Buying CMP M1 Garand - ownership details and choices

[Gator]

Second thoughts? Buying an M1 from the CMP is one of the best gun buys you will ever make. Neither the rack nor service grades have shot out barrels. The service grades will have less wear, but the rack grades will still have lots of life left in them.

As to this:

Both stated about the same thing that Birch stocks were pretty standard after the war started because walnut was in short supply

I think you are misremembering. Birch was not used until long after WWII ended, and then only for replacement stocks. Maybe what they said was that birch was not used until after the war ended. No new M1 Garands ever came from SA, WRA, H&R, or IHC with birch stocks.

 

[transformerguru]

here is my service grade and some of its buddies

 

[dmftoy1]

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...

??? You will NOT get a shot out barrel from CMP on a Service Grade . . . that's not how they work. They are in the business of providing you with a gun that you can use to develop marksmanship skills with.

Will you get brand new M1 Garand that's never been fired with a perfect stock . .no. Will you get a gun with decent finish, and alot of life left in the barrel . .yes. Will there be dings on the stock. yes. (although alot less than many I've seen in the racks at gun shows and gun shops).

Let's say you shoot one Garand Service rifle match per month. I think on average I shoot a bandolier and 1/2 of ammo at a match. (call it 75 rounds). Over the course of a year you'll shoot 750 rounds (assuming you make 10 matches). Throw in some practice ammo for another 750 rounds and you're at 1500. I'd say that a CMP Service Grade rifle would last you two years before needing a new barrel. (on average) You've just spent $800 on ammo (buying CMP HXP). The cost of a new barrel and having it installed is pretty miniscule in comparision.

Now the above example is pretty extreme. I doubt that most people who buy garands run even 1000 rounds through them. I'd be willing to bet that you would get tired of shooting your Garand and run out of money buying ammo before you "shot out" a Service Grade Barrel. (just my .02, no offense intended)

Regards,
Dave

 

[joewill]

The useful life of an M1 barrel is approximately 6000 rounds. Experience has shown that after 6000 rounds a reasonable marksman will detect poorer scores on his/her target and will want to re-barrel the rifle. The "cone of dispersion" opens up noticeably beyond 6000 rounds due to muzzle wear and increasing throat erosion. This is taken from an article in the Summer 2007 edition of the GCA Journal.

 

[cracked butt]

I'd buy another service grade M1 without hesitation. The barrel on the one I bought a few years ago was almost new.

As far as diffences go betwen manufacturers, H&R supposedly had the best looking machining cosmetically and Winchester had the worst, but neither had any effect on function.

 

[threefeathers]

No you will not be the actual owner. If a Veteran with a Purple Heart wants it all he has to do is yell "That was mine during the Big One." He then gets it.

Next they are all out.

You cannot get one if you have ever visited Canada or Mexico or lusted after Senorita's.

I got the last 2 Garands and today the last Saginaw M-1 Carbine. None of you can have them.

My service grade Garands (Pronounced like jerand. Cause I was involved in a suit with one of John C's grandsons and the little fellow made a point of how Americans mispronounce a proper Canadian name.) are great rifles and they are really the same as if you reported to a unit from 1942 through 62 and were issued a rifle. They are tested, fixed if needed, and shipped.

 

[Onmilo]

The first CMP rifle I ever bought was from the old DCM and it was one M1 per customer per lifetime.
Mine was a 4.2 million Springfield and I waited almost a year to get it.
I still have that rifle.

Since the CMP relaxed the ordering process things got a lot better.
I have ordered and received eight CMP M1 rifles since the old DCM was abandoned and all were quite good except for the wood.
The worst barrel throat guaged as a 4 and the muzzle was nearly shot out.

I rebarrelled that rifle with a Citadel 7.62 NATO caliber barrel and rebuilt the gun to National Match standards, still have it too.

Of the rest of the rifles I have since sold four of them to friends mainly because the rifles were H&R or International Harvester or a specific number block Springfield and they pestered me until I relented and sold them the rifles.

An American citizen, especially a veteran, will not go wrong buying a CMP rifle.
They are tangible pieces of our history and heritage and any true American would be proud to own one.

 

[joewill]

As Gator and others have said only walnut was used to produce new M1 stocks during WW2. It was not until Feb. 1943 that the armory's supply of WW1 stock blanks was exhausted. Contracts were placed with 16 suppliers for walnut blanks. By March 1943 the Armory had contracted for one and one-half million walnut stock blanks. Specifications for raw stock material were very strict and all blanks were carefully inspected so you can be sure the Govt. got the walnut they contracted for.
In 1941, prior to locating the WW1 blanks the Armory had explored the possibility of making M1 stocks from various materials such as resin bonded birch plywood blanks and also plastic stocks. Following testing these ideas were rejected and the program discontinued.
Two things I would recomend for those really wishing to learn about the M1 rifle are, one - Join the Garand Collectors Asso. (GCA) and two, buy Scott Duff's books "The Garand: World War 2" and " The M1 Garand: Post World War 2".