Would you pay more for an M-1 Garand with DCM paperwork?

[Freedomv]

Would you pay more for an M-1 Garand with DCM paperwork?

I have a friend who’s brother has died and left him with an M-1 Garand rifle that was purchased through the DCM. He has asked me if the DCM paper work for the rifle increased the rifle’s value or is it just an added ‘touch’ to the rifles history. The rifle is a typical Springfield rebuild and purchased back when they sold for around $100 through the DCM. ( late 70’s early 80’s ? )
The paper work does not do much for me however some people like that sort of thing. What's your thoughts? I told him I would have a good idea of the paper work's value in a few day's.
By the way, the rifle will be for sale, but I have no idea as to it's condition or his asking price. Location is Iowa.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Collectors love provenance (hope I spelled that right). Any provable history, documents on a gun should stay with the gun.
How much gun with paperwork is worth over gun with friend's deceased brother's say-so may depend on collector. But if you get the gun keep the paperwork with it. It might help your heirs.

 

[tn hp]

Does it ad value? Yes

How much, depends on the potential buyer.

The good news is that you can obtain a "history" from the CMP as to when the rifle was sold and maybe get something in writing from them to that effect.

tn hp

 

[threefeathers]

No. Goto the CMP and buy your own.

 

[Freedomv]

Actually I am not in the market to buy any M-1's. In fact I should sell a few of mine and a roll-a-way full of parts etc. ( I used to build & shoot match M-1 & M-14/M1a) However I hate to sell some things that my Grandkids may like to have in the future.

 

[CHM]

No.

 

[1KPerDay]

To me DCM paperwork would hold the same value as CMP paperwork. Meaning I'd pay the same for a DCM rifle as I would for a CMP rifle, all else being equal. I'd pay a bit more for a DCM/CMP rifle than an unknown private seller's mixmaster, because I have confidence that CMP would make it right if something didn't work properly.

My $.02

 

[USSR]

Nope. You're paying for the rifle according to the condition it is presently in, not whose hands it passed through on it's way to you.

Don

 

[451 Detonics]

To me it would add a bit of value, I would know that it wasn't a junk import like Blue Sky that someone rebarreled for example. Not much extra value, say 50-100 bucks but definitely more sellable.

 

[Mac Attack]

Depends on the quality of the rifle more than the DCM paperwork. I read on CMP forum that rifles from the DCM era were supposed to be better quality than some of the one's now.

 

[30Cal]

Unless it's a sniper model, I wouldn't pay more for the paper.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Funny.

Because an M1 sold commercially usually costs a LOT more than one sold through the CMP.

So... the CMP/DCM paperwork actually discounted the price at one time.

DCM no longer exists. In that sense there's some added value.

As a buyer I appreciate any and all paperwork associated with a firearm I purchase.

 

[Freedomv]

Thanks everyone. From your responces it appears that the paperwork is just a nuance as I suspected. I am told that a family member has decided that he wants the rifle and that is what should become of it in my oppinion.

 

[nathan]

I think it adds value but only about 5 percent. The important thing is condition, condition and condition !

 

[Slamfire]

Because an M1 sold commercially usually costs a LOT more than one sold through the CMP.

So... the CMP/DCM paperwork actually discounted the price at one time.

No, the price is lower because CMP sells its Garands for less than anyone else.

If you have not noticed, Garands are only currently available from the CMP, no one else is allowed to bring them in, and in time, the Garands that the CMP can bring in will dry up.

The thing is , right now the CMP has been selling a bunch of Garands, and people expect this will continue forever. It won't, and then we will find out whether paperwork brings more.

Of course condition and rarity is everything, but look at the pre war DCM Springfields, M1911's, M1922's, and NM Garands. Those with paper work sell for more than those without, all things being equal.

The future will tell, so don't loose the paperwork on your CMP Garands.

And if you have not bought your Garand, because you thought they cost too much, you might be very unhappy about what they will cost later.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Let me clarify:

I meant see the gun show price of a CMP/DCM rifle vs. buying one through CMP.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Anyone who pays more than an extra $5-10 for CMP/DCM paperwork is foolish. They are just a importer that is exempt from marking the rifles they import. It's a sheet of paper and a small care booklet, woop de do.

 

[az_imuth]

I don't think having the DCM/CMP paperwork for your M1 will really add that much value to the rifle. However, as a buyer I am much more confident when purchasing a rifle with the paperwork. For example, if there were two very similar M1's for sale online from different vendors and one had the documentation from DCM/CMP while the other didn't, I would be much more inclined to purchase the rifle with docs.

There are a lot more M1's out there built from scrapped receivers and barrels that have been welded back together than most people realize. Some are so well done that lots of folks have purchased them after inspecting them firsthand. The paperwork from the DCM/CMP make that issue a moot point since they do not sell welded up reciever halves.

For more info on these "Rewelds", see this thread.

 

[velocette]

DCM / CMP Garands,
As far as Garands being available from the CMP, they are now available. There will come a time in the future that they are all sold.
Remember when The DCM/CMP sold '03 Springfields? '17 Enfields? M1 Carbines? 82g Kimbers?
The prices of all of them are on their way up, WAY up from the price paid when they were available.
Get your piece of history now when you can, you'll just pay more later.
(I paid $180.00 for mine from the DCM 30 years ago)

Roger

 

[Lone_Sheep_Dog]

I would not buy an M1 Garand from anywhere but the CMP. So I think the paperwork would add value to it after the CMP stops selling them.

 

[Ignition Override]

As Lone Sheep Dog stated, I would never buy one anywhere else, other than a personal friend who allowed me to test the rifle.
People trust the CMP's safety evaluation and TE/ME rating etc.

At a gun show, can you trust the seller's smooth talk (or "I'm just selling it for a friend") and know that parts were not substituted in a CMP M-1?

 

[dirtyjim]

in some cases paperwork adds a lot to the value of the rifle.

if its a run of the mill garand i wouldn't pay more, but i also have an unfired and papered type 2 national match whose paperwork adds well over $1000 to the price of the rifle.
nm & sniper rifles without paperwork are only worth the price of the parts.

i have both copies of the dcm paperwork, the receipt from the shipping service and the shipping label from the box. the rifle was $152 in 1964 and i turned down $8000 cash about two years ago

 

[benzy2]

I think it does add value. With the amount of welded receivers out there I like knowing that the receiver has always been a single piece. With reparkerizing some of the welded receivers are hard for my inexperienced eyes to detect. Having DCM/CMP paperwork gives me the peace of mind that the rifle is not one of these welded receivers and that is worth extra to me. So the paper itself doesn't do anything for me but knowing that it is a DCM/CMP rifle does give me more confidence, which leads to the willingness to spend a little extra, when making an M1 purchase. I'm sure to the more avid M1 collectors it's easy to spot a welded M1, but that isn't always the case for me so yes it does add value. That said, I do have the ability to buy from the CMP so unless the rifle is rare or something you can't find on the racks at the CMP, I would only be looking at paying CMP prices.