Buying CMP M1 Garand - ownership details and choices

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judaspriest

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If I buy a CMP M1, will I become a full owner of the rifle in every sense of the word (i.e. free to modify it in any way I like or even sell it, though highly unlikely) or it will there be some limitations?

I am thinking of the service grade (I am a plinker, not a collector, so no need for correct grade and service vs. field is only $100), but not sure about Springfield vs. Harrington & Richardson. Which one is a better deal as far as reliability/accuracy? The price is exactly the same.

Many thanks,

JP
 
Not any more, it's all yours from day one.

There used to be wording in the papers you signed about not selling for a year or somesuch, as well as limits on how much you could purchase.

They removed all that language a good while back.

Once you receive it, it's all yours.

Do give a thought to collector grade though, they tend to have better barrels if you're going to shoot it a lot.

As for SA or H&R? Take your pick. Any H&Rs are going to be late manufacture dates and the serial numbers they have left for SA are as well so there's not much chance of you getting a "genuine" WWII rifle any longer, so get what you can get at this point in my opinion.
 
To the OP: Do it, do it, do it! :D

Hmmm - I thought there was still a 12-per-year limit, but I might be mistaken. I know there are no restrictions on modding or selling it that I know of.

My H&R Service Grade, a 1954 vintage IIRC:
100_9743.jpg

There's quite a bit of wear on the gas assembly, but still, I'm QUITE happy with mine! Great bore.
 
I thought there was still a 12-per-year limit, but I might be mistaken.
Click to expand...

I thought there was too but I don't see it in any of the documents anymore. That's a really nice looking rifle.
 
The manufacturere doesn't matter. All the parts will be mixed from different manufacturers anyway.

I think the Service Grade is the best value for the money myself. You may get a little nicer rifle with the collector grade, but you are definately paying for the privilege. If you can afford it though, why not?

If nothing else though, don't go *below* Service Grade, unless you plan to totally rebuild the rifle anyway.
 
JP:

I strongly suggest you "invest" in the gasoline to drive there. If you order one, you get "...luck of the draw". If you drive in, you can pick the cream-of-the-crop. I was just there this past week, and the selection is really quite nice!!! They had about 20 Collector Grade SAs on the floor. All were in the 5,600,000 range and at least 100 field grade. They had two full racks of H&R field grades. There were no service grades.

All facts considered, I suggest a field or service grade. They do sell extra Criterion barrels there as well. Take lots of coin for the ammo while you're there as well.

:D
 
No, there is no difference between any of the M-1 manufacturers in a CMP gun.

There *may* have been some differences when the guns were made 60 plus years ago, but all the parts have been mixed and matched since then so any small difference is no longer an issue. Remember, these parts had to be fully interchangable and the government QC was pretty strict as well.

While some of the vendors did have QC problems from time to time, those were all pretty much resolved over time and parts were constantly being upgraded at the factory and the rifles in service were constantly being upgraded with the newest revisions and latest parts.

Today, as a practical matter, there is no real quality difference between any of the manufacturers of a CMP rifle.
 
Are you sure thay have collector grade rifles available, I just looked at the CMP website and there are correct grade rifles with prices listed but not collector grade. Last time they had collector grade riles they were 1400 ea if I remeber correct.
 
You say you are not a collector so, for a shooter, I would go with the "Service Grade", you will get a better barrel than with rack or field grade. WW2 guns still available, but only in rack or field grades. Add a "sticky" note to order form requesting WW2. CMP will do there best.
 
I've done a lot of ammo buying at CMP and even visited a number of times. What's confusing to me is their "Collector" grade M1. That's where I really differ with CMP.
Their collector grade rifle just isn't old or collectable. It's made from a number of parts that were not stock issue for the original rifle, and from what I saw the collector grade rifles were all walnut stocks. (At least they were whein I was there). I can't answer for the barrels but I don't think they are.
The majority of M1 Garands issued in the early part of the war were not walnut but birch stocks and all the parts came from the same factory. The Bolt action M1's were the same. There's all sorts of other things as well. I do know that over the years different parts were replaced bullet guides, and rear sight assemblies. I would think the more oem parts the more valuble the rifle.
 
I think you have it backwards. My understanding is that Walnut stocks were the original stocks used for WWII rifle production. The Birch stocks were used later as replacement stocks. I'm not sure when or if the Birch stocks were used on original production rifles. If they were, I don't think it was until the 1950's.

Here's the only link I could find on this after a few minutes of searching. I have the info on WWII stock production in one of my books on the M-1 Garand, but we just moved and I don't have any idea where that book is now.

http://www.trfindley.com/pgm1stkid.html

Edit: I did some more reading and it looks like the Birch stocks were only used as replacement stocks starting in the 1950's.

Btw, what's a "bolt action M-1"
 
Do give a thought to collector grade though, they tend to have better barrels if you're going to shoot it a lot.


I don't know about that. The worst barrel I've gotten on a CMP Garand measured a 2 at each end and that was a Field Grade with a VAR barrel which is my best shooting (1 1/2" at 100 yd) Garand. All my other SGs shoot 2" groups. This is with HXP Greek ammo.

Service grade is your best bet for a shooter. All the H&Rs are all high serial number so they probably never went to war and are usually in better shape. The same goes for a high serial number Springfield.

The Garand was a rifle that got better and better as they made it. The high serial numbers are the best as far as a shooter.
 
I just got mine back in September or October and I got a Service Grade for $595 and when it arrived I was totally blown away. Condition of it is much better than I expected. While I would have driven there and picked it myself if I could have I guess my "luck of the draw" was good that day. FWIW, I bought mine as a shooter although I have yet to shoot it. We moved and I'm still getting situated but now that the weather is good I am itching to shoot it.
 
I think you have it backwards. My understanding is that Walnut stocks were the original stocks used for WWII rifle production. The Birch stocks were used later as replacement stocks. I'm not sure when or if the Birch stocks were used on original production rifles. If they were, I don't think it was until the 1950's.
I had mine surveyed twice. Once at CMP and an independent armorer in Columbus. sn#2035467 SA. The issue date was Nov 1942. There were two replacement parts, the rear sight cover plate and the bullet guide. Both stated about the same thing that Birch stocks were pretty standard after the war started because walnut was in short supply. The armorer at CMP stated the bullet guide and rear sight cover plate were probably put on in the late 40's or early 50's.
I carried the M1 I was issued in boot camp in 1962. In Oct 1963 while stationed in Oahu we were issued the M14. At that time we were allowed to purchase the M1's for $50.00 plus the shipping back to the US. I took the offer and had mine shipped back home. I still have it. The M14 issue started around 1957 and as usual the USMC was at the bottom of the totem pole. When we qualified on it in Oahu I didn't like it and still don't. In semi auto mode after about 4~5 rounds they kept jambing in the magazines. The company armorer stated there were also problems bolts freezing up after extended firing as well. He was right. The Brigade got sent to Rung Sat and we got first hand experence with it.
If you're interested you can check this site.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m1garand.htm


Btw, what's a "bolt action M-1"

The battle of Gaudalcanal in 1942 and early 1943 Marines were issued the Springfield 03-A3s. Very few Garands were issued. It wasn't until the 164th Infantry Regiment rienforcement arrived that Garands showed up. The original invasion Marines tossed the 03-03's grabing the Garands from the dead or wounded. The Marines were issued Garands after the Army.
 
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ar10 said:
.....I had mine surveyed twice. Once at CMP and an independent armorer in Columbus. sn#2035467 SA. The issue date was Nov 1942. .....
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ar10,

Unless you've included an extra number in your serial #, there's no way a 7 digit Springfield Armory Garand dates from August of 1942. I've got the Scott Duff books at home (not in front of me here at work) and my 6 digit Springfield Armory M-1 dates to August of '42.

I'll look your number up when I get home and find the books and report back (it may take awhile........my house is a wreck!)

;)
 
I thought there was still a 12-per-year limit, but I might be mistaken.

I thought there was too but I don't see it in any of the documents anymore.
Click to expand...

It's in the FAQs:
http://www.odcmp.com/faqs.htm

How many M1 rifles may I purchase per year?
Purchase of M1 Garand rifles is limited to twelve (12) per customer per calendar year - regardless of grades purchased.

The CMP occasionally also conducts other special sales programs as assets become available. These special sales and purchases through the CMP auction site do not count against the above.
Click to expand...
 
Both stated about the same thing that Birch stocks were pretty standard after the war started because walnut was in short supply

IIRC a lot of the birch came from trees Springfield Armory had cut down to improve a test range they had.
 
Having second thoughts about the CMP now.

The sweet spot in terms of prices seems to be at the service level (only $155 more than the rack-grade). However, this is a lottery and if I get one with a shot-out barrel, a rebarreling job will be (I am guessing) around $300 at least bringing the whole package cost to around $900. At $900, I could probably get one at a show and examine it before buying...
 
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