considering an M1 Garand

[alexanderplatz]

Looked at an M1 Garand today that was very nice and I'm thinking about buying it. Throat erosion between 2 and 2.5 on the guage, very good muzzle erosion or lackthereof. Not exactly 'correct grade' per CMP descriptions, but at least matching the CMP's description for 'very good to excellent condition.' The receiver's serial number was in the 3.3 million range. It had been rebarrelled in the 1950's. The stock, which was not the original stock, had a few serious dings but nothing in the way of a deal breaker. Price $1,000. CMP lists $950 for correct grade but then again they don't have any. Any advice?

 

[johnnyonthespot]

heres my advice:

it is my understanding that the "correct grades" are an "as issued" rifle with all matching parts...


please some1 correct me if i am wrong...



the gun you describe... has decent specs but w/o the original stock and the obvious rebuild... i highly doubt it would compare with a correct grade...


the gun I have pictured I shopped for on gunsamerica.com and gunbroker.com...

It has the original barrel with pretty much the same specs u mentioned (2.1=TE, <1=MW) basically an unused rifle... it is PREVIOUSLY FROM THE CMP...

the original stock with the correct markings...

near perfect metal...

only thing is it has a H&R Bolt and a H&R trigger assembly (both appear brand new)


it's a 1955 springfield 5.8xx-xxx...

so even though no part of it saw action in ww2 or Korea... they were making them very solid by that time... so since i wanted one in good shape thats a shooter, a later model garand post war was just right for me...

i shopped around found this one with the specs i wanted... and paid about what you are talking about paying for yours...

i have a feeling that the one i bought was probably just a service grade in minty condition and the former owner made a quick dollar off of me... but i dont care i knew it was the one i had been looking for...

for 1,000.00 you have the luxury of looking around for a good deal...

but if you want to save $ for ever increasing costs of ammo... go with the cmp... i hear there are alot of NICE service grade rifles in the postwar range...

maybe if i swap the trigger assy and bolt on mine for a springfield i can "CORRECTIFY" my M1...

 

[P-32]

I just checked the CMP web site and they do in fact have at this minute Springfield and H&R correct grades in stock.

It's your money but if I were spending close to 1K it would be with the CMP!

 

[GRIZ22]

You can buy a Service Grade from CMP for $595 that is at least as good as the one you describe. The M1s SGs I've gotten from CMP are excellent to excellent minus with the metal and wood very good (that was a Field Grade) to brand new.

If you buy through CMP you know the rifle was put together by people who know what they're doing, been test fired, and will take care of any problem if you find out it isn't right when you get it.

You can take the other $400 and buy about 2000 rds of ammo from CMP.

 

[johnnyonthespot]

griz is right the cmp is a no brainer...

but i am one of those impatient types... especially when dropping hundreds.

if u can jump the hoops and wait you would be a fool not to go the cmp route...

no matter what the grade...

i couldnt wait.

would like to join the cmp for the next one.

no matter what your choice...
the M1 kicks some serious a$$.

 

[TexasRifleman]

it is my understanding that the "correct grades" are an "as issued" rifle with all matching parts...

I just got received a CMP H&R "correct" with a Springfield barrel for what it's worth. Everything else is H&R.

CMP says correct grade means it has the right parts for the date of manufacture, not that they will all be from the SAME manufacturer. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[alexanderplatz]

I agree that the rifle I looked at may not be "correct grade" when it comes to its constituent parts, but I think the throat erosion is considerably better than I could expect from a CMP service grade, which CMP describes as "the muzzle will gauge less than 3 and the throat erosion will gauge less than 5." The rifle in question is on consignment from an estate sale, and probably would be best described as being in excellent condition after arsenal refinishing some time ago.

I am not yet CMP eligible (would need to complete a CCW class) so CMP may sell out of the correct grades in the meantime.

BTW what's the significance of the CMP's comment about "Only available in serial # ranges between 5.4 and 5.8 million" for the Springfield correct grades?

 

[Swampy]

but I think the throat erosion is considerably better than I could expect from a CMP service grade,

Horse hockey..... MANY CMP SG's come with very low gauge numbers.

BTW what's the significance of the CMP's comment about "Only available in serial # ranges between 5.4 and 5.8 million" for the Springfield correct grades?

The current crop of rifles they are selling all came back to the US Army from Greece.... who received all their rifles during the 50's....when the 5 mils were made. The "Corrects" are mostly rifles that the Greeks used very little... hence are still "correct". They also received many WWII era rifles, but those have-had already been re-built in the US before being sent over and may have been re-built again by the Greeks.... i.e. there are no "Correct" WWII era M1's in the batch.

The rifle you are looking at is no better than "Service Grade". I'd never pay $1k for one with that description. $700 tops.....

Best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever

 

[dmftoy1]

I am not yet CMP eligible (would need to complete a CCW class) so CMP may sell out of the correct grades in the meantime.

Or

Spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon shooting a Garand Qualification match at your local shooting range and be qualified AND checked out on how to use your new toy!

Regards,
Dave

 

[30Cal]

The rifle you are looking at is no better than "Service Grade". I'd never pay $1k for one with that description. $700 tops.....

Exactly what I was thinking as I was scrolling down. Offer $700.

 

[sarge83]

I have two Field Grade SA from CMP and the erosion was 2 and 2.5 respectively. I drove to the anniston store and purchased these.

The H&R Service Grade I got for Christmas was a 1.5 which I ordered by mail.

If you are close to one of their stores it's worth the drive to pick the proverbial apple from the tree itself so to speak.

 

[GarandOwner]

Garands are many times overpriced by local gun shops, there is one here that has a mixmaster garand and asking $2000 for it. He says it was made during the Korean war, but it was just re barreled then. Its not always that they are trying to scam you, some people just dont realize how to price garands. +1 for the offer 700. Or wait for CMP, it may take a while to get to you, but its worth the wait.

 

[johnnyonthespot]

how does one go about signing up for one of the weekender garand qualification matches?

I live in Oxford Ohio...the Middletown Sportsman's Club (20 mins away) is an affiliate club of the CMP so I bet I should start looking there...

last I checked out the sportsmans club... you had to be referred there by an active member (or two...)

I have always wanted to join the CMP since I found out about them maybe 5-10 years back... but I have always found too many excuses with $ and memberships and other red-tape...


someone said that local gun shop Garands are overpriced....

they cost more (for less) there... thats for sure...

but... Gun-Store-Garand prices in general seem very reasonable compared with a non-antique, usually foreign produced HANDGUN that often nears or exceeds $1000.00 ...

all i have ever seen at gun shops or flea markets are really spent mixmasters with broken furniture, wasted barrel... etc...

on the internet, more specifically gunbroker.com ... I have seen some very nice CMP guns re-sell for very reasonable sums... and you pick, and get it fast...

However... there is no one to call if you find a defective part...
the CMP will replace parts...

make sure you know what you are looking at before you drop a grand.

 

[kamagong]

how does one go about signing up for one of the weekender garand qualification matches?

Does the club have a website or something? Do you have the number? You can probably call and explain that you want to enter their CMP match so that you can buy a Garand. I'm pretty sure they'll allow you to participate.

 

[dmftoy1]

how does one go about signing up for one of the weekender garand qualification matches?

April 20th there's one at the ISRA range over here in Illinois . . . I'm not sure how far away you are from Kankakee, but it takes me 5 hours at most to get to Cinncinnati from here. If you're interested call the # on the isra.org site next to the match (on their calendar) and tell them you're coming. I'll even pick up your entry fee if you decide to get qualifed! (I'm going to be there shooting that day)

Good Luck!

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[alexanderplatz]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I'll hold on to my thousand. Personally I find the idea of participating in the CMP more attractive anyway. But I am puzzled as to the whole CMP situation when what they promise is a throat erosion of 5 or less, and what people frequently are happy to share is that they did much better than that. It sounds great but then again there's no guarantee of anything that good. Bird in the hand and all that.

 

[Swampy]

But I am puzzled as to the whole CMP situation when what they promise is a throat erosion of 5 or less, and what people frequently are happy to share is that they did much better than that. It sounds great but then again there's no guarantee of anything that good. Bird in the hand and all that.

Sorry, but I don't get what you are not getting.......

The CMP sets the parameters.... and posters are saying they got a rifle within those specs. What's not to understand or like??

Best,
Swampy

Garands forever

 

[TexasRifleman]

It sounds great but then again there's no guarantee of anything that good. Bird in the hand and all that.

Don't forget that CMP is a not for profit organization. The only thing keeping the doors open is selling Garands.

If they got a reputation for shady dealings then sales would lapse and Congress would take the guns back. Those rifles do not belong to CMP. CMP is just selling them for the Army.

One of the few times government has done the right thing

 

[alexanderplatz]

Sorry, but I don't get what you are not getting.......

The CMP sets the parameters.... and posters are saying they got a rifle within those specs. What's not to understand or like??

Yes but the encouragement to buy a service grade from the CMP isn't just that it came in within those specs. The enthusiasm for the CMP seems to be that they often come in even better than promised. But you have no certainty that a rifle will come in that nice. It's kinda like a restaurant where if you order a hamburger, you often get a filet mignon for the same price, which is nice, but there's no guarantee you won't just get the hamburger after all.

What I mean is, there seems to be an element of the chance with the service grades, and one has to accept that, but I don't think it's "shady."

 

[GRIZ22]

I just got received a CMP H&R "correct" with a Springfield barrel for what it's worth. Everything else is H&R.


I think early on H&R used SA barrels and that would make your H&R "Correct".

 

[TexasRifleman]

I think early on H&R used SA barrels and that would make your H&R "Correct".

That is my understanding of it too. Thanks for confirming it. That's the kind of thing that makes the Garand so confusing

 

[30Cal]

Yes but the encouragement to buy a service grade from the CMP isn't just that it came in within those specs. The enthusiasm for the CMP seems to be that they often come in even better than promised.

If you want a nice barrel, ask for one. They'll usually comply if you make a simple request. Better yet, drive to Port Clinton or Anniston and pick the one you want.