M1 Garand question...

204targetman

My dad was in the army during the korean war. He has never been what you would call a gun nut. But he often talks about how much he liked that rifle. I've looked on here and at gun shows but there are so many different makers and prices. I'm more of a modern gun person myself and know little about the garand. Anyone know which one would be the closest to what he probably used?? And what price range I could expect for a shooter. Thanks for any help.....

firstharmonic

Check out the Civilian Marksmanship Program's web site - http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/m1garand.htm . The qualifications to purchase - http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/eligibility_requirements.htm - seem a little daunting at first but if your Dad is a veteran and is a member of any veteran's organization (AMVETS, VFW, American Legion, etc.), well, the rest is just paperwork.

When you check out the link above, I'd suggest at least a Field Grade; a Service Grade would be even better. And either a Springfield or a Harrington & Richardson (all that they are selling right now) would be fine, although I've read that the HRAs never actually saw combat in Korea. Can't vouch for that personally.

I've bought nine rifles from the CMP (some here have purchased many more than that) and have never been disappointed.

And please thank your Dad for his Service. You must be very proud.

grumpygy

You can also try the garandguy.com I have not dealt with him but some Marines I know have and say he is far and honest. His price is very comparable to the CMP program without all the extra paper work, His have been gone thru to include a new barrel so they will or should shoot great. Also they get a new stock.

Believe the cost is $895. Which after getting a Garand from CMP and going thru it would cost about the same if not a little more.

flyingtorpedo

Check out the CMP, http://www.odcmp.com/
For 595 + 22.95 shipping you can get a service grade rifle. It should make for a good shooter. On the order form you can request a certain serial number range, if you know what range you want in in. I'm sure someone later on will be able to give you that. Or you can request a post WWII/Korean war era one. You may not get what you request but they will try. Ask your dad who made is rifle, if he remembers. Right now the CMP has Springfield and Harrington & Richardson garands. There is also the chance he carried a rebuilt WWII era garand. Good luck with your search!

204targetman

Thanks guys. The service grade is just what I was thinking of. Price not as bad as I thought either. Nice links.

jimthompson502002

Suggestion: A rifle used in the Korean war would be VERY, VERY unlikely to be of post-WW2 manufacture. It'd be almost impossible, in fact. It might've been rebuilt a time or two by 1950. Close examination of the photography, though, reveals that most rifles in use in Korea had not even had their locking bar sights replaced!
Those and operating rod replacements were high priority alterations.

bgjohn

The CMP guns are UUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggllllllllllYYYYYY!!!
JM[V]

jimthompson502002

CMP rack grade rifles look pretty rough, usually. However, better
to have a genuine USGI forged receiver and a real military rifle
than a civilian casting already five years old, with no history.
Stocks, barrels, and finishes can all be easily replaced and redone.
Do, however, review the literature--and I do NOT mean internet sites and forums!--and brief yourself before spending a dime. Giacobbe is pretty good, but you still want as much information as you can get going in.

gruntled

In Kalifornia the the shipping charge from the CMP is far more than offset by the savings from no sales tax & no state or dealers fees.
The rifle comes right to your house & doesn't have to go through a dealer. I have bought two M-1s & a carbine from them & have been quite satisfied with them.

32 Magnum

Garands used in Korean war will have receivers stamped either Springfield U.S. Armory with s/n under 5 million or Winchester (WRA). They will probably have replaced barrels and may include about 5 or 6 other manufacturers (including HRA, LMR, Douglas, Savage, SA and older WRA) . Harrington & Richardson and International Harvester, along with later Springfield US Armory pieces were made starting in Spring of 1953 - mostly made after the Armistice and therefore saw little if any combat in Korea.

jimthompson502002

Almost entirely below 4.2 million. No LMR barrel could possibly have
seen service in Korea. Wartime Marlins might have. The "many different makers" would apply to the M1 Carbine, a completely different and unrelated firearm of vastly less power. H&R delivered their first complete rifle to the armory about the time the war ended. IHC was later still. Only Springfields and Winchesters would have seen combat on the peninsula during the Korean War. The literature makes this all transparently clear.