Does Anyone Still Buy from the CMP?

[Jeff H]

Interesting read on the CMP website about how the 1911 sales will happen. http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/1911-information/

Still the same basic requirements as buying the Garand, but way more steps and looks overly complicated. I understand the reasoning for the 2 NICS checks, but I'm sure some people will complain about it. We'll see how this goes.

 

[P5 Guy]

Do any of you folks remember the 'Greek Rack Grade M1s" for $295 plus shipping?
I did buy one of those. The MW was under 2 and the TE was 2. The wood had challenges and initials carved at the wrist. I got two M1903A3s from the CMP that were spectacular, for being built in 1943. Rebuilt? At least once for both but the barrel dates were in line with the serial numbers.
My Greek Racker now has a nice three piece walnut suit. My other two M1s have original +/- wood with nothing more than a 'P'. They shoot and function very well for their age.
Look nice too.

 

[hso]

What am I missing here?

You're missing the obvious fact these firearms were issued and not some civilian toy.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I was not aware that my utterly superior SW1911 was a toy! Thank you for your insightful and not at all condescending comment.

I see from the posts on this thread (and on other forums) that the CMP situation was better in days gone by, which makes it similar to the C&R situation and the general situation with used or surplus foreign guns.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

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[cfullgraf]

I see from the posts on this thread (and on other forums) that the CMP situation was better in days gone by, which makes it similar to the C&R situation and the general situation with used or surplus foreign guns.

Yes, the inventory of rifles available are probably not as nice as in years past. The Garands kept in US warehouses have either already passed through the CMP or destroyed by "Captain Crunch". The countries that had Garands via the loaner program probably have not kept them in the best of conditions. The good ones have already past through the CMP and the good ones found in the current returns will be placed in the auction system.

That is not to say that rifles purchased from CMP are not good rifles. The Special grades are excellent as they have been rebuilt. The service grades are very good. With a little TLC, the field grades are good shooters. For a piece of history, the CMP Garands are a good deal.

You have to remember that even in the best of times at CMP, the bulk of the Garands and Carbines have been rebuilt by the military at least once so finding a rifle with the parts it was originally built with were slim. Some folks like to collect Garands with the rebuilt marks on the frame. (My first Garand is a Red River Arsenal rebuild)

You have to remember, there is a finite number of Garands and Carbines out there and eventually the surplus inventory will drop to "zero". Then, the only available rifles will be re-sales on the commercial market.

Only time will tell on the 1911's.

 

[George Dickel]

Based on my experience with the 1911's I carried in the Army I wouldn't pay $10.50 for one. They were so worn and beat up that hitting a target at 25 yards was quite difficult. Granted there will be a few that are in reasonably decent condition but for the most part the rest will be worn out and require quite a bit of time, money and effort to return them to serviceable condition.

 

[amd6547]

At the time I drove to North Store and picked out my Inland M1 Carbine, which I believe I paid $479 for, they were being flipped at local gun shows for $650.
It's worth quite a bit more now.
But it is priceless to me, for all the shooting enjoyment it has brought, as well as being a viable, useful part of my home defense plan.
I enjoy looking at every little gouge in it's I-cut rockola made stock.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Based on my experience with the 1911's I carried in the Army I wouldn't pay $10.50 for one. They were so worn and beat up that hitting a target at 25 yards was quite difficult. Granted there will be a few that are in reasonably decent condition but for the most part the rest will be worn out and require quite a bit of time, money and effort to return them to serviceable condition.

This sounds like what my dad told me. He did very well as a marksman in the Army during the Korean War, using the M1 Garand. Then they made him a prison guard somewhere in the desert, and they gave him a pistol to carry. He said he couldn't hit anything with the .45. Someone he worked with said that if he had to use it, the trick was to run up to the prisoner and put the muzzle in his ear.

 

[Kilrb]

I wanted one of the 1911’s but with the prices and as mentioned in other comments the condition. I will buy new or find one somewhere else.

 

[GBExpat]

FWIW, I have 20 rifles that I have purchased from the CMP.

I am a real fan of the CMP, but I will be passing on the 1911s ... just too many extra hoops for me.

 

[Laphroaig]

I thought that this video was very well done. It gives some insight into the CMP and what they went through to bring the Philippine Garands back home.

http://thegca.org/videos/

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Years ago, someone told me I should get an M1 carbine from the CMP. He said it was a great source for cheap carbines. I checked, and as I recall, they were running around $650, minimum. I thought that was too much for a worn carbine, so I passed.

If you look at the current auctions, $650 seems like a bargain (except to me, I guess), and the M1 Garands they're selling sound like real beaters. Mismatched wood. Mixed parts. Worn chambers.

This week I got an email about 1911 sales. You would think there would be some good deals. Wrong. A 1911 with pitting and wear sells for $1050. I can get a brand-new 1911 from Smith & Wesson for about $800, and Gunbroker has nice Colts for less than $1050.

Is it me, or has the CMP completely jumped the shark? What am I missing here? Are these tired old guns such great collectibles they're worth the premium?

Are people still having this discussion!? Good grief.

If you want a carry gun spend the money on a new gun. If you want a gun with history, you can take out and shoot, and in 10 years multiply in value (there are only so many GI 1911s out there) buy a 1911 from CMP.

Spot on!!!

I wish these naysayers would just move along and find something else to berate. They obviously don't understand the concept of owning a piece of history. I wonder if these guys would buy a 1940 Plymouth coupe and then drive it cross county. smh

 

[amd6547]

These are the same people who will complain when they see a CMP papered 1911 at the gun show for twice what CMP sold them for.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Believe it or not, not all of us have memorized every thread since the forum started. You will never stop seeing old questions presented here.

 

[George Dickel]

Are people still having this discussion!? Good grief.



Spot on!!!

I wish these naysayers would just move along and find something else to berate. They obviously don't understand the concept of owning a piece of history. I wonder if these guys would buy a 1940 Plymouth coupe and then drive it cross county. smh

Are people still having this discussion!? Good grief.



Spot on!!!

I wish these naysayers would just move along and find something else to berate. They obviously don't understand the concept of owning a piece of history. I wonder if these guys would buy a 1940 Plymouth coupe and then drive it cross county. smh

So if my opinion disagrees with your opinion I have to move on? Forget that, I ain't going anywhere.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Seriously, George, I see this attitude on forums all the time. It's discouraging. Instead of involving themselves with conversations (or ignoring them), people criticize others for starting them.

Here's a great question: if you don't know your topic has been covered already, or that it gets on some people's nerves, how can you be criticized for bringing it up?

Of course, some people think you're supposed to have every forum post stored in your memory, even if you joined two days ago. They love to bring out the following tired, old, forum-killing chestnut: "Google is your friend." As if existing content is the Talmud, and we're not allowed to add to it.

Seems to me that forums should encourage registration and posting as hard as possible. Otherwise they dry up and die.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

You guys both misread my intent.

So if my opinion disagrees with your opinion I have to move on? Forget that, I ain't going anywhere.

Not at all. But you and your opinion have nothing to contribute. All you, and others like you, are doing is being negative nancy and bashing something for the fun of being negative and bashing. In this case, you simply refuse to accept the idea that people are not buying guns from the CMP to use as EDC/self defense guns. I wish you, and people like you, would just get a clue and stop comparing a relic/historical artifact to a Kimber. I can't believe you can't or won't see the difference.

Seriously, George, I see this attitude on forums all the time. It's discouraging. Instead of involving themselves with conversations (or ignoring them), people criticize others for starting them.

My post wasn't meant to discourage people from posting, it was meant to discourage people from needlessly bashing something they refuse to understand. Guess I was asking too much.

 

[George Dickel]

You guys both misread my intent.



Not at all. But you and your opinion have nothing to contribute. All you, and others like you, are doing is being negative nancy and bashing something for the fun of being negative and bashing. In this case, you simply refuse to accept the idea that people are not buying guns from the CMP to use as EDC/self defense guns. I wish you, and people like you, would just get a clue and stop comparing a relic/historical artifact to a Kimber. I can't believe you can't or won't see the difference.



My post wasn't meant to discourage people from posting, it was meant to discourage people from needlessly bashing something they refuse to understand. Guess I was asking too much.

D.B., neither stevehgraham or I said anything about using them as an EDC/self defense gun, or anything about a Kimber. Neither one of us compared them to a current 1911. You and others are all starry eyed like a little kid with $10 to spend as he wishes in a candy store in your excitement over these worn out 1911's. Why do you think the military got rid of them, they were worn out and not economically feasible to bring them back into proper specs. As far as I don't understand what is a relic/historical artifact, hogwash. I currently own a very nice 1903A3, a couple communist block pistols and have owned a few Mauser rifles in the past, but the one thing they have over these CMP 1911's is that they were in decent condition and shot accurately. I carried a number of 1911's and spent a lot of time inspecting them in different unit arms rooms during my 20 years in the Army. The one thing they all had in common was that they were worn out clunkers that when shook rattled like a tin can full of nails. The really rare ones will go for big money in the auctions and the clunkers will be foisted off onto starry eyed buyers thinking they will get a pristine 1911 with Audie Murphy's initials carved into the grips. All CMP is going to do to these pistols is make sure they won't blow up in some ones face and replace a broken part here and there if there are any on hand to use. In the world of collectible firearms condition is everything, not the fact that it is old and has "historic" background. After condition, the firearm has to be able to fire and do so reasonably accurately. For me and most shooters, a firearm has to be able to shoot accurately, not like the ones I carried during my military service. I can just see myself at the range, hey guys look at my genuine US Government Property 1911. I can't hit the side of a barn with it but ain't it cool!

 

[theotherwaldo]

I'm not all that interested in having a government issued 1911 at this time, I've got enough 1911s from various makers to scratch that itch.
I DO plan to get a G. I. M-1 as soon as finances allow.
For that purpose, CMP is my first choice.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

It would be neat to have one I knew was used in WWII battles. Unfortunately, my grandfather herded German POW's in Arkansas, so no souvenirs.

No AMERICAN souvenirs, I should say. He ended up with a lot of German stuff, including a document signed by Rommel. One of the women in the family dumped and burned all of it. Decluttering.

 

[Nature Boy]

Based on my experience with the 1911's I carried in the Army I wouldn't pay $10.50 for one

The worst 1911 I saw was no comparison to the best M60. Talk about worn out! When we finally switched to the M240B there wasn't a single M60 that even came close to passing the gauge

 

[czhen]

Cheap not, passable, good to very good maybe, regardless other factors (sentimental, collectable) buy it for same reason you bought a German Mauser and a Luger so much older than our Garand's.
Do we have another source no. Thus, no choice my friends.