garand availability, value

[Orlando]

I have handled many thousands of Garands at the North Store and Service Grades are not junk. They are nice rifles and well worth the money.
If you are expecting a museum piece yes you will be dissapointed. If you want a battle rifle that has been there done that but has many ,many years of life left you will be very happy.

 

[ol' scratch]

The first rifle sounds good depending how the barrel gages. You are paying CMP prices for it right now. The Danish barrels (VAR) are supposed to be some of the best, but not if it is shot out. You are not getting a 'great' deal here because of what is coming out of the CMP, but it is fair.

 

[ol' scratch]

The CMP sells Service Grade Garands every day for $595 which have a good barrel and are serviceable in every way. I recently received a HRA Service Grade with a TE of 2 and a MW of 1. The only thing keeping it from being an $1100 Correct Grade was the bolt, oprod, and trigger group. I swapped parts with a guy who had what I needed and needed what I had, so I have a near mint correct rifle for about $630.

Don

Me too, but my barrel is an LMR. My stock is also correct.

 

[ol' scratch]

Both the guns you describe sound like a good deal because the "service grade" guns are about the same price and are very beat up. People will tell you they are ok but most of them have the finish gone and the wood dark, oily, and banged up...

HB

Been a while since you have been to the store, if you have been to the stores. My H & R has great stock and original. Not beat up, a few dings but nothing major. Original honey brown color too.

My rifle had a new old stock barrel. Not even MOST of the rifles at the CMP right now fit the discription you mentioned. I know, I was just there this afternoon.

 

[Slug]

Banged up? Not sure what rifles you've been seeing. My service grades were beautiful out of the box. Came to me this year. CMP has been shipping some very nice rifles lately.

1 coat of pure tung oil on the rifle in the back, thats it. Front rifle is straight out of the box.



Both service grades


Springfield


The Springfield (Redder of the two) is a USGI walnut stock and has a couple of dings in it...character marks. This thing is Korean war era, what do you expect? I'm thrilled with both of these and wouldn't change my purchase at all because of a few little dimples in the wood. Muzzle wear on both of these is less then 2. Amazing shooters. Wood darkening is a combination between the cosmoline and handling of it. Take the cosmoline out and use some tung oil and it lightens right up.

So again, banged up? Really? To the OP, get one from the CMP, you'll be happy.

 

[Ignition Override]

You guys have very picturesque M-1s. There seems to be nothing like them.

Based on my "gun guru's" very seasoned, extensive gun knowledge and over a hundred Internet comments about the CMP's evaluations /descriptions of its Garands, would not consider a Garand from a stranger.

The CMP's new heap of Greek GI M2 ammo could last years.
Why pay the over-inflated prices for recycled scrutiny:altered/'modified'?) CMP rifles or GI ball ammo on "GB" and in gun shows etc?

 

[ol' scratch]

Both the guns you describe sound like a good deal because the "service grade" guns are about the same price and are very beat up. People will tell you they are ok but most of them have the finish gone and the wood dark, oily, and banged up...


HB

Just wanted to revisit this. All of the Garands are Greek returns. The top two are service grades, the bottom one is a service special. The top rifle was a little oily, but I got it to clean up mostly. The second rifle and a beautiful H & R stock on it and it is a service grade. I took the stock off and switched it with the rifle below it to make the special service a correct. I did nothing to the stock before swapping it. My rifles all gauge low (top one muzzle 1, throat 1.5, second to top, 1 muzzle, throat 1.5, bottom Garand, negative muzzle, throat 1).
If you think the above description is correct regarding the Greek returns, you NEED to get to a CMP store. I paid $595 for the top two rifles.

 

[Col. Plink]

Field Grades are only $495 and GEMS can be found with the help of the staff! Mine is mechanically almost perfect (a '55 SA, ser# around 6.5mil) and with a stock that I like for it's rugged good looks.

 

[Sport45]

My service grade HRA as delivered from CMP:



After a bit of work....



My son using it at a Garand match a few years ago...