M1 Garand

[Milsurplover]

Hey guys I was thinking about getting an M1 Garand.. I was thinking of a Service Grade.. If any of you have Service Grade M1's how were they in terms of stock condition, metal parts, bore, and things like that. I understand the CMP grade "Service Grade" Is not too great in terms of quality so I know I can't expect much.. I was thinking these would be a great piece of history and a great addition to a collection and refinishing the stock would make a fun little project to kill some time Can some of these Service Grades be shooters? Or are the bores generally shot out and the metal pitted and the stock cracked?

 

[W.E.G.]

completely runs the gamut

the ones at the north store you can pick through, but tend to be only fair

NEW barrels won't break the bank if you really care about bore condition

 

[sappnasty]

Well wherever your getting your info on the CMP "Service Grades" is totally incorrect. You will not find better rifles for the money. If you want to be sure of getting a good "shooter", then drive up to Anniston Alabama and hand select yours as I did. As far as the bores go, its measured by muzzle wear and throat erosion. The best measurement to have obviously is 0 (zero). When I picked mine, it measure closer to a zero than a one...and one is still excellent. Read the thread below that I posted...I'm sure you will find plenty of useful information. IMHO, you will not be able to purchase a better rifle, from a better place, for a better price. You can always trust the "internet seller" and get bent over for a ton of cabbage
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=569848

 

[GRIZ22]

I have gotten several SGs from CMP and have not been disappointed by any of them. AFAIC the advantage of going to the store is you may be able to find a surprisingly nice Field Grade. I got a FG WWII SA with VAR barrel measuring a 2 at each end and all walnut wood which cleaned up and refinished well. Spent the $100 I saved on more ammo.

 

[FlyinBryan]

I understand the CMP grade "Service Grade" Is not too great in terms of quality so I know I can't expect much..

they are absolutely superb. the grading criteria the cmp uses is very modest, which is to say, they are very hard on themselves. lol.

Can some of these Service Grades be shooters? Or are the bores generally shot out and the metal pitted and the stock cracked?

every service grade ive ever seen were fantastic shooters.

here is one of ours (service grade). i would not classify mine as being superior to any other service grade ive seen come from the cmp.




if you can make the trip you can get a pretty one.

if you cant you still might get a pretty one, and you will most surely get a great shooter.

my brother, shooting the one in the pics (its a 1944 springfield), fired an 8rd group at 50yds in a match right here on thr that could be completely hidden with a quarter, so ya, they are shooters.

(our other one is a 1955 springfield)

 

[FlyinBryan]

AFAIC the advantage of going to the store is you may be able to find a surprisingly nice Field Grade.

i would also totally agree with this. there are excellent field grades that come out of there. in fact i think sometimes a service grade gets slipped into the fg racks and tagged accordingly.

 

[Steve in PA]

If I were to get another M1 Garand, it would again be a Service Grade.

 

[Ignition Override]

Service Grade.

The next will also be from the CMP, also Service Grade.
With very nice metal components, some fairly minor dings in a dark, dull stock make no difference to me.

Parts built in 1955 might not be much of a witness to history, but this can help the condition.

 

[P-32]

Well wherever your getting your info on the CMP "Service Grades" is totally incorrect. You will not find better rifles for the money.

You will not find a better deal ever!

 

[Orlando]

Someone is very missinformed, I have personally inspected many of them at the North Store. The Service Grades are the best bang for the buck. Muzzle Wear less than 3 ,they will be great shooters. Metal finish has very little wear. Only downside is the ugly commercial birch stocks that are coming on most of them now.

 

[ball3006]

If you go to the CMP web site, all the grading criteria is spelled out for you. Go to the
CMP forum and any question you might have will be answered.....chris3

 

[wheelgun6T9]

I'm far from any expert on these - just been doing a lot of reading. Seems pretty consistent feedback that the Service Grades are great guns for the money. The history of them really has tweaked my interest.

I'm leaning toward a road trip to Anniston... but 10hrs each way is a loooong way to drive for a $600.00 rifle

Might just try and talk someone there into picking out a good one and trust them. Seems like they know what they're doing.

Misurplover - if you get yours first, I'll be anxious to see how you fared!

 

[Tim the student]

Can some of these Service Grades be shooters? Or are the bores generally shot out and the metal pitted and the stock cracked?

Man, most field grades I looked through in two trips to the North Store weren't that bad. The grade descriptions are worst case scenarios.

I understand the CMP grade "Service Grade" Is not too great

If I were you, I would not pay any attention to whomever told you that. It is untrue.

 

[Orlando]

Good Field Grades can be had but I would never mail order one. I have personally inspected many hundreds of them and most would swallow muzzle gauge and had very beat up mismatched wood. Most are canidates for reabrreling
That being said if you can handpick you may find some gems mixed in. I have many very nice Field Grades that were handpicked and could have been Service Grades

 

[AethelstanAegen]

Not to beat a dead horse but you couldn't be more wrong. CMP Service grades are IMHO the best bang for your buck. I ordered one as my first rifle. It's a Greek return with a Sept 1943 serial. The parts certainly weren't all matching but it's been a great shooter. I ordered through the mail but if you go down to the store some people have found some truely awesome service grades and even field grades. It's well worth the money.

 

[61chalk]

I hand picked two Field Grade Garands at N. Store going on 2 years now...had no ideal what the MW was, they were WWII an in great shape, but the wood needed replaced on one so put new CMP Walnut on it....found out when I took them up to buy the MW was 1.5 on one an 2.0 on the other......your not going to go wrong on a Service Grade...unless you don't buy one....an IF you have any problems with it, CMP will make it right. The below is a FG HRA with new CMP wood....

 

[Bentonville]

I think you have seen the writing on the wall. Go ahead and get the CMP M1. The longer you wait, the less time for M1 pleasure. Just my opinion, but I like to keep the stocks original that come with the guns. If I want a refinished stock, I buy a stock and then play with that one but when I want it, I have an authentic U.S. M1 on hand.

 

[CCFD1414]

Get a service grade and if your not happy with the finish on either the wood or metal (or both) send it to Shuff's to have it refinished

 

[deadeye1122]

Hopefully this isn't considered a thread hijack but it seemed senseless to start another thread on basically the same subject. Being a long time I have to have a Garand reader, I believe I have fulfilled the requirements to purchase. My question is SA vs HRA in service grade. From what I have read would it be a matter of production years,SA 40's to mid 50's. HRA early 50's on? Is one more desirable than the other? SA for history in a conflict,HRA for later production and less use? Thanks for your input in advance. deadeye

 

[GCBurner]

You're more likely to get a WWII vintage gun with a Springfield or Winchester, and you can request a lower serial number, though there's no guarantee there will be one available when the order is processed. I wanted a good shooter for my first one, so I ordered a Service Grade H&R, and got one made in 1954, with what seems to be the original H&R barrel. It doesn't look like it's been fired much, and the throat and muzzle wear are negligible.

 

[cfullgraf]

For a first Garand, get a Service Grade or better.

The Field Grades can be jewels, but most will require some TLC.

The CMP Special or the Service Grade Specials are like new rifles.

Winchesters are the only guarantee of getting a WWII serial number.

H&Rs were only made post Korean war.

 

[dzelenka]

The correct grades are mostly near new original rifles. They can be beautiful.

 

[GCBurner]

The correct grades are mostly near new original rifles. They can be beautiful.

They're pretty, but they're also $1100, compared to $595 for a Service Grade Springfield Armory or H&R.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

With a service grade CMP, the SA vs HRA only dictates which will have manufactured the receiver. I ordered a SA service grade and got a WW2 era receiver. I would say that it is no worse than say an HRA receiver made 10 years later. My rifle contained many HRA parts, including a "new" barrel from the 50s. I asked for a good shooter in a note (the CMP often, but not always, seems to keep such a note in mind) and that is what I received, but I also ordered SA in the hopes of getting a little history too (which I did). Either way you can't go wrong and I'm sure you'll be very happy with your purchase.

 

[FlyinBryan]

You're more likely to get a WWII vintage gun with a Springfield or Winchester

if im not mistaken, that is the only way you can get a ww2 era reciever.

(the other 2 didnt make them till after the war)