Woodless Dane or Rack Grade Greek?

[fatelk]

M1 owners with CMP rifles will understand. I recently got my Field Grade Greek M1 Garand from the CMP and am very happy with it. I now have the go-ahead from my wife to buy another (they won't last forever you know) but it needs to be my last purchase for quite a while.

I am torn between a rack grade M1 from Denmark, less wood, and another Greek in rack grade (they're out of field grade, bummer ).

A Greek may have OK wood I'm not real picky) but not likely. A Dane is $100 less and I can probably buy decent wood and hardware with that, or $50 or so above that should buy a nice CMP set and hardware. I'm wondering about the comparable condition of the metal between the two.

You CMP M1 owners out there, your comments are appreciated. Anyone buy either recently? What are they really like? I'm very happy with my field grade, I got a good one. Are the rack grade rifles that much more beat up? Do the Danes generally have a lot of foreign parts? I'm something of a purist but quality and potential accuracy matter to me than all US parts.

Added: The order goes out tomorrow or Monday at the latest.

 

[mustanger98]

Here's what I figured up...

Greek RG- $395 +shipping
Stock (if required or desired)- $100-125 +shipping
Total- $495 + $40+/- shipping

Woodless Dane RG- $295 +shipping
Stock hardware not included from CMP- $50+/- +shipping from Numrich
Stock- $100-125 +shipping
Total- $445 + probably closer to $70shipping (but I'd have to check shipping from Numrich and MidwayUSA to be sure).

Either way should turn out pretty good.

 

[Gator]

I'd go for a woodless Dane and a CMP stock set for $118.95. I think the condition of either rifle would be a crap shoot, but I'd bet that the majority of the Danes would be in better condition than the majority of Greeks.

Just get one before they are gone!

 

[fatelk]

Woodless Dane it shall be. The order form just went in the mail. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see if I get another good one.

I didn't order a stock yet. I'll have to think about what I want to do about that. I'll likely end up getting the new CMP set.

 

[Eightball]

Just as a warning, last time I was in the north store, all the woodless ones had barrels that were shot to hell. They strip the wood off those to replace cracked wood on the other grades, because those ones have no real shootability in the barrel. YMMV, though.

 

[mustanger98]

I didn't order a stock yet. I'll have to think about what I want to do about that. I'll likely end up getting the new CMP set.

Like I said in the other thread, the new CMP set is a Boyd's and all you're getting for the extra cost is that big CMP cartouche on the right side. If that detail means that much to you, go ahead, but I'd try to save a little money getting a Boyd's walnut set from through Midway. One thing's for sure though... you won't get a ill-fitting stock that looks like firewood the way CMP tells it in their official description.

I do think the woodless Dane is a good idea though. Like I say, I'm wanting to get one if I can get the money together before they run out.

 

[trbon8r]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the CMP stocks they sell are made by Boyd, but are made to CMP specs. I thought CMP made Boyds contour their stocks down a bit so they weren't so fat and to be closer to GI?

Like I said, I'm not sure but I seem to remember CMP stating something similar.

 

[cracked butt]

If the Dane has a good VAR barrel on it then its definately worth the price.

 

[Gator]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the CMP stocks they sell are made by Boyd, but are made to CMP specs. I thought CMP made Boyds contour their stocks down a bit so they weren't so fat and to be closer to GI?

This is correct. The CMP/Boyds are MUCH nicer than the regular Boyds stocks. It would take a heck of a lot of sanding to get a regular Boyds down to WWII USGI dimensions, that makes the few extra $$$ well worth it to me.

 

[Oohrah]

I have only seen the finished Boyd stocks and replaced six
Garands with complete new wood at about $80 each. I treated
them first with about three coats of Scott's Liquid Gold. It en-
hanced and kept the wood dull and brought out the dark grain
contrast. Overnight dry with out the rubbing and tackiness of Lind-
seed oil. They do not supply the metal in the upper handgards.
The fit was snugg, with only one that need a slight amount of
wood removed around the trigger group. A local smith reparkerized
all the metal. These six Ceremonial Rifles look awsome when used for
Honors firing at military funerals. One more added touch was adding
new leather slings with brass furniture.
Be careful installing the metal in the upper hand guards. The one
closest to the receiver is very thin with a spring clip that attaches it
to a barrel spline cut.
I was very impressed with Boyd's sevice, product, fit and finish.

 

[xtarheel]

I'm in the process of finishing my CMP wood right now. It is really nice and "trim" not blocky. I ordered new metal from Fulton instead of trying to pull the old metal. I smoothed the stock with 00 steel wool and then stained it with a alcohol based Chestnut Ridge military stain from Brownells. I just finished hand rubbing it with linseed oil. Looks real nice.

 

[Zullo74]

I guess you you could say that a Boyd's stock is blocky, but this one I stocked sure looked good and was a darn site nicer looking than the GI wood that was on it.