Garand questions

[Sisco]

I have been overcome by a desire to own an M1 Garand. The words "Collector Piece" aren't real important to me, I want a shooter. Let's say my price range is $600 - $700. Checked out the CMP, would rather buy one without the wait and the need to join an approved club.

I've been checking the auctions at gunbroker & auctionarms and reading the descriptions has raised some questions. Danish imports, or any rifle with import marks: I can see how these would affect collector value but they're still Garands, right?

I've seen ads where they've inserted a guage and given the readings but have no clue what's good or bad. So, what's good and what's bad?

 

[BamBam-31]

Well, Danish Garands are still Garands if you're looking for a shooter. In fact, I've read that Danish Garands often come with VAR barrels in good shape, so they should make good shooters. They're just not as collectable, is all. Most people prefer good ol' GI.

As for the gauges, they're prolly throat and muzzle erosion gauges. They measure how worn a particular barrel is. For more info, you can visit www.fulton-armory.com. They have lots of good links. Also, check out Scott Duff's book on the Garand. I'd buy the book before buying a rifle.

If you ever find your interest in the Garand beginning to wane, just watch "Band of Brothers." PING!!

Good luck.

 

[George S.]

I got a Garand from theCMp and it was worth the 3 week wait. I ordered a service grade Springfield Arsenal M1 with a Danish VAR barrel. I got a pre-war (April 1941) version and the VAR barrel was from the early 60's and it looks almost new. The stock is not the best in the world but I'm going to strip it and refinish with boiled linseed oil.

My first rage outing using Korean milsurp (PS heastamp) ammo got me some 3" groups at 100yds. I had not fired a high-powered rifle since my Army days back in 1967 and that was when most training was done with M14's.

The throat guage wil give an indication of wear at the muzzel and at the throat of the chamber. The values range from 1 to 5 with 5 being the most wear but still a decent shooter. A "1" or less is a barrel with little use and should be pretty accurate.

Consider the CMP route. You can join the Garand Collectors Assn and that will get you the membership requirements. A DD214 or a CCW will get you the marksmanship requirements and the rest is easy.

If you are lucky enough to live somewhere within a reasonable drive time to Camp Perry Ohio, you can take your paperwork there and wander among the racks of M1 and pick the one you want. There are some very knowledgable folks there who will help you choose a nice rifle. Bring extra cash for some ammo as they have Lake City Arsenal ammo at very reasonable prices.

 

[Dionysusigma]

If you ever find your interest in the Garand beginning to wane, just watch "Band of Brothers."

Funny, I do that to re-energize my interest in the BAR.

 

[Sisco]

If you ever find your interest in the Garand beginning to wane, just watch "Band of Brothers.

That's what fired me up in the first place!
I've only shot one once, no one told me about the PING! thing. I thought the damn thing came apart on me!

 

[Dienekes]

Suggest you fly CMP. The requirements are NOT that onerous, and the wait time is down to a couple of weeks as I hear it. When I got my first one circa 1983 it was "one in a lifetime, max" and about a year's wait.

Membership in an affiliated organization is good for everyone including you.

A CMP M1 is something of a work in progress but you learn an awful lot along the way. There's no such thing as a free lunch but I have had a lot more fun with "experienced" M1s than I have with an M1A fresh out of the box.

The M1 I use most was a "woodless" for which I happened to have the wood. Paid $275 for it about four years ago; debugged it of minor things, glass bedded it, did NM mods, and have 2000 rounds through it since. With good ammo it outshoots me. When I finally manage to wear the barrel out I will screw in a new one and keep on going.

 

[VG]

If you don't have a Throat Erosion and especially a muzzle gage, you can just about bet on getting ripped off.

The Danish rifles can have VAR barrels, but are just as likely to have Beech stocks, and may have a lot of old or worn parts. They're just not as good overall as the CMP Service Grade rifles, though some can be very good. I have one beauty of the five Danish rifles I've purchased.

As you say you are not willing to spend the $25 it costs to join your state marksmanship organization and support Civilian Marksmanship programs by purchasing from CMP, your next best bet is to find someone who is selling a CMP rifle they don't want. They usually strip any collector parts off but the rifle should still shoot ok, and the CMP certificate does have market value. You can get them from about $550 on up. Try the For Sale forum at jouster.com and find someone in your state so you can pick it up and avoid any FFL or shipping fees.

The CMP website - www.civilianmarksmanship.com, has a lot of good technical information.

Another option is to buy a rebuild from one of th emany good Garand shops, who build Service Grade rifles that sell for anywhere from about $600 up.

 

[Sisco]

I've been looking around the CMP site, maybe that is the way to go. Still it seems like a crap shoot: might get a good one, might not. I'm not much of a gambler I guess. I don't see Garands in the local gunshops, making a road trip this weekend and hopefully I'll have a chance to look around.
Found the list of affiliated clubs and there are several I can join, most likely the Kansas Rifle Association.

 

[VG]

You will absolutely get a good shooter with decent barrel life remaining from CMP. The U.S. Service Grade rifles I've received have been decent looking to new looking.

 

[Nando Aqui]

Sisco,
Listen, I was in the same position just over a year ago and felt about the same way as you do. So I searched and found a highly reputable gunsmith who ‘made’ a 1945 vintage SA M1 Garand for me for under $900. The rifle was great looking, including a new barrel, but had a few functioning problems. Between the gunsmith and I we fixed the problems and the rifle is fine now. (*)

A few months later, my wife gave me a new production SA for my birthday. It also cost her just under $900 at our favorite gun shop. Good looking rifle, and good shooter.

After reading so many positive reports about the CMP at www.battlerifles.com, I decided to get one there, just to try it (**). This was December of last year, the CMP was backed up, and it took about five weeks to get my M1. It was a service grade SA, 1944, and it was/is great; especially for $500 plus $21 S&H delivered to my house (actually, to where I work). Even though the other two M1’s I had had new barrels, the 1944 from CMP shot just as well.

I was so pleased that I ordered two more, one at a time. I ordered an H&R, circa 1953 (IIRC) that cost me an extra $25, and an SA (1943) Danish rebuild with VAR barrel for about $50 less. These two took LESS than three weeks to get! All of them are great shooters, and I have had the good fortune that all of their barrels are in excellent condition.

Funny thing, after having shot the new production SA many times, it malfunctioned big time (the op-rod jumped rail and jammed) a couple of weeks ago and I had to send it back to SA. My three M1’s from the CMP are the only ones that have never malfunctioned in any way.

My advice: Get it from the CMP.

(*) One good thing (very good, actually) about the problems I had with my first Garand was that it made me really dig into and learn how the rifle works. I am no expert, but now I know every little detail about the rifle and its components. For a good depiction of how the rifle works, go to www.dav32.com/action.html and start by clicking on the ‘home’ arrow.

(**) To meet the requirements I joined the GCA for $25 year, got a letter signed from a range officer at the public range where I shoot (no match or any sort of competition required), went to the bank to get the paperwork notarized, and that was it.

Picture 1: Two CMP rilfes on top, middle is from gunsmith, bottom is new production SA.


Picture 2: My three CMP rifles.

 

[BradN]

I, too, have become very interested ina Garand. Based upon similar threads at THR, have decided to go the CMP route and join the GCA. I've read nothing but good things about the CMP and its rifles. I've found out, however, that joining the GCA may not be the best route if you are interested in buying a Garand in the relative near future.

I sent my application on 6/1. The check has not cashed, I've had no response to two e-mails asking if my application has been received, and I've received nothing in the mail.

So, I'm ready to buy, have satisifed all the other CMP requirements, but am just waiting for confirmation of club membership.

I'm not trying to knock the GCA. I know it's all volunteer labor and they just had their big convention. But I'm itching to buy.

 

[another okie]

I just sent in the results from the last IPSC match I attended, and they accepted that.

 

[cracked butt]

Buy a service grade rifle from CMP- its the only way to go unless you want to pay 2x that for a new Springfield inc M1.

Most of the rifles you see at gunshows or gunshops have probably been through CMP at one time or another. At gunshows I see people with 5 or 6 for sale at once. I'm guessing that htey are buying $400 rackgrades and selling them for $700-800.
I also wonder about people who are selling 1 rifle- I would bet that they bought 2 or 3 rack grade rifles and are selling the worst of the lot.

Unless you have muzzle and throat guages, a timing block, and the seller lets you strip the rifle down to measure the piston and cylinder, you don't know what you are getting from a private seller.

 

[Coronach]

I've only shot one once, no one told me about the PING! thing. I thought the damn thing came apart on me!

My wife did the same thing. She didn't know that the en bloc ejected, so when something (other than a spent -.06 case) flew out of the gun and landed next to her with an audible ping! she thought something was wrong and immediately stopped shooting (she realized later that she didn't really have an option) and tugged on my sleeve. "Honey, I think I just broke your m1."

Mike

 

[Sisco]

When I shot one the first time it was during the local clubs youth day at the range. The club supplied Garands & M1 Carbines and all the ammo kids and Dads could want.
I took my son and a friend of his, both were about 11 or 12 at the time. They shot the carbines first then moved up to the Garands. My sons friend was about to shoot and I told him to hold it tight against his shoulder, it had more recoil than the carbine. I wish I had a camera on him at the time when he pulled the trigger the recoil spun him about 1/4 way around his seat and the look on his face was priceless. He shot through the whole clip and decided that was enough.

My son and the carbine. He was used to shooting them, I have one.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Sisco,

My brother called last night and said he just acquired a "shooter" Garand, Winchester receiver and Springfield barrel. We're meeting at the Whittington Center Saturday for a family shoot and he's going to bring it. It'll probably be for sale so I can give you the details next week.

My brother lives in Albuquerque and does quite a bit of gun buying/selling/trading. He's also pretty much an expert on Garands. I'll ask him if he has access to the proper guages.

 

[Sisco]

Larry, sounds like a plan.
How's my project going?

 

[Nando Aqui]

Brad,

The GCA takes longer to notify you of your membership than to notify the CMP of that fact. Back when I joined, after three or so weeks of not receiving any notification, I called the CMP, and they already had my name as belonging to the GCA. You may want to call the CMP and find out that way.

Alex

 

[Sisco]

Just got done calling every gun shop in a 75 mile radius, only one to be had.
Guy described it as having a Danish barrel, when I asked who made the receiver he said there was no marks on it. ???
Sounded like an elderly gent, had a hard time hearing me. I may call back later and see if anyone else answers.
Could drive over there but I have a feeling it would be a 100 mile round trip for nothing.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

How's my project going?

Working on it. I've been going through a Sales Tax audit for the last two weeks, no fun, but I'm hoping to finish your project this afternoon.

 

[Sisco]

Cool. PM sent

 

[30Cal]

I highly recommend the CMP. At a minimum, the rifle you get will be worth as much as the money you put down on it. You certainly can't say that with confidence when picking one up at a shop or a show unless you really know what you're looking at. People regularly find out they put $500-800+ into an M1 that, for one reason or another, wasn't worth half what they paid. You are definitely in for a swim with the sharks.

Good luck!
Ty

 

[Gary_P]

I too have the GI Garand bug.

I got my first one this past weekend at a gunshow. I want another and another and another.........first 1911's, then FAL's now Garands......I must be a friggin idiot




Gary

 

[BradN]

GCA follow-up

I did check with the CMP and the GCA had already forwarded my membership info. So, excuse my earlier belly-aching. My order will go out Monday.

 

[fjolnirsson]

I've been itching for one quite some time now.

CCW will get you the marksmanship requirements

Anybody know if reserve peace officer training will do? It counts for CCW qualification out here, so I thought maybe.
Well, I may have found "good cause" for issuance, at any rate.
I really like the idea of owning a functional piece of history.