Help! Need help with Garand trade

[cfullgraf]

I also agree, the welded gas cylinder is a problem towards the value of the rifle.

As a first Garand, I would get at least a CMP service grade and pass on these.

If your were experienced with Garands, these would be good project rifles but not at $600 each. Gas cylinders are getting more difficult to find than other parts and at lease one vendor has them for $150.

Also, even without the gas cylinder, you could not buy the rest of the rifle as parts for much less than $600. It is one reason CMP service grades are such a good deal at this time--and they work or CMP will make them right. (I have two NOS barrels and cannot justify buying the parts to build them into a rifle!)

The 4.2-4.3 million serial numbers are from the Korean War era. Not rare, but not as numerous as other serial number ranges.

 

[Tim the student]

Well, the seller is claiming he was not aware of the welded gas tubes.

seriously?

 

[Reloadron]

Try a Google of "Gas tube weld M1" and you will get some interesting results, including a thread in this forum from several years ago. I had not thought about drill rifles used by VFWs and issued under the old DCM program prior to CMP. So for those curious about the weld try Google, interesting stuff.

I don't see the weld as a deal breaker in obtaining a M1 rifle. The small weld as pictured can be milled and the parts replaced. Since the rifle functioned I would guess gas cylinder plug was not drilled out and the small weld does not seem to extend to the gas cylinder plug. Only the Gas Cylinder and Gas Cylinder Lock would need replaced.

Anyway, if I could get both rifles for around a grand I would do it. Again, I don't see the weld as a deal breaker. Wonder if there was a tiny weld between the barrel and receiver?

This is the High Road thread related to the subject.

Ron

 

[LiveLife]

Ron, I have been googling and searching this forum and I also read about that thread ... Yikes! What a mess ...

Well, the seller is "fully informed" now and he is pissed at the person who sold him the 3 M1 Garands. He contacted the buyer who bought his "welded gas tube" rifle and they made good (he didn't say how and I didn't ask).

We looked through fulton-armory M1 Garand parts page and saw that a new gas tube is $200 and a used one is $150.

Needless to say, I am totally not interested in these M1 Garands. Interestingly, he still wants to buy the Glock.

As I get closer to retirement, I definitely will consider the CMP Garands. This experience has taught me some valuable lessons ... Always ASK THR FIRST! before wasting money on any "questionable, seemingly OK" firearm. In the meantime, I may shift my focus toward M14 ...

You all have been awesome! May God richly bless all of you and your family.

 

[Reloadron]

Funny you mentioned that. I also later looked at parts cost and was like OMG! Many years ago I worked quite a bit on Garand's and still have a small bucket of parts. Over the years friends hit me up constantly so not as many as I once had. Gas tubes, new, were about $35 or $40 as I recall so the increase is tremendous. That $200 dropped my jaw!

I retained a few Garands from those old days and glad I hung on to them. One is re chambered in 7-08 Remington.

Yeah, run like heck from it. Consider CMP. Great rifles.

Ron