Help me find my next rifle, an M1 Garand

[wizzegun]

I would go CMP. It seems that any M1 you see and has "the paperwork", the value goes up. There is also the Garand Guy in NJ. I have a Garand solely as a shooter but thru researching the various parts you learn alot. Check out the CMP forums. You will get a million different things to look for. IMO, if it works and is in decent shape, its a collector. Just like everything else prices will rise.

I have a friend who is a high end collector. He likes to bust our chops for buying low end stuff(he has a lot more money than I do!) A few years back he bought an "all correct as issued" Garand with a low serial number. The price was well into 4 figures. It was one of the nicest M1s I have ever seen. But imagine his surprise when he disassembled the rifle to find very tiny import marks. Not only was he rather upset about getting screwed, he had also literally went over the rifle with a magnifying glass. He got his money back. So the moral of the story is you can never know enough and your better off going with someplace you have recourse.

[dc dalton]

Originally Posted by wizzegun

I would go CMP. It seems that any M1 you see and has "the paperwork", the value goes up. There is also the Garand Guy in NJ. I have a Garand solely as a shooter but thru researching the various parts you learn alot. Check out the CMP forums. You will get a million different things to look for. IMO, if it works and is in decent shape, its a collector. Just like everything else prices will rise.

I have a friend who is a high end collector. He likes to bust our chops for buying low end stuff(he has a lot more money than I do!) A few years back he bought an "all correct as issued" Garand with a low serial number. The price was well into 4 figures. It was one of the nicest M1s I have ever seen. But imagine his surprise when he disassembled the rifle to find very tiny import marks. Not only was he rather upset about getting screwed, he had also literally went over the rifle with a magnifying glass. He got his money back. So the moral of the story is you can never know enough and your better off going with someplace you have recourse.

Thank you for the info ... it seems I need quite a bit of research before I jump into this buy, luckily I'm just broke enough to HAVE to take my time and research ... who says being broke isn't a blessing some times?

[Garpman]

Originally Posted by arrrrgh15

I'm in the same boat as you.

Check out the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). They have price lists for various grade Garands.

In September I'm sending them my affiliated membership info, my discharge papers, and ordering a Garand direct from them.

Your military service already qualifies you to purchase with the CMP, no further membership to other organizations are needed. It was not always this way, but the CMP changed their rules not too long ago.

This is how I was able to order from them. I sent them a copy of my DD214 and filled out an order form.

To the OP, the CMP is the best way. Like someone else said, they will have collector value if it comes from there as the process of the CMP reacquiring them is all part of each rifle's history.

I would not purchase a Garand or an M1 Carbine from Gunbroker or at a gunshow because sellers there (for the most part) deliberately mark the prices up knowing that not everyone qualifies to purchase from the CMP. The CMP allows (the last time I checked) you to purchase several rifles (depending on make) at one time, so I suspect many folks do this and then resell them at a marked up price for those who cannot meet their requirements. The harder to find/rare manufacturers are not allowed to be purchased directly; instead the CMP puts them up for auction. For the Carbines, I know this would Irwin Pedersons, and Rockolas...

What makes an M1 service rifle valuable to collectors/enthusiasts is how original they are. The really hardcore folks spend thousands upon thousands of dollars trying to restore their particular rifle back to WWII configuration with all the parts, and the stock from the same factory. If you thought AK and AR guys were nuts, you should see these "crufflers" (and I am an AK nut). I like my milsurps a lot, and I am a bit anal when it comes to correct slings, and bayonets, etc. but I don't think I could stomach (afford) to do what these guys do.

I am not one of these types. I am happy to own a genuine M1 service rifle and believe that wherever and whoever it was sent to after the war to aid our allies/"allies" in the Cold War is all part of its history.

Simply put, if you want a genuine M1 Garand that you can shoot and has collector value, buy a service grade rifle from the CMP.

One last thing, do not be fooled by the "tanker" model Garand. There was never such a rifle issued, and it has no collector value whatsoever.

[Scud]

My CMP M1, (and this is rare) has a few National Match parts and an actual indentation in the stock from where someone got a mouthful of Garand stock on a bad day. You can see the indentations from teeth as they are set in the top or bottom of this person's mouth. That had to hurt!
I think that I found what I had been looking for.

[SteveWag]

The only place to buy an M1 is from the CMP!!!, period!!! Their descriptions are very conservative. I have purchased rifles described as “rusted with damaged stocks” and have received rifles vacuum packed in silver foil packages new as the day they left the factory. All of the service grade M1 rifles I have received and/or inspected have been arsenal rebuilt, only two had “NM” parts, most have new stocks and barrels. If you have served in the military and are a member of the A.L. or VFW the paper work is a cinch. If you have a LTCF and are a member of an affiliated club, ditto. AND, CMP M1 rifles will be $400 to $800 less than a gun show. The only way to buy cheaper would be to run into a private seller, but then I would have to inspect the firearm closely.
Steve