade" rifles, but even the average price of those has gone up.

The bottom price on the market generally seems to be whatever the current CMP price is. Once you get past the typical "mix master" rifles and get into collectable parts or really nice condition rifles, the prices just go up and up. Heck, some hard to find parts, like uncut Winchester op-rods, can go for several hundred bucks by themselves.

I recently sold an all WWII Winchester for $800. It wasn't "as built" by Winchester, but none of the parts dated past 1945. I suspect it went through rebuild at the end of WWII and hadn't been touched since then.

I can easily see what appears to be a run of the mill Garand on the outside selling for $1000 to a knowledgable collector after he's looked at all the parts.

 

[Barbara]

Sorry I won't get to meet you tomorrow, Rob. I'm looking forward to giving this a try, although I'm pretty sure I'm going to humiliate myself.

 

[Trebor]

Nah, you'll do fine. Just remember to make sure the bolt is ALL THE WAY back before you put your finger or thumb in the action. Sometimes the bolt will stop on the follower and you'll think it's locked open, but it's not. That's when you get M-1 Thumb. If you can't visualize what I mean, ask someone to show you what the bolt looks like when it's just hung up on the follower.

Other than that, just take your time in the rapid fire stages. You'll have more time than you think.

We'll meet sometime. (I don't know where.... I don't know when...)

 

[Barbara]

Heh..we'll see.

I read the manual, so I knew about the "thumb." I'll be careful.

 

[c_yeager]

I heard that the CMP recently "found" a few new in wrap (i.e. untouched all orginal) rifles that they intend to auction. They predict that they will go for about $5,000 minimum.

 

[Barbara]

Nah, you'll do fine.

Ha!

I stunk, plus the darned thing wouldn't feed properly and sometimes wouldn't eject.

Ah, well. Was fun anyway.

How long before I can feel my arm again?

 

[Stinger]

I saw a D-Day version in a local gunshop yesterday. It was one of only 1944 made.

The price...$1750!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I kid you not.


Stinger

 

[Trebor]

Barb, I'll loan you a M-1 Carbine next time, if we go on the same day. You'll be less sore later.

 

[G21NE]

I heard that the CMP recently "found" a few new in wrap (i.e. untouched all orginal) rifles that they intend to auction. They predict that they will go for about $5,000 minimum.

OK, this is the second time I have read this. I haven't seen anything about it on battlerifles.com or the cmp discussion forum.

Do you have an inside source in the CMP? Or are you just assuming this because there are some collector grade rifles among the Greek returns?