US opposes Seoul’s bid to sell old rifles

[Tim Nunan]

[Exclusive] US opposes Seoul?s bid to sell old rifles <img src='/www/news/images/ic_korean.gif'>

The U.S. government opposed South Korea’s bid to sell hundreds of thousands of aging U.S. combat rifles to American gun collectors, a senior government official said Thursday.

The ministry announced the plan last September as part of efforts to boost its defense budget, saying the export of the M1 Garand and carbine rifles would start by the end of 2009.

The U.S. administration put the brakes on the plan, citing “problems†that could be caused by the importation of the rifles.

The problems the U.S. government cited were somewhat ambiguous, said an official at the Ministry of National Defense on condition of anonymity.

“The U.S. insisted that imports of the aging rifles could cause problems such as firearm accidents. It was also worried the weapons could be smuggled to terrorists, gangs or other people with bad intentions,†the official told The Korea Times.

“We’re still looking into the reason why the U.S. administration is objecting to the sale of the rifles and seeking ways to resolve the problems raised,†he said.

Critics say the ministry pushed to sell the firearms in a hasty manner without enough consultation with the U.S. beforehand, as calls were growing to increase defense expenditure.

The Seoul government sought to sell the outdated U.S guns back to the United States.

A total of 86,000 M1 rifles and another 22,000 carbines were to be sold, as the weapons have been mothballed for about five decades in military warehouses. The per-unit price of the M1 rifle is about $220 and the carbine is more than $140, according to the ministry.

M1s were made first in 1926 and used in World War II and the 1954-1975 Vietnam War. The carbines were first produced in 1941 and used during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I'd buy one. Maybe two or three!

[Garufa]

Now I'm pissed. Have been waiting for word on this for over a year.

[JeffL]

Gangbangers with Garands, now we're all screwed!

[G27]

$220 for an M1?

Yes, please!

[Magiccarpetrides]

omg...this is rediculous.....yeah a Garand drive by...that'd be the day lol. Gah I wish they would speed this up...I bet it will go through...sell em now while they are high and restock when they are momentarily cheap ;-D

[Guest TnRebel]

Gangbangers with Garands, now we're all screwed!

Yea just picture a gangbanger with an M1 Garand stuff down his paint didy boppen down the street .

[Guest oldsmobile98]

[vontar]

I would like one of each.

[mikegideon]

The NRA needs to be all over this

[runningfree]

The NRA needs to be all over this

Agreed!

[greenego]

I thought the gangs and terrorists only used high powered guns like Glocks and AKs. Why would a bunch of smart people like we have running this country be worried about a bunch of rusty 0ld WWII rifles?

[vontar]

I thought the gangs and terrorists only used high powered guns like Glocks and AKs. Why would a bunch of smart people like we have running this country be worried about a bunch of rusty 0ld WWII rifles?

Because they are weapons of war, weapons of Mass, wait, hard to make that argument for them.

[mikegideon]

I thought the gangs and terrorists only used high powered guns like Glocks and AKs. Why would a bunch of smart people like we have running this country be worried about a bunch of rusty 0ld WWII rifles?

Well, a Garand has more power than any Glock or AK. Just more gun hating libtard crap.

[Garufa]

Word around the CMP forum is, and I take it with a massive grain of salt, that the US is trying to determine if Korea even owns those rifles to begin with. They might still be US property. We sent hundreds of thousands of rifles to allies after WWII, and also sold rifles to many countries. If we lent them the guns they cannot sell them back to us, only return.

That's just what I heard.

[vontar]

well, you know if they are sold, they will go to bulk buyers, that will sell them out to middle markets and so on and forth. By the time we see them they will mostly be in gun shows and very marked up prices. By the time we have the option to by them at 1 or 2 rifles, the price will probably be over 500 each or more.

[Mike.357]

M1s were made first in 1926 and used in World War II and the 1954-1975 Vietnam War. The carbines were first produced in 1941 and used during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

is this correct? The Garand is from 1926? Does not sound right to me. And I thought Carbines were more like 42 or 43??

Oh well I got mine already.

[Oh Shoot]

well, you know if they are sold, they will go to bulk buyers, that will sell them out to middle markets and so on and forth. By the time we see them they will mostly be in gun shows and very marked up prices. By the time we have the option to by them at 1 or 2 rifles, the price will probably be over 500 each or more.

If US gummit handled the "sale" or "transfer", almost certainly would be sold to public through CMP, I'd think.

Or they'd destroy them, always that option seems.

- OS

Edited August 13, 2010 by OhShoot

[Garufa]

If US gummit handled the "sale" or "transfer", almost certainly would be sold to public through CMP, I'd think.

- OS

If the rifles were indeed "loaned" to Korea they are still US property and should be returned to the US military, who would turn them over to the CMP for disposition. Unless something horrible happens like under Clinton when hundreds of thousands of Garands were chopped up and sent to the furnace.

The vast majority of M1's sold by the CMP now have not been in US armorys for over 50 years. They are all from Greece and other countries, US property returned by the nations we lent them to.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Garufa

[vontar]

question, the Carbines, there are 2 main calibers of them right? I believe .30 caliber and 30.06 right?

I like the movie, Carbine Williams , which seem somewhat based on some facts, some fiction, Not sure where the line is drawn.

Carbine Williams (1952)

The real-life David Marshall Williams did indeed invent the improvements in firearms which led directly to the development to the M-1 carbine, the weapon which helped to win World War II. And he did it while serving a long prison sentence for murder.

The movie is probably one of the reason I would like to own one, it would be neat to own one that actually served in WW2, but pretty sure that will never happen, seems it might be possible to get one that may have served in Korea though.

Edited August 14, 2010 by vontar

[G27]

question, the Carbines, there are 2 main calibers of them right? I believe .30 caliber and 30.06 right?

No, the M1 Garand is 30.06, the M1 Carbine is .30 Carbine.

[Garufa]

John Marsh "Carbine" Williams invented the short-stroke gas piston used in the M1 carbine. He did not invent the rifle itself. If I recall correctly he was an employee of the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. that produced the first carbine prototype (in less than 90 days) based on a department of war bid. He may have invented the piston prior to becoming a Winchester employee. That is about his only acheivement, unlike John Moses Browning who also worked for Winchester.

The US Rifle, Caliber 30 M1 was designed by John C. Garand, a Springfield Armory employee. He worked for the government back when SA was a manufacturer run by the military to produce small arms. Not the trade mark name we know now.

[Guest 270win]

I don't think South Korea can sell the Garands or Carbines because we let South Korea borrow them...Lend Lease. The rifles and carbines should be returned to the States like Greece did and then they will be distributed through the CMP. It will be nice when they come back and you can get one down in Anniston. I wonder what condition they are in? I believe there was a law recently passed that these old rifles must be sent to CMP and can't be destroyed.

[mikegideon]

John Marsh "Carbine" Williams invented the short-stroke gas piston used in the M1 carbine. He did not invent the rifle itself. If I recall correctly he was an employee of the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. that produced the first carbine prototype (in less than 90 days) based on a department of war bid. He may have invented the piston prior to becoming a Winchester employee. That is about his only acheivement, unlike John Moses Browning who also worked for Winchester.

The US Rifle, Caliber 30 M1 was designed by John C. Garand, a Springfield Armory employee. He worked for the government back when SA was a manufacturer run by the military to produce small arms. Not the trade mark name we know now.

John Moses was the MAN. Guns in general wouldn't be the same without his influence.

I will eventually own a Garand and a carbine.

[vontar]

I hope to know when these hit the market as I would like to try to get one of each, if I could get them in good condition. you know, safe enough to collect and shoot. Someone help keep me informed.