An M1 Garand will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine!

[Col. Plink]

Hey y'all,

Glad to say I have now put the last of my ducks in a row to visit the CMP in Anniston, AL!

I'll be perusing the arsenal for a Springfield 'field grade' that looks like a good shooter. I understand the good folks there are very halpful and that a dilligent soul might find what otherwise might be considered a 'service grade' arm in the 'field grade' rack. Really, I'll just be looking for the best mechanics/bore/barrel I can find in that grade.

Are the H&R's considered better? Should I be prepared to go with something post-WWII in order to get the best condition? My cousin ordered a service grade some years back and got a nice '43. I'd love to have something of that vintage but might be willing to sacrifice nostalgia for better condition. Here's to hoping I won't have to!

I plan to deal with whatever stock issues I'm dealt due to the 'field grade' issue as best I can. I doubt I will try to restore the oil finish in the original way. I've had some luck with an old SKS stock by sanding well and then using coats of polyurethane with successively finer grit sandings. A bit time-consuming if the stock has lots of pits, but I figure the work goes where it's needed and the stock is effectively sealed after the last coat dries. May even try a dunk method if I can, for a one-step seal after the last sanding of the raw wood is complete.

Gonna get me five spam cans of ammo too, while I'm at it. Wish I could justify buying some of that Aguilla .30carbine ammo for cheap. I'll certainly be bringing home a case of the .22!

If I play my cards right I'll be shooting my Garand somewhere on the 4th of July in my own little tip o' the hat to the freedom I treasure.

 

[FlyinBryan]

Are the H&R's considered better?

some do say the hr quality is better as far as machining marks and things like that are concerned, but i wanted springfields too, and love them.

i just liked the way "springfield m1 garand" rolls off the tongue, lol.

ours are a 1944 model and a mid 50's model. both are outstanding and super accurate.

 

[GRIZ22]

Are the H&R's considered better?

The H&Rs incorporated all the improvements made over time. So did the high (about 4.5 million up) SAs. All the high SNs were made after the Korean War so few went to war and are generally in better condition.

I doubt I will try to restore the oil finish in the original way. I've had some luck with an old SKS stock by sanding well and then using coats of polyurethane with successively finer grit sandings.

Refinishing with linseed or tung oil is not that hard. See the CMP website for how to do it.

For $100 more a SG is a much better buy. You can't bring a FG to SG specs for $100. You also may get a new Boyd's stock with a SG. I've gotten 2. The one with the CMP cartouche on the pistol grip is a nicer stock.

 

[D94R]

I just received my two SG HRA M1's from CMP. Both in the 5,xxx,xxx range. Both had new CMP cartouched stocks well... they are beauts!

 

[joejoeshooter]

I am gonna be about an hour from the CMP location next week.

Question?

What do you expect to drop on your purchase? What do they sell the spam cans for? what do they get for .22lr?

and what about the rifle? How much for say something average?

Thanks for the info.

jjs

 

[FlyinBryan]

for your viewing pleasure

 

[61chalk]

I have a 1942 SA, Field Grade with a 1951 HRA barrel that shoots awesome, the wood was terriable. I would recommend a new CMP stock....if you see them you will want one, and they will make your Field Grade look 100% better an the tight fitting new wood, after a few shots to settle it in, may in fact shoot better than the rough old wood thats on it...it really is worth the extra money.

 

[Tim the student]

Col. Plink, I have no doubts that you will walk out of there with a nice rifle. I suggest that you get more than 5 spam cans if you can afford it. I went down over Spring Break, and got 4, and I really wish that I would have found a way to get more than that. However, I will be driving past the North Store soon, and will be spending some of my "stop loss" pay.

FlyinBryan, you have one nice looking rifle. Is it a special grade?


joejoeshooter, http://www.thecmp.org/m1garand.htm will have costs and grade explainations on that page. You can get a really good shooter (Field Grade) for $495. That page also has links to the ammo pricing, and when I bought mine, a can of 192 rounds was $75. I don't know, but I don't think that they have any .22 ammo there. You can also look through the CMP forums for more info on what the stores currently have in stock. If you haven't already, please make sure that you have all of your documentation in order before you go. I'd hate to see you get there and then not be able to purchase anything.

 

[FlyinBryan]

FlyinBryan, you have one nice looking rifle. Is it a special grade?

thanks tim, and naw, its just a service grade that cleaned up really nice.

 

[Tim the student]

It sure did! The metal looks great, as does the wood.

 

[FlyinBryan]

thank you very much!!!

i just wiped them (i bought 2) down with denatured alcohol, then boiled linseed oil on the stocks.

col plink has the right idea to go if he can make the trip, he will find a bute.

col plink, be prepared for what you will see when you walk into the showroom. upon seeing hundreds of m1's, all stood up in perfect alignment, i almost had a nervous breakdown before i could even get across the room.

you know how a little kid looks when they see santa at the mall?,,,,,the way they just take off running in the general direction with their arms extended, their fingers all spread out making the clutching motion, and their mouths wide open as if screaming but too much excitement for any sound to come out, other than that strange sound you can make while trying to talk, except your inhaling deeply while trying to use your vocal chords instead of while your exhaling?,,,,,,,,,,,,,then you get to the rack you were running towards and you turn around and look in the direction you came from and see 4-5 guys looking at you strangly and checking to see if you lifted their wallet when you blitzed by???????

dont be like me. try to walk across the room like you have at least a measurable amount of self control.

 

[Seminole]

dont be like me. try to walk across the room like you have at least a measurable amount of self control.

Heh, heh, heh!

 

[FlyinBryan]

col. plink, this is a service grade also, but i did see many field grades that looked almost identical except for the wood. for some reason all the service grades had new wood, and only about half the field grades did, but many had really nice g.i. stocks.

as far as the metal, youd be hard pressed to tell them apart without the gauges. many fields had chambers that looked as clean as this one.

get a muzzle gauge and just walk down the rows. they have them all set up where you can just walk down the row without even touching the rifles, sticking the gauge in the muzzles, and when you get to a really good one, stop, pick it up, and decide if thats the one you want to adopt.

i did check many service and fields, and saw many field muzzles that would easily make the cut for a service grade.

you will absolutely leave there with a fantastic rifle that has been test fired, headspace checked, and for lack of a better term, a warranty.

i know they say they are all sold used, and as is, but it is widely known if you have probs, they will take care of you FOR FREE.

they are truly too good to be true.

also, when they check headspace, they use the "nogo" gauge, which is a higher standard than the normal "field gauge"

if you buy a service of a field, you will leave anniston with a first rate, safe, very accurate rifle. i wish i was going with you.

it truly is one of those "too good to be true" deals.







congrats.

 

[Col. Plink]

WOW! That is a fine specimen, Bryan. Thanks for the encouragement, I'll be using all the advice collected so far.

I've heard there are no Service Grade SA's to be had (reserved for mail orders?), so I'll get the best Field Grade they've got!

So it's: try to keep your composure, check muzzles with the CMP guage, look at a few with the best bores/barrels, and take one home with ~1k rounds. Got it!

Any and all other pointers much appreciated.

 

[Tim the student]

Don't forget to talk to people too. The staff will help you out, as will other customers. There will be a boatload of knowledge in that store.

 

[FlyinBryan]

WOW! That is a fine specimen, Bryan.

why thank you sir.

Any and all other pointers much appreciated.

try to get there early. i thought if i got there at 7:30 that i would be first in line, lol, i was mistaken. prolly 20-25 people in front of me, but i was still in and out pretty fast. (out the doow with 2 rifles by 9:45!!!)

as soon as they open you will go through a door and there is a signin book. everyone signs in. then you go through another door and your in the showroom. take an immediate left and you will see the service counter. its about 15' long and on the same wall of the door you just walked in, and that is where you can borrow the gauges. they will have you leave your drivers license there and give you the gauges. this is also the counter you take the rifle you pick out to. they will put a red tag on the barrel right behind the front sight that says "SOLD TO COL. PLINK"

then in the opposite corner of the showroom from the door you came in is a little single wide cashiers window. this is the window where you pay and get your paper work turned in. it might be a good idea to turn in your paper work first actually (thats what i did, and it just takes a second.)

then just go browsing around while they get your paperwork done, and when your ready they will call your name "col. plink!!!!!! your all set!!!!!! then you walk out, down a little hallway to the right of the service counter. it leads you to the rear of the service room and you will come to a little counter. then a very tall pretty girl will bring your baby to you carefully wrapped and in a bright green plastic bag, and they will also give you a smaller white plastic bag that has some goodies in it. a clip, a manual, a lock, a empty chamber flag (little plastic thing you can stick in the chamber at the range or match to show your garand is empty and safe.

dont overlook the h&r rifles. the quality of these is definitly on par with the springfields, and they will probably have service grades

and when you get back let me know if they have any 30-40 krag jorgenson's.

check their carbine situation too and let me know. when we were there they had lots of carbines but they were a little rough compared to the garands they had, which were superb.

i would estimate that there will be around 150-200 garands in the racks.

typing this has made me want to go back very very badly.

 

[Col. Plink]

Wow, wish I could leave today. Tomorrow will have to do! I'm guessing crowds will be heavier than most, before a holiday closing and all. Is there a separate procedure for buying the ammo? I'm thinking 5 cans, plus one case .22LR

I'll be there with a friend who will be helping me with my selection but will not be buying; that's OK, right? He did a mailorder service grade and was very happy with the selection made for him by the good people at CMP.

Thanks again for the pointers!

 

[mypps]

might want to call ahead and see if they have ammo. when i was at the north store a couple of months ago, they had none and where having trouble keeping stock. things may have changed since, but i had my hopes up that i would be coming home with a carbine, mags and ammo. instead, it was just the carbine. good luck, though. reading this makes me want to go get a garand. sounds like another roadtrip.

 

[FlyinBryan]

I'll be there with a friend who will be helping me with my selection but will not be buying; that's OK, right?

yep, no prob.

in fact you could have him go to the service counter and get the gauges while you go to the other window to get your paper work started.

of course you know that you have to have your paper work in order.

as far as ammo, i just put it on the order form with the rifle so it was all one deal for me.