Garand experts and Aficionados....

[Guest 70below]

I just may end up at the CMP South Store in Anniston, Alabama tomorrow and surely will try my hand at selecting my first M1 Garand. Seeing the hoards of beautiful military battle rifles at the East TN shoot this past weekend has sent me lusting after one of my first true loves.

Kind and gentle Garand collectors.......please enlighten me......

My question relates to selection of a fine Garand specimen. Other than fondling the many exquisite firearms and checking them for muzzle and throat errosion, what should I be looking for, and what if anything should I avoid?

Thank you.

[Garufa]

Where to begin?...

I've never been there myself and have put the trip off for too long! First, have you got your creds to buy from CMP? Second, from what I hear on the CMP forum there are only Field Grade Garands to be had at the store right now. All the service grades are held up for mail orders. But there are lots of carbines.

If it was me, I would be looking for a Springfield Armory with a serial number below 3,800,000. That's WWII manufacture. Then I would look for the best wood you can and best bore.

It's my understanding that the staff there is most helpful. Especially a guy name Leon.

[Mike.357]

I would choose one based on how good the barrel was and how much life it had left in it. You can replace furniture fairly cheaply in relation to the cost of the rifle.

Wish I could go there someday. I dunno how you would pick one out of what they must have there to see.

[Guest 70below]

I have my passport (age and citizenship proof), C&R license (shooting activity verification), and my understanding is that they will accept your paperwork on site and you can sign up for the Garand Collectors Association on site to complete the requirements. Am I missing anything?

The advice on below 3,800,000 is good, thanks. I've heard twice this week from a couple people that if you take your time and go through the field grades that you can easily come up with a rifle that could have easily been tagged service grade, so I'm hoping for that. If not, I'm probably going to try to find the best condition metal and bore possible and upgrade the stock later.

[Guest 70below]

I would choose one based on how good the barrel was and how much life it had left in it. You can replace furniture fairly cheaply in relation to the cost of the rifle.

Wish I could go there someday. I dunno how you would pick one out of what they must have there to see.

Just what I was thinking....lol. I'm hoping one of the Garands "speaks to me" in a sense. Hopefully its not just a room of guns, but one of them, just looks and feels right.

[Garufa]

You must take pictures while there so we can all drool!

[Guest 70below]

You must take pictures while there so we can all drool!

Yeah, wonder how they feel about customers with an arm full of Garands and Carbines throwing gang signs?

[Mike.357]

I am thinking one will call out to you. heck even if it is old looking and the stock is beat to crap it might end up being your most cherished rifle.

[bteague2]

You lucky SOB, I hope to make that pilgrimage one day.

[Guest 70below]

You lucky SOB, I hope to make that pilgrimage one day.

From what I understand....if you're going to make the pilgrimage....you better plan on doing it this year.....

[Guest AmericanWorkMule]

You should go on a Weds. That is when the racks are full and they don't restock until the next week. Guys line up before the place opens and get in there like ladies at a shoe sale.

It kind of upset me when the groups would horde around the best rifles before the lone guy could make his way through the racks.

They would take their dozen up to purchase and you pick through the leftovers. I found a shooter eventually.

Also, buy as much ammo as you can while there.

http://www.odcmp.org/new_forum/default.asp?CAT_ID=1

Edited April 24, 2009 by AmericanWorkMule

[Mark@Sea]

Definitely get your ten cans of ammo!

As soon as you get in the door, go to the desk and give them your drivers license for a bore gauge. The H&R's are on the back wall. The Winchesters are on the right hand wall. All the winnies are in bad shape, bore wise, even the woodless ones.

Go down the racks testing bores. Look for a 'less than two'. When you find one, glance over the rifle, looking at metal finish, then wood. If you want a new stock, CMP has some very nice walnut for $118. They will even let you look through two or three to find one that appeals.

After getting your rifle, go to the window and drop off your paperwork. If you were already a member, I'd say do that first, but if not, better find 'your' rifle first.

Don't look at the carbines, they are beautiful. Very hard to walk away from them after you've seen them. I know - I came home with two. A buddy I went with came home with four (and then figured out he couldn't afford them all, I am picking up two from him this weekend).

After you've found 'your' rifle - QUIT LOOKING! If there were a guy in the corner buying kidneys or other organs, he'd be very busy.

[Mark@Sea]

And again - get your ten cans.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Mark@Sea

[cadillacdude1975]

there is an ad in the new edition of rifleman that i got in the mail 2 days ago about military surplus M1 Garands. check it out. i glanced at teh ad, but that was about the extent of what i did.

[bteague2]

From what I understand....if you're going to make the pilgrimage....you better plan on doing it this year.....

Why?

[Mark@Sea]

Maybe 1 year left on the ammo - November they estimated a 10 year supply. Thousands of mail orders a month, some for multiple rifles.

[Garufa]

Why?

You may want to check out the CMP forum. Like everything else gun-related the CMP crowd is buying up everything in sight.

[Guest 70below]

Well......I did it......I went to the CMP store in Anniston. It was definitely a worthwhile experience. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed a first. The place was smaller than I was expecting and they had pulled all the service grade rifles off the shelves to fill all the thousands of mail order rifles they are behind on.

After I started through the rifles though, there were more than enough Field Grade rifles there to keep me occupied. I was a kid in a candy shop after a bit, and was easily overwhelmed by the rifles and trying to decide which one was for me.

About the second or third rifle I looked at, I thought "wow....I like this one!" It was a SA 3.6mil which I guess puts it as a wartime? and I continued to pick through the rifles and look them over, but kept finding myself drawn back over and over. It was in good shape, but not great.....I told myself I wouldn't look for good wood, but I liked the stock and it was in really good condition except for some cracks in the forward handguard. It had that dark wood that I really like. The metal was very good, the bore wasn't great, but was better than most there. After going back to that rifle several times, I started lugging it around with me to look at other rifles so no one else would snag it......thats how I knew it was mine.......I mean....come on......it followed me home, I can keep it right?

Right as I had made up my mind it was coming with me, a guy who was talking near me said "Hey, I noticed some great H&R's over there!" "You should check 'em out!"......damn him...... So after looking over the two he showed me (5.6mil) which both had better muzzle and throat than my SA.....and knowing full well I couldn't leave that SA behind, my buddy started in with "Here, I'll carry one for you"...... "you said that you wanted an HRA and an SA"......"come on"....."I'll carry it to the counter for you".......with friends like that.......who needs enemies? Geeez.......

So.....now my bank account is more bruised and battered than a battle rifle. They traded scars. Time to stock up on ramen noodles as soon as I scavenge the sofa for change.

NOTE: There was a 900K SA there and a couple 1.1mil SA's.......did I screw up by not bringing those home?

Edited April 25, 2009 by 70below

[G27]

*oops, you posted just before I did*

Thanks for the update - did your credentials work ok? What's the OTD price for a field grade Garand now?

Thanks,

Edited April 25, 2009 by crimsonaudio

[Guest 70below]

Out the door was a little less than $550 with tax I believe.

Edit:

And after a light cleanup........

Edited April 26, 2009 by 70below

[Guest 70below]

After you've found 'your' rifle - QUIT LOOKING! If there were a guy in the corner buying kidneys or other organs, he'd be very busy.

I obviously didn't follow this rule......I was beating myself up all the way home.

I was going to mention, I was very happy with the decision to actually go down there and pick out my own Garand rather than try to go through the mail. If thats your only option.....do it....but having seen the selection there are ones that I would have been a little disappointed in had they mailed me one. Not that they were "bad" just not what I would have wanted. I had something specific in mind when I went to get mine. And had I ordered and it had not fallen into that mold, it would have been disappointing.

In the end my SA had a ME of 1.5, and the HRA has a ME of 1, both had a TE of about 3.......If it hadn't been for that cracked handguard on the SA I think it would have been a service grade. I'm seriously considering putting the handguard from the HRA on the SA and making the HRA my regular shooter since its a post war.

EDIT: Not really a delicate way to put this.....but is there something besides dried bloody hair that would resemble that and may have been shoved into one of the cleaning kit holes in the stock?

Edited April 25, 2009 by 70below

[Mark@Sea]

Umm...

Well, nice looking rifles, and I think you will really like the HRA. Mine is my best shooter, even with the worst bore.

As far as the scalp goes, I'm trying to think of something, but nothing is coming to me...

12 clicks up at a hundred, 15 at three hundred is a good starting point...

And I warned you to stop looking

[Garufa]

Good looking rifles! I see you started off your Garanditis proper. Remember to keep your thumb out of the bolt.

Is there something wrong with my eyes or is that SA missing the rear sling swivel? If so, call CMP and they'll set it right. If not, pardon my nit-picking.

[Guest 70below]

Nope......rear sling swivel is there, for some reason it just doesn't appear to be in the photo. I had to check to be sure...lol.

I damn near had a case of M1 Thumb on a couple Garands I picked up to look at CMP because someone had already "locked" them back, or one that seemed to have an issue and didn't want to lock back.

Yeah......i'm not sure about this hair......at first I saw it and though some soldier had put a lock of his girlfriends hair in there......how sweet, right? But this hair is all about 2" long and seemed packed in with dried blood. I'm still trying to get it out with needlenose pliers. I don't know if I should have some sort of ceremony or bury it or something.

[Mike.357]

I feel cheated I did not get anything in my Garand.

Tower got someones firing range chart in his.

really gotta wonder why someone would stick some bloody hair in their rifle though.