M-1 Garand Questions???

BigBarn

I have a friend that is in the market for an M-1 Garand, and this is one subject I know not too much about. What are the things to look out for when going to purchase one of these fine firearms?
I trained with the M-14 before I went to Viet Nam, and after I got home, but I am wholly in the dark about the Garand.
What kind of price range can I expect to see out there, and how do you tell the difference between one that is really not what it is supposed to be, and one that is in decent shape? Maybe that sounds stupid, but I can think of no other way to put it. I know there are a bunch of knock off's, and you can get pretty screwed if you are not careful.
Any help-info you can come up with would be great, and thanks for your patience! [8D]

BigBarn

"Respect the land, and it will respect you"

bobski

500.00 and up is the market. watch out for chinese junk. make sure its usgi. others will get into it more than i can. good luck.

former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.

kuhlewulf

READ READ READ and then when youre ready to go shopping READ it all again. There are many fine websites that have an abundance of Garand info and the NRA's Rifleman magazine just did a great article. You need to learn phases like headspace and throat erosion. So many "parts guns" are out there that are pieced together from leftover surplus and are not good buys. They may be way off on headspace and may also have chambers and bores that are way outside of specs, but don't confuse these with arsenal rebuilds. A U.S. military arsenal rebuild is a quality weapon that has been torn down, inspected, updated, and rebuilt by the armorers of the U.S. military, and all were reassembled with original manufacturer parts.
No nondescript parts were EVER used on real arsenal rebuilds. But most importantly of all is trust the dealer you buy from. Look for a reputable shop that has been there a while and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. If the shop has stuff like original Remmington Rand 1911's and other quality collectible guns then they can probably be taken at their word. But if the dealer is moving his Lorcins and Norincos out of the way to get to his Garand...run away. Ive seen garands that wouldn't even chamber a round correctly and the crushed hopes of friends that just bought them. Shop smart and take your time. If youre in Arizona I can tell you many fine shops to look at. Good luck.

Whats next? A ban on automatic transmissions?

Der Gebirgsjager

True, true.....all so true! But, my understanding is that you want a functional, shootable, serviceable M1 Garand rifle. Surf on over to www.civilianmarksmanshipprogram.com , jump through the hoops, and buy one directly from the government stores for $500 + shipping.

nmyers

Every time this subject comes up, those of us on this forum are generally unanimous in our recommendation: If your buddy can qualify, his best bet is to get a Service Grade M1 from the Civilian Marksmanship Program for $500 (www.odcmp.com). He will KNOW that it is a good one.

Or, he might find a CMP rifle on the market for not much more than that; just be sure it has CMP documentation.

Bobski is right about sticking to a USGI rifle; a lot of new M1 shooters buy CAI rifles for $400-500, but that's too much to pay for something suitable only as a boat anchor. Kuhlewolf makes a good point about finding a good dealer; sadly, many of us live in areas where they have been run out of business.

I suggest that you browse Scott Duff's website (www.scott-duff.com); he is, in my opinion, the top US military firearm dealer in the country, & you should be able to learn a lot quickly from his photos & descriptions.

Neal

intercessor

All good advice! For sure stay away from one with a CAI reciever; there may be a few out there that are OK, but most I have seen are junk. Parts rebuilds on a poor quality aftermarket reciever. CMP is your best bet.