CMP M1 Garand

[nedmoore]

What club can you join in Houston to qualify for purchase? The ones that I saw on the website were all high school ROTC programs.

[Mike1951]

Texas State Rifle Association, which everyone here should belong to anyway.

[Rugrash]

I considered one from CMP but then went with:

http://www.garandguy.com/issuegrade.htm

Super Premium Grade M1 with a US GI Reciever

Same as premium grade, but with new Citadel* commercial 30.06 or .308 barrel and new walnut stock and hand guards; Made to USGI specs. Comes with Instruction manual, 10 clips and a 1 year warranty. $895

I ended up paying $915 I think it was with shipping. His website is crappy and he didn't take too much time packaging the rifle. He also has some 36 point tune up that made me feel all warm and fuzzy. The rifle I got had a brand new barrel chambered in .308. I didn't want one in 30-06 b/c I already own a few other .308's and didn't want to start buying yet another caliber. Overall I am very pleased with it.

-Rug

[Mike1951]

Great news! Just received shipping confirmation on the Springfield service grade. Fedex should deliver it Monday.

The H&R SG will hopefully only trail it by a few weeks.

[nedmoore]

Good for you mike1951! Can't wait to see the pics when you get it. I am waiting for my CHL so I can order one too.

[longhorn_92]

Great news! Just received shipping confirmation on the Springfield service grade. Fedex should deliver it Monday.

The H&R SG will hopefully only trail it by a few weeks.

Any word on the delivery? I am just waiting for the information to come back from the club (Garand Collector's Association) that I joined a week ago - then I can fill out the application for an M1 Garand...

[Mike1951]

It arrived about 9am. It sure is purdy!!

I hadn't posted 'cause I haven't gotten any pictures taken yet.

But it's worlds better than the Garand that I bought locally for the same price.

On the 19th, I ordered a Stone Axe throat erosion/muzzle wear gage. When that comes in, I'll have more to report.

[135boomer]

Any word on the delivery? I am just waiting for the information to come back from the club (Garand Collector's Association) that I joined a week ago - then I can fill out the application for an M1 Garand...[/quote]

GCA will notify CMP of your membership. Mail your order!

[HankB]

I've purchased three (3) M1 Garands from the CMP . . . a USGI service grade, a Greek return service grade, and a USGI field grade.

The first rifle was a bit better than average, the last two met the CMP's grade definition. ME and TE were a bit better than the limits on the two SGs, and a little better than the limit on the FG . . . though the stock on this last apparently had been gnawed on by a beaver . . . right over the cartouche.

Some people are lucky and get a rifle that's noticeably better than the grade description, but these guys are the exception; if you read the grade description and understand what it says, then you shouldn't be disappointed by what you actually get.

[Mike1951]

Hank,

I probably wouldn't have ordered the 2nd one if I hadn't been reading the glowing reports on the condition of service grades on the CMP forum.

Your experiences may not represent what is available now.

My H&R SG, order placed 17 days after my Springfield SG, appeared as processing only 7 days after the first. So I'm expecting the H&R very soon.

I will make every effort to get photos of both posted. The Springfield came with a new stock, stained dark, but never having had oil applied. As I said, I will be able to post TE/MW readings by then.

[HankB]

Mike,

People on the CMP forums are more likely to post if they get a GREAT gun rather than a "regular" rifle. I've compared notes with a few other locals and not as many people seem to be getting "above spec" rifles these days.

Not that I'm complaining; the CMP is very clear about what you can expect for the different grades. And my rifles DID handily meet the SG/FG criteria for muzzle and throat erosion, even though all three were wearing their original barrels . . .as measured with a Stone Axe gage, the numbers I came up with are:

USGI SA SG s/n 5,9xx,xxx TE 2 ME 1
Greek SA SG s/n 5,8xx,xxx TE 2.5-3 ME 1.5
USGI SA FG s/n 3,4xx,xxx TE 4.5-5 ME <2

FWIW, here's a picture of my first CMP SA SG, posted on another forum, a couple of posts down: http://www.eotacforum.com/viewtopic.php ... a&start=75

They ARE good rifles, at a good price - I'm just cautioning that you ought to keep your expectations realistic.

[Mike1951]

I see nothing at all wrong with yours. I had been wanting a Garand for years but the ones I've seen at gun shows for $600 are in poor shape.

Based on appearance of yours and mine and the wear levels you measured, I would say these would probably be marked $800-$900 at shows.

I did see that the SP SG I just received was made in 1954.

I'm not sure what you were expecting for a service grade, but I'm very happy with the first one.

[KBCraig]

I wonder what will happen to CMP when they finally run out of M1903s, M1s, carbines, and the various occasional .22 rifles.

I doubt they'll be allowed to sell M16 uppers and parts, and the lowers are going to be no-go for civilians.

[135boomer]

I wonder what will happen to CMP when they finally run out of M1903s, M1s, carbines, and the various occasional .22 rifles.

I doubt they'll be allowed to sell M16 uppers and parts, and the lowers are going to be no-go for civilians.

They will continue to run their matches. Selling rifles is just a sideline.

[HankB]

Mike,

The rifles I got met my expectations - I'm satisfied I got fair value.

It's just that on the CMP forums every once in a while you'll read about someone who got an SG that, except for a hammer by the wrong manufacturer or something, could easily be a collector grade.

I'm not that lucky.

Here around Austin, I've seen rifles that are priced ridiculously at the SAXET show. I remember one rifle in particular I saw a couple of years ago, priced at, IIRC, $895 . . . it was in worse conditon than my Field Grade, certainly no better than Rack Grade . . . but it was being touted as "special" in that it contained parts from all four of the Garand's manufacturers!!!

Then there's a guy who has a number of Garands (including a gas trap), parts, and other CMP rifles - he's a regular at the SAXET show with a couple of tables. Interestingly enough, he let slip that he has two sets of erosion gages - he uses one if he's buying a rifle, a different one if he's selling a rifle.

I don't plan to ever do business with him.