Okay. So I may want an M1. Where do I start?

[TheBigCountry]

The itch and lust for owning an M1 Garand has been with me ever since I was young. Seeing the other post about how well they can shoot, adding an M1 to my collection may just happen.

With that being said, where is the best place to look for one? I just saw one here on the Hide for sale, but what exactly do you need to look for in one that is "serviceable" and in good working order? I have looked on the CMP site and seen all the different grades. I think they biggest question is, how much can one expect to spend on one in good cosmetic condition and working order?

 

[NukeMMC]

On the open market, upwards of $1000-1500 these days. You want a nice, serviceable shooter that doesn't say "Blue Sky" or some other import stamp that everyone else also wants. Quite frankly, the CMP rifles are still a good deal, just not as good a deal as when they were DCM. I got my first one (when you could only buy 1 from the DCM ...ever) in 1988 and it was $175.

 

[kraigWY]

The only place I would consider getting an M1 is through the CMP. Right now, the best option in my opinion is the RM1SPECIALFIELD. $830 delivered to your door.

http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1-garand/

The CMP Armors go over these rifles and make sure they work and are safe. If for some reason a dud slips through they will fix or replace it. But thats rare.

Buying from the CMP is not as complicated as many think. You need to prove citizenship, Birth Cert. or Passport (copys work). Proof of Marksmanship. NRA classifacation care, Military service, CCW permit, etc etc, and be a member of a CMP affiliated club. IF there isnt one in your area, john the Garand Collectors Assn. On line for $35 per year. This will satisify proof of marksmanship and club membership. You dont have to wait for a GCA membership card, if on line print out the reciept, the CMP can access the membership list if they need too.

Dont wait. They wont be listed for long. But if they are gone when you are ready to buy, keep checking, that means the ones they have ready to sale or gone. They are checking others getting them ready. When they get a batch they will list them. But prices may go higher.

Garands are all over the place, but you dont know what you're getting. pawn shop, gun shows, etc. Cabelas has some real junk going from $1800 - 2900. Go the CMP route, you cant loose.

With out a doubt the best military rifle ever made. Read Hatcher's Book of the Garand. (Amazon. book or kinda additon) cheap but well worth it. Tells you the history, maintenance, and repair trouble shooting.. It has reports of soldiers and marines using them in combat, Sand, mud, Rain and Ice. from the desert, jungles and arctic.

Yeah CMP Garand prices have came up. I got my first from the DCM, delivered to my door in Anchorage for $112.70, paid &630 for my last one. But I could afford the $830 today more then I could afford the 112 rifle when I got it.

If at all possible, dont wait. You will not regret it. Get ammo for the Garand (easy to do) sight it in, set the elevation dial to your zero, and if you can see the target, you can hit it to 1200 yards. Just buy using the marks on the elevation dial.

Most versitial rifle you can get, I've shot NRA HP, CMP Games, 1000 yard, and and, 3-gun, matches with mine. Good for hunting, as it will take on any game in NA. Lots of reasonable priced ball and match ammo around, easy to load for, just use mod. burning powder (4064, 4895, Varget, 748 etc) and keep the bullets =/- 180 and your good to go. Or you can get a gas plug and shoot anythng that looks like a 30-06. (I've never seen the need to do that).

Regardless you wont find a better deal then you can get from the CMP.

 

[kraigWY]

I forgot, you can shoot cast bullets out of a Garand also. When I was shooting for the AK NG, I would get indoor winter practice using cast bullets shooting 50 NRA Small bore targets. Really great for keeping in shape during sub zero temps. Cast bullets also work great on small game. But they wont work the action. You basically have a bolt gun.

But they will shoot in Arctic temps also. I ran Sniper Schools for the guard using the M1C/Ds in Alaska. At the time I was also the Company Commander of an Alaska Native Company on the Bering sea. These guys would take the Guard M1s walrus, seal and Caribou hunting. Cold temps didnt bother the gun at all. You read reports of them freezing up in Korea and during the Battle of the Buldge, Hatcher's Book of the Garand covers that and how people who were there kept that from happening.

Sorry if I seem to get carried away, I have had a love affair with the Garand since 1967, when I jumped with the M1 with the 12th SF Grp (Res) on leave in route to Vietnam.

I go get to rambling talking about this rifle.

I'll shut up...........................maybe

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Three places... CMP, CMP and CMP.

There are decent guns out there on Gunbroker... but good ones go for high prices and without handling one... you could get a pig in a poke. They show up at gun shops, but they seem to want big dollars plus. Gun shows can have bargains (everyone wants black rifles these days, so real 'vintage' stuff can be a bargain). But go with a muzzle gauge or assume that you will need some rebuilding on the bargains.

Learn to ID the Blue Sky and Importer stamps, usually under the muzzle. Avoid these. They are generally garbage, but can be rebuilt. By the time you do that... you will have bought three nice CMP guns.

If you are anywhere near Tulsa, go to the big gun shows twice a year. There are always a lot of Garands there. No stone bargains. But lots of good honest Garands at fair prices. Again, still more than CMP, but at least you can hold and look and compare.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[Foul Mike]

I got my first Garand when it was"1 per person in a lifetime," or words to that effect. I saved my nickels and dimes until I had $120. That was a lot back then and I had to wait over a year to get the rifle.
I had to show membership in an affiliated club, scorecards to show proficiency, proof of citizenship and get fingerprinted at the local jail to send that in also. Big hassle.
They then streamlined the process to the point I could send a membership card to American Legion or VFW and a DD 214 and buy one for my oldest son. More bucks but not too bad. They then loosened it up where you could buy more and I got 1 each for my other 2 kids. More bucks but still a good deal and other than 1 mismatched bolt all were Springfields. Up to $320.
After that they seemed to kind of go nuts and lower the requirements and buy all you want. Old farts that had the money bought them by 6 to 8 at a time IIRC. Delivery time was down to less than a month if you had the bucks. I wish I had been an Old Fart then and had a few bucks $$$
Now they are almost gone with very few choices.
Doesn't seem quite fair to me but that is just my opinion. FM
I feel that CMP went the route of buy all you want as long as you have the money and fuck those kids that are saving their nickles and dimes.
I feel they lost sight of what their original mission was and saw only $$$. Your opinion may vary but that is mine. FM

 

[kraigWY]

I feel they lost sight of what their original mission was and saw only $$$.

Their original mission, per their charter is to provide marksmanship training. Sales is a means to fund the program. Prior to 1996, under the DCM they received federal funding. In 1996, Sen Fienstein tried to block funding for the DCM, which she did, but it backfired. The program was turned over to Civilian Management, and their funding comes from sales of surplus rifles and related equipment.

And since the DCM became the CMP the program has grown tremendously.

Providing Marksmanship Training to the US Citizen is their mission, funding is the means to fulfill that mission, and the better they manage sales to that end, the better we, the US Citizen will be.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Thanks, Kraig! I didn't know the evolution... and that is interesting.

I wish Feinstein and Schumer would finally get gone... back to the rocks from under which they crawled. They are two of the biggest scubags the Senate has ever seen. Along with Ted Kennedy. All Gun Grabbists.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[pmclaine]

Hate to say it but you just missed a great deal within the last three days on this site.

1965 SA rebuild WRA with a great barrel, bayonet, ammo and some other gear, collectible unmodified WWII oprod...

https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...a-m1-garand-rifle-package-m1-bayonet-hxp-ammo.

The deals are out there.

 

[pmclaine]

Their original mission, per their charter is to provide marksmanship training. Sales is a means to fund the program. Prior to 1996, under the DCM they received federal funding. In 1996, Sen Fienstein tried to block funding for the DCM, which she did, but it backfired. The program was turned over to Civilian Management, and their funding comes from sales of surplus rifles and related equipment.

And since the DCM became the CMP the program has grown tremendously.

Providing Marksmanship Training to the US Citizen is their mission, funding is the means to fulfill that mission, and the better they manage sales to that end, the better we, the US Citizen will be.

Yep, I think Clinton thought he was putting a stake in Draculas heart but in fact he was proving that anything government tries to manage will be mismanaged and a private enterprise run on accountability can be run efficiently.

When the CMP starts selling 1911s this year (fingers crossed) I hope Clinton and DiFi enjoy how things went bad for them, good for America.

 

[kraigWY]

First I want to say I do not blame the Army, and its DCM. They did the best they could do with the funding they had.

anything government tries to manage will be mismanaged and a private enterprise run on accountability can be run efficiently.

The DCM vs the CMP is a perfect example of that statement.

Started by Teddy Roosevelt, in 1904, Congress taste the Army via the DCM to conduct the National Matches, requiring the SAFS (Small Arms Firing School) it instruct the US Citizen in the use of the military small arms.

Camp Perry was the place and it did fairly well but limited to Camp Perry. Then came the civilian run CMP. They are still taske with conducting the National Matches and SAFS.

But the CMP wasnt satisfied. They had to expand. Now we have the Eastern & Western Games, the OK City Games, and additional Traveling games, All with their SAFS. Though that spread the training through out the country, the CMP still wasnt satisfied.

They started the Master Instructor Program, where as they take qualified instructors to their Master Instructor Course for further training, and send them back to their respective CMP Clubs to conduct clinics.

The Army Marksmanship Unit is task with increasing the marksmanship abilities of the Services, but during the start of the current ME wars, the AMU was over task with their SDM courses they turned to the CMP for instructors to help our SDM trained up.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I got my (once only, forever) DCM Garand in the mid 1990's for $250. As investment go, it's a genuine winner. It is a pre-war 5-digit SA (September 1941), that's completely arsenal refurbished (1953 Winchester barrel).

Might be interested in knowing its value, but it's not ever going to be up for sale.

I got it for use as a shooter. I refinished the stock and glass bedded it. It has the butt pad extension added, and a globe front sight assembly with interchangeable post inserts. I kept all the parts stock, and will buy a replacement stock if I ever get up the gumption to shoot the CMP Garand Match.

It loves the Hornady 150gr FMJBT-WC and 50gr of IMR-4064 in a commercial (Hornady) case. The 168SMK and 48.1gr of MR-4064 is just very slightly above recommended max, but shoots outstanding in both the M-1 and the Win 70 featherweight. Substituting the 165SGK results in a similar degree of accuracy, and harvests deer very effectively.

The only true limitation to its accuracy is me.

Greg

 

[CMH]

. IF there isnt one in your area, john the Garand Collectors Assn. On line for $35 per year. This will satisify proof of marksmanship and club membership. You dont have to wait for a GCA membership card, if on line print out the reciept, the CMP can access the membership list if they need too.
.

Just verifying you are saying this also satisfies proof of marksmanship?

 

[Dan M]

That's a negative.

The acceptable proof of marksmanship activity is found on the CMP's website: http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/eligibility-requirements/

 

[Foul Mike]

I will agree that CMP has done a great job getting those matches etc. going. They have also sold an amazing number of Garands and since they lifted the restrictions as to how many you could buy from 1 in your life to 2 or 3 then opened it up to 1 a month or 8 per year or some such shit as that, they flew off the shelves and they collected lots of money.
This morning I was in Sidney, NE to pick up a few items at Cabella's and went to the "Gun Library" where they had no less than 8 CMP Garands with slings, all at around $2000.
That will help the average shooter wanting to get into Service Rifle Match a lot won't it?
No problem, go to CMP and take your pick from what is offered and pay $830, pits and all or buy a better one if it is offered for more $$s or take your chances on the auction?
What is offered? Look through and select what is not Sold Out and there you are, good to go, the Grab Bag.
While the CMP has a few left to sell I wonder if there are plenty more waiting to be re-furbished or are they close to the end of the rope on them? Where will the money to continue all the neat things they have established come from when there are none left to sell? 1911 45s?
I don't think the original intent of their sales was to stock the shelves of Cabella's but there it is, the aftermath.
Are there a lot more Garands left to build and sell or are they about gone? FM Drafted US Army E Co 5/7 Cav 1st. Cav. Div. RVN 69-70 Chime in Officers with answers.

 

[Iamero]

I have a CMP I would sell you if you are interested. I wasn't planning on posting it up for a bit, but if you're interested shoot me a PM. Comes with the CMP hard case, CMP certificate, sling, and I think I have a bayo for it that I picked up at a local shop (but don't remember if it was for this or another gun without confirming). Anyways, it's the rebuilt CMP with the new production stock (absolutely beautiful), new barrel, and so on. One helluva rifle and stupid accurate!

 

[packratt]

https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...62212-86-000-garands-from-philippines-for-cmp

 

[Foul Mike]

Have they arrived yet?
If not are they coming for sure, and when? FM

 

[Dan M]

Back in 2010 CMP Chief Operating Officer Orest Micheals stated that the CMP had 125,000 M1 rifles in hand...that included complete rifles, receivers and drill rifles. The 86,000 rifles from the Phillippines would constitute the bulk of the CMPs rifles, but it may be years before they are available for sale...counting the return, grading, refurbishment. Many of the returned M1s I have handled (spent a lot of time at Navy Arms and Sarco culling through pallets of rifles stacked like cord wood when I worked for an FFL in the post '86 era) were in rough shape.

 

[kraigWY]

The CMP still have a lot of M1s, the lag is getting them inpected/repaired and up for sale.

Right now (as of 7:30am Mountain time, 8-10-2017. they have a supply of Field and Service Grades listed for $730 and $830 delivered to your door.

http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1-garand/

Again these are all inspected, repaired if needed and they guarantee them. Beats the hell out of the junk I see in Cabela's Gun Library's going for $1900-2900, or gunshow/pawn shop finds where you don't know what your getting.

Don't expect to see cheaper CMP guns, Everything goes up in price. The CMP Programs are creating a demand which drives prices. Last Dec. I bought my latest Garand @ $630.

Even when the Philipine 86K Garands become available, you wont see them cheaper then todays prices.

Everyone should have a Garand, but the longer you wait, the more they will cost.

 

[Foul Mike]

Thanks Kraig, Most questions answered.
I still wonder about funding to carry on the good work they have done.
I think everyone needs to call or e-mail our Congress Critters to make sure that funding is there to support what has been done. FM

 

[pmclaine]

Thanks Kraig, Most questions answered.
I still wonder about funding to carry on the good work they have done.
I think everyone needs to call or e-mail our Congress Critters to make sure that funding is there to support what has been done. FM

There wont be any funding and we dont want Congress getting involved.

The CMP gets the rifles for free, well they get the actual rifle for free but they must pay to get it to Anniston from wherever it might be. They may actually only have to pay shipping once the rifles get to some point in CONUS. Im not sure on that.

The CMP is pretty flush with cash because its operating costs are some officers, some armorers, some clerical staff, some over head and maintenance. They run a tight ship, hence the delays on getting product out.

But they sell their product as fast as they need to and cost/profit is pretty good. Add the money they make on auctioned items which can sell at ridiculous values. Than there is ammo sales. The HXP ammo they negotiated direct with Greece for the 17M rounds. You dont think Greece was happy to get some green backs for stuff they are not using? Than there are fees collected at the comps and ranges. That money probably only covers costs but still the costs are covered, its not a negative to there cash reserve.

There will be more guns and ammo distributed through the CMP from old US military stockpiles. I got some great deals on out of date .22 ammo. 5000 rounds for $150. There will be more of that coming and the CMP is making money on that sale of stuff they probably only had to ship over from down the street.

On top of that they are in deals with commercial ammo manufacturers to provide ammo. They may only make a penny a round but they are not losing money.

Get the Congress involved they will be insolvent in a year.

It would be nice if we ever got an economy based on the sound principle that cash has a value its not just paper the govt prints and banks lose. Perhaps if interest rates went up to a point where their cash reserves actually made 5-6% than they would become even stronger financially to continue their mission to provide marksmanship instruction.

 

[TheBigCountry]

I have a CMP I would sell you if you are interested. I wasn't planning on posting it up for a bit, but if you're interested shoot me a PM. Comes with the CMP hard case, CMP certificate, sling, and I think I have a bayo for it that I picked up at a local shop (but don't remember if it was for this or another gun without confirming). Anyways, it's the rebuilt CMP with the new production stock (absolutely beautiful), new barrel, and so on. One helluva rifle and stupid accurate!

Sent you a PM

 

[Gary/CO]

My vote is for CMP. If you can get down to Anniston, Georgia, pick one off the rack.