A couple of Garand questions

[Quoheleth]

I've been jonesing for a Garand for a couple months and have made a couple posts to that effect (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=446410&page=2). We got our tax return, the wife got a new computer and I sweetly pointed out that a new (to me) Garand is less than the Dell she ordered. I got the green light. Operation Garand is underway, in the planning stages.

But the CMP is backlogged 90-120 days for guns; up to 180 days (6 months!) for ammo. That led me to checking Gunbroker. While many Garands owners there are quite proud of their Garands ($1500 seems to be a common price) there are a few that are at/near CMP prices ~ my budget point.

Question One: There is a Blue Sky import, obviously rebarrelled. Are these worth the $300 price point to have a shooter (i.e., not collector) for the safe? Are these the "Hi Point" of the Garand?

Question Two: While any gun deal on gun sale sites is a leap of faith, is a Garand even a bigger leap? I assume the CMP at least gives their weapons a cursory check of some kind. Can't necessarily say that about GB sellers. In fact, several auctions I checked included such caveats as "Have your gunsmith check this weapon before firing," citing age as a factor.

Question Three: Knowing my budget (lets say $600), am I better off hurrying up and getting in line at the CMP than rolling the dice with an auction? There was one the other day that sold for $385 - not an import - that I had marked to watch but forgot to check at the last hour. Missed that one...but several are in the $500-600 range right now.

Thanks,
Q

 

[nbkky71]

Personally, I'd buy from the CMP and wait for the rifle to show up. The fact that you are getting a genuine USGI rifle that meets the CMP's standards of quality far outweighs the time you would have to wait.

Unless you've done your homework, it's easy to get shafted purchasing an M1 on the auction sites. You'll here some pretty wild claims like "the rifle is unissued/unfired". The mantra to remember is BUY THE RIFLE... NOT THE STORY. Documentation is always a plus.

Also, check out the TRADERS BULLETIN BOARD section on the CMP forum. Folks often sell their CMP M1 rifle there too.

http://www.odcmp.org/new_forum/

 

[FlyinBryan]

i personally would (did) go the cmp route.

i think the quality is awesome at cmp.

i know they testfire every rifle they sell, and their rifles are the real deal.

i get a funny feeling everytime i look at my 1944 springfield from the cmp.

its hard to explain. i just wanted good shooters but it seems like i got more than that somehow???

it reeks of courage and furious determination, you can tell the rifle loves its owner, ready to carry you when when the $%&T gets too deep to continue.



like i said. its hard to explain, and as forrest gump said, "thats all i have to say about that"

 

[Moose458]

Wait for a CMP. You will be guaranteed a good rifle. My first Garand looked like a sweet deal...new barrel, new beautiful walnut stock, only problem was, a bad receiver. The rifle was a return from some country that abused the rifles. To make it look good, the importer reworked the receivers to the point that it wouldn't shoot reliably. My point being is, buyer beware. With the CMP, there is no worries. You will get a nice shootable M1.

 

[foghornl]

Wait for the CMP rifle.

If there is something wrong (highly UNLIKELY, but does sometimes happen), the great folks at the CMP will work dilligently with you to make it right.

When you do buy one from the CMP, you almost always get one that is a notch above "as advertised".

 

[Uncle Mike]

Patients is virtue

Don't do something foolish today that you will regret tomorrow-

You DO roll the dice with on-line firearm sales, working in a custom firearm shop, I'm just not going to say anything good about the on-line sales thing
but......

What people don't think of is the fact that IF the seller will EVEN take the firearm back, you just lost that return shipping and insurance, which is getting to be ridiculus... so if they did take it back, now you buy another one.... bam! Another S&H fee, now your beloved find is $100 more than it started out at.

Brace for the "I bought one off the internet with no problems remarks"...
maybe they did, maybe you won't... that's why we call it rolling the dice!

Good Luck-

 

[longdayjake]

The cheaper ones are always cheaper for a reason. If they are only selling for 500 to 600 on gunbroker then the hundreds of people looking at garands on gunbroker didn't find them to be worth more than that. With the market the way things are right now I wouldn't trust a gunbroker garand that sold for only 500-600 bucks. Thats not to say it wont be the best rifle ever, but I just wouldn't be able to trust it.

 

[Slamfire]

If you saw the condition of the Blue Sky rifles back in the 80's, you would not buy one sight unseen.

The rifles I saw were Korean returns. Very beat up. I think the rifles were all dissasembled, re parked, and assembled from a conex container of random parts. Not to say that with a new barrel, and enough rounds to weed out the worn out parts, that a nice rifle cannot be built around a Blue Sky receiver.

But I would want to see it first.

 

[Quoheleth]

So...to summarize...

1) Blue Sky - Heck no!
2) Gunbroker - Ditto!
3) Hurry up & wait w/CMP.

The other thought I've been bouncing around is get a Ciener conversion for my AR. Midway has 'em right now for $150 or so. I can do a LOT of .22 shooting for the difference between the Garand and the Ciener conversion!

Thanks, folks. I'll delete the watch list on GB, lest I am tempted beyond my restraint...

Q

 

[Tinpig]

Seems like a long wait for CMP, but it's worth it on the day the box arrives (and thereafter.)

In the unlikely event there's a functional problem with your rifle they'll replace parts or the whole rifle without hesitation. If you call customer-service with a problem they connect you to an armorer who treats you like a valued customer.

You can't beat their quality-for-price and service.
Again, it's worth the wait.

Tinpig

 

[benzy2]

CMP. CMP. CMP. Pretty obvious choice. You know the rifles are legit which makes the wait worth it, though I will say I am lucky to live within 45 minutes of the North store. Still even if I had to wait for the rifle I bought I would do so in a heart beat. They seem to hold the better rifles back for the mail orders as well so I wouldn't hesitate to buy one from the CMP without seeing it, especially a Service Grade.

 

[GRAYRID3R]

I agree with all the CMP posts,but if you can't stand the wait,or are concerned the money may be spent by the time CMP ships, you can try this guy.....http://www.garandguy.com/issuegrade.htm

$750.00 on sale until 4/30/09 for a VERY nice Garand and a year warranty. I bought one from him a year ago and have no complaints.

 

[charlesb_la]

CMP

If you really want a treat get your papers in order and take a road trip to the South Store in Anniston and pick one out for yourself. It would make a nice overnight trip, about 11 hour trip one way for you. You can pick up some ammo while you're there.

 

[NC-Mike]

CMP

If you really want a treat get your papers in order and take a road trip to the South Store in Anniston and pick one out for yourself. It would make a nice overnight trip, about 11 hour trip one way for you. You can pick up some ammo while you're there.

Yep, I'll be there very soon with my son, who turns 18 in a few days.

He's gonna pick out his birthday present.

 

[FlyinBryan]

Yep, I'll be there very soon with my son, who turns 18 in a few days.

He's gonna pick out his birthday present

thats outstanding man.

the way it ought to be right there.

 

[elktrout]

I agree with Grayrid3r on Tony at www.garandguy.com when it comes to buying from a source other than the CMP. Tony does great work. I bought one of his Super Premium models recently. His work is excellent and comes with a one year guarantee. He only charged me $25 for shipping. He is worth while considering if you do not want to wait.

 

[rondog]

Road trip! Make the drive to the South Store and buy one in person. No waiting that way, take your rifle and ammo with you right then. Make a weekend vacation out of it for you and the missus. I wish I lived close enough, but Denver's just too far away.

I told them they need to open a West Store. The Denver area would be perfect!

 

[CZguy]

Road trip! Make the drive to the South Store and buy one in person. No waiting that way, take your rifle and ammo with you right then. Make a weekend vacation out of it for you and the missus.

Patience is a virtue.

Order it, and avoid sales tax.

You can't go wrong either way.

 

[Slamfire]

Road trip! Make the drive to the South Store and buy one in person. No waiting that way, take your rifle and ammo with you right then.

Absolutely avoid going to CMP South or CMP North.

You will save more money buying something off Gun Broker than going to the CMP.

Because you will leave the CMP with far more rifles than you ever thought you needed.

I escaped with only a $4,000 credit card bill

Others have faired worse.

 

[61chalk]

Slamfire1...But you got 4 free T-shirts though! At least last April at N. Store you got one with every 1000.00 spent...I went planning on spending around 800.00.....ching, ching, 1700.00....but I got a T-shirt!

 

[rondog]

Order it, and avoid sales tax.

Sales tax is a small price to pay, IMO, for the phsycological benefits of immediate possession.

 

[ctgmi]

I’d have to agree will the others and be patient and go through the CMP.

 

[PCGS65]

Another vote for the CMP. I just received a SA SG(service Grade)with a ME of 1.
Most you see on gunbroker are FG(field Grades)which are one step down from service grades, but with an inflated price. Bores are not as good and neither is the stock. CMP sells field grades for $500 and service grades $600.
CMP is the way to go and well worth the wait. Order plenty of ammo while your at it too. It's only going to cost more in the near future and your locked in at the price when you place the order. Plus IF there's anything wrong with your rifle CMP will fix it free of charge. They are tops at customer service.

 

[Tim the student]

Road trip! Make the drive to the South Store and buy one in person. No waiting that way, take your rifle and ammo with you right then

Yep. Immediate possession, you get to choose it, and if you ask questions, they will be answered by folks who have forgotten more than many people will ever learn.

I debated about driving to the North Store, and I finally did when I was done with my finals and don't regret it one bit. I think it was a lot more satisfying to wait for the trip to come than to wait for the truck.

 

[auberg]

One more for the CMP. They are worth the wait. And, if you do have a problem, they will be there to fix it. You won't get that from most off of Gunbroker.