CMP Update 18 FEB

[johnmcl]

Hi all,

I got an e-mail CMP update today that has valuable insight. Here's the pertinent sections:

CARBINE AMMO. At this time CMP does not have any carbine ammo for sale. If we are successful in acquiring some, we will post the information on our website and also include it in a CMP Sales Update.

CMP "USGI" GARAND RIFLES. The CMP has been notified that any M1 Garand rifles still in depot storage will not be transferred to the CMP, but will be retained in support of veterans' organizations. We had expected to receive some of these Garands for use in filling the backlog of "USGI" orders. Any future transfers of M1 Garands to the CMP will be MAP returns and will not meet our current definition of "USGI". As a result, over the next few weeks our staff will be contacting everyone who has an existing order for a "USGI" Garand to find out if the customers would like to change the order to an option currently in stock or cancel the order altogether.

Summary:

Carbine ammo is not available from CMP. Earlier communications show that accessories such as slings, oilers, and mags are not available either. If you are anticipating a carbine purchase in April or September, the time to buy magazines and ammo is NOW. I can easily see demand outstripping supply in the coming months.

CMP got suprised by the Army deciding to hold onto their Garands. This means the estimates for non-MAP M1 Garands coming into the CMP system went from some number N to a number approaching zero. I usually try not to second guess authors, but the implicit message may be that the future of CMP Garands is defined by what's on hand now. I say that as watching the CMP websites I see the selection of Garands, even MAP, is dwindling fast. I suspect we'll soon be remembering the good old days.

Read, heed, and take action.

Thanks,

 

[DMK]

What is MAP?

 

[johnmcl]

MAP Defined

DMK,

Sorry. MAP is the US Military Assitance Program that provided military equipment under the Marshall Plan to Europe following WWII.

I'll have to check to be sure, but I think the original plan was operational from 1945 to 1955. There were several follow-ons to this plan. Historically, MAP is the precedessor to International Military Education Training (IMET) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs. I think today that only FMS is hot.

 

[offthepaper]

What exactly is the difference between the USGI and the Greek, Dane, or other Garands that are returned to the US, other than the chance of a replacement stock? How much should this figure into a Garand purchase? Is it possible/common for4 some Garands to have gone to allied countries and return with all / most of the parts intact?

 

[Danus ex]

Uffda. I too received the email. The worst news is definitely with the Garands. I put my order for a service grade (my first milsurp, hopefully) in the mail the day before they stopped taking orders. I'm still waiting, and I hope I'm not screwed. All this Greek ammo in Garand clips will be useless! (Unless I pay some schmuck twice what I paid CMP.)

 

[mindwip]

They had my order for over three months and i still have not received my garands (sercive grade). And now this it sucks big time.

 

[johnmcl]

Couple of Answers

Hi all,

Offthepaper, You've got the sense of it. The only difference between a USGI and a return from a foreign power (Greek/Dane) is the potential of a different stock. Those rifles went overseas as Springfields, Winchesters, International Harvesters, and Harrington & Richards, and that's how they come back.

I'd buy a Greek return (and have) with a clean conscience that you have an M1 Garand.

Danus, Wow, I hope you are ok on the Service Grade. If you're hosed, you might consider buying a rack grade and then a service barrelled action. Swap out the barrel on the rack grade, install the service barrelled action and you've got a Service grade rifle. You'll need a couple of low cost test tools to ensure you're headspacing correctly though. I think you'll be in the $700 price range when done. That's still less than what's out there commercially.

Not an easy path forward, but very accomplishable.

 

[MechAg94]

CMP also sells new barrels for $165. Might be an option to upgrade a rack or field grade.

 

[johnmcl]

Additional Tooling Needed

Mech,

That's a very plausible idea about purchasing a Rack grade and then installing a service grade barrel. The challenge though is the need for additional tooling. You'll still need the timing gauge as with the barrelled receiver solution, but I think you'd need a barrel vise too for your idea.

You see it too. The easy days for a service grade rifle are behind us.

 

[JNewell]

I might be mis-remembering, but weren't there a whole lot of Garands with various Italian parts in the action (Beretta and Breda)?

 

[GRIZ22]

What exactly is the difference between the USGI and the Greek, Dane, or other Garands that are returned to the US, other than the chance of a replacement stock? How much should this figure into a Garand

I might be mis-remembering, but weren't there a whole lot of Garands with various Italian parts in the action (Beretta and Breda)?

The Greek return SG I got last summer is completely GI parts including a RRAD rebuild stock. The only difference is it has the black shiny Greek finish which many dislike but doesn't bother me as it looks like my rifle was refinished and sent to me. The stock only has shipping minor dings.

The only effect this and foreign parts would have on the price is if you're looking for a collector rifle. If you want a shooter it makes no difference at all. If it has Italian parts it adds a story to tell about the rifle. Beretta, being the oldest firearms manufacturer in the world, did not get to be that with low quality. The quality of these parts is as good as USGI. It also shows the countries that had these rifles had the technology to make their own parts as needed. The Danish replacement barrels are considered a prize. They are considered to be better than standard GI barrels for a shooter.

 

[Thin Black Line]

The CMP has been notified that any M1 Garand rifles still in depot storage will not be transferred to the CMP, but will be retained in support of veterans' organizations. We had expected to receive some of these Garands for use in filling the backlog of "USGI" orders.

About how many are still in depot storage?