Garands incoming!

[Maj Dad]

What the heck were they doing to the rifles over there to get them in such bad shape?

The ROKs used them as clubs, bats, hammers, cheater bars and any other possible non-firing task. They drug them behind them by the sling or by holding the barrel (they were heavy & the ROKs were almost unanimously small), and threw them around like 2x4s. This is not hearsay; I saw it, as did any other GI out in the boonies. I was at Camp Casey, a few clicks (medium artillery range) from the DMZ and we had lots of KATUSAs (Korean Augmentees to the US Army) and ROK units located nearby, and they were the reasons for the rifles bad shape. On the other hand, I bought one of the Arlington Ordnance Korean returns ~1986-87 for $250 - a re-parked Winnie with new GI bolt & internal parts and a lightly pitted bore in a SA bbl. Rebarreled it, still have it, looks great & shoots good, too. Oh, the stock - it was one that got drug, beat and trashed - I didn't even bother trying to sell it, just tossed it. You have no idea how badly those stocks were mistreated

But if they come in at the right price, it'll be another project...

 

[bigdogpete]

Remember, it is an election year. What is said before an election, changes somehow after the election.

bigdog

 

[bigdogpete]

LMNOPQRSTUV

WXYandZ

honestly.

Looks like Algebra to me.


bigdog

 

[fpgt72]

Remember, it is an election year. What is said before an election, changes somehow after the election.

bigdog

He is going to try to appear to move to the middle and this is a good way to do it, but I agree there is slim chance that they will come in.

I also fear what he will try to do in his second term....I am usually not one of those "he will take the guns away" type people, but I think he will try to do some Chicago type gun laws for the entire country....time has proven he will toss even his own party under the bus to get what he wants.

 

[G21NE]

The stories I have seen over the past two years are so are that:
o The reimport of ~80,000 Garands and ~700,000 Carbines spaced out over ten years (8,000 Garands and 70,000 Carbines per year) had been tenatively green lighted 7 May 2009 early in the Obama Administration.
o An ATF letter objected to the M1 carbines as "assault weapons" capable of being converted to M2 select fire and in the past commercial imports of M1 carbines had turned out to have contained either M2 carbines or M1 carbines converted to M2 function with part or all of the T17 or T18 conversion kit parts in place.
ATF also objected that retransfer from South Korea would open a floodgate of retransfer requests from other countries with US military surplus in inventory.
o State Dept under Secetary Hillary Clinton nixed the deal for that reason.

While an alternate theory has been offered that the guns are not Korean property but were gifted to Korea during the Korean War and thus US property, the Koreans insist they are Korean property.

Last announcement I heard was a few months ago from the Korean news that the M1 Garands were approved as collectibles not likely to be used as weapons but the paperwork mill was still grinding away slowly. The Korean reports are always so optimistic.

South Korean mil surp M1 carbines were allowed in the late 1980s and condition of the guns imported by "Blue Sky Arlington VA" were usually considered rough but servicable. I bought one for $225 in 1990 and the recoil and extractor springs needed replacing. An alternate objection has been that the 780,000 would all require safety checks or else potentially defective guns could be put on the market.

I suspect the usual unspoken reasons for slowing import of mil surp are still out there: protecting domestic manufacturers, and protecting the investments of collectors.

Funny, the "capability of being easily converted to full auto" came up- as if nearly every AR-15 clone currently being sold in the US by US makers couldn't be.....for that matter nearly any semi-auto firearm could be, regardless of its origin.

But the BATF is saddled with import regulations, as well as having some leeway on things that aren't specifically outlawed. Executive orders have a lot to do with this as well....

 

[scythefwd]

Man.. if they come back and are that bad.. a 300 garand would be a good base to start a build with.. wouldn't want to damage a nice garand.

"I suppose I could go for a 300$ beater Garand (provided it still works)..."

 

[Jeff H]

I talked to one of the guys in the North Store about this yesterday and he said that as long as South Korea claims they own them and won't give them back to the US Army who actually does own them, then the CMP will not get them.

Private sellers might get them but not the CMP.

The way I understood it, the US Army is pushing to get their property back and not let it into the hands of private sellers.

We'll see what actually happens in the future.

 

[Hacker15E]

There have been numerous military aid programs which sent Garands to the ROK -- some of them were loaned, some of them were given, and some of them were purchased.

Orest Michaels of the CMP has said repeatedly that it is impossible to ever know if portions of this batch of rifles were lend-lease.

 

[Maj Dad]

Orest is a pragmatist and a knowledgeable observer of things politic as they relate to Garands, etc. I think the upshot of all of this is that we still do not know if the rifles will be returned, either to the Army or as civilian merchandise. I hope they return, in whatever status. A Korean Garand or Carbine is a piece of history, just like the Russian capture 98s, the VZ-24s and all those others. They just happen to be our service rifles, and I'm in line for one wherever it forms...

Looks like Algebra to me.

I thought that was a mildewed mammary support...

 

[USSR]

I think the upshot of all of this is that we still do not know if the rifles will be returned, either to the Army or as civilian merchandise.

No, our gov't by authorizing their import and sale in this country is reaffirming the Korean's contention that these rifles were purchased from us by them. So, if that's the case, they will not be going to the army and then passed on to the CMP.

Don

 

[Maj Dad]

You know Don, I guess a precedent was set in the 80's when those Blue Sky/Arlington Ordnance rifles came in. Obama & the antis want to keep them out by all means, and will put roadblocks at every possible point, but in this election year, maybe they'll slip through. As we all agree, it's still conjecture, and we won't know until they make it past the docks & customs, and hit the storefronts. I'm always hopeful, just a bit cynical...

He is going to try to appear to move to the middle and this is a good way to do it, but I agree there is slim chance that they will come in.

 

[USSR]

Yep, agree. I'll believe it when I see it.

Don

 

[pat701]

don't hold your breath.

 

[Jeff H]

Yep, agree. I'll believe it when I see it.

After taking a trip to the North store and actually seeing what the CMP has to offer, I'm not interested in what any private company might offer unless it was really cheap. The CMP stuff is very good for the price.

 

[USSR]

After taking a trip to the North store and actually seeing what the CMP has to offer, I'm not interested in what any private company might offer unless it was really cheap. The CMP stuff is very good for the price.

Yeah, I have purchase all my Garands from the North store, and would not consider a Korean import UNLESS it was an IHC at a very reasonable price.

Don

 

[M1GarandDeerHunter]

In coming Garand Rifles

I'm just glad that SOMETHING American made is being allowed back into the country, however importation is still being blocked on well over 600,000 carbines and alot of 1911 pistols, no idea how many. Who cares about the condition really? I know this is an old post, but in one mans opinion, even if many of these rifles are not serviceable due to neglect and no depot maintenance, then these rifles along with their supporting equipment and surplus ammunition will be valuable to the pool of Garands already in this country. just for spare parts and added clips and ammunition. Anyone who has run this rifle will find that it seems to last forever with little parts replacement, once parts ARE needed they can be expensive. Therefore receivers and any serviceable parts are ok by me even if many rifles are not not completely serviceable themselves, it simply adds to the parts inventory in country now. Stock up if you shoot this rifle, not just for yourself but friends as well that may get into this gun and didnt even consider about an extra extractor or firing pin. Lets keep pressure on our elected officials to do the right thing, and let these wonderful old guns back into their birthplace. they were on the front line of freedom many of them, far longer than they maybe should have been, as evidenced by lack of maintenance. Lets bring them ALL home.