A fool and his money

[CanoeCrasher]

Has anyone on here been bitten by the bug?

I'm not just talking about the "buy a fun gun" bug. My current sickness is much scarier. I am inches away from purchasing a firearm I have never handled or fired.

Just because I saw on the CMP website that they received an unexpected shipment of M1 Garand rifles, now I feel the need to get one before they are all gone. Is this rational? I've never fired a Garand, or a 30'06, for that matter.

Glocks, yes. AR-15's, yes. But an M1 Garand? I'm a young twenty-something, who should be interested in plastic and aluminum and high tech stuff. Where did this fascination with 60-year old steel come from?

Someone talk some sense into me, or at least help me feel better about my affliction.

CC

[TheBluesMan]

Trust your feelings, Luke. The force is strong with the Garand.

Do not give in to fear and doubt - these things lead to the dark side (which is imported polymer).

Get the M1, like your fathers before you.



-Dave

[4095fanatic]

I got a C&R license just so I could get the M1/SKS/K31/etc. when they popped up. Nothing to be ashamed of. Never hurts to own a piece of history!

[jfrey123]

Shot one M1 in my life, other than way too much Call of Duty on the Xbox.

It's something about a clip shooting up and out of the rifle, over your head, after you have emptied it. The empty reciever looking up at you, begging you to take a clip and stick it in... It has some sort of power over you... I love it!!

[Magnum Wheel Man]

if you haven't bruised your thumb nail yet... you haven't joined the rites of the classic milsurp shooter...

love my old M-1 carbine, Garand, & my M-14 ( my contributions to my father in laws old Milsurp collection ) he collected the old bolt actions, I added the WW-1 & WW-2 semi autos...

& yes that spring clip "sproinging" out the top is truely unique... but watch that thumb pinch...

[Manedwolf]

Glocks, yes. AR-15's, yes. But an M1 Garand? I'm a young twenty-something, who should be interested in plastic and aluminum and high tech stuff. Where did this fascination with 60-year old steel come from?

In WWII, to the people who originally used those, you'd have been the "old man". Remember that. They were usually around 18, if even that if they'd lied to enlist.

In 1892, when my Rossi 92's design came out by Winchester, someone using it might well have been younger than that.

And good firearms know no age. I'm only a couple years older than you and I like new guns and old guns! I have a new AK with rails and EOtech...and I just picked up an 1878 Vetterli infantry rifle too. I've enjoyed shooting both an MP5K and a 1918 BAR. I carry a stainless MilPro PT745 in baggy cargo jeans, but also lust after a Webley MK VI that looks like it belongs in adventures in Africa. Guns are guns. And I absolutely love, love, love my Swiss K-31, which was made in 1943.

As to the M1, yes...I believe that's best summed up as its signature sound:

BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG *PING!*

[Ranger325]

You are certainly NOT a fool for lusting after a Garand. Arguably the finest battle rifle produced they are great fun to own and shoot!!

CMP allows us to own a piece of history at popular prices. (although, they have gone up a bit since I got mine 20 years ago). who knows, maybe next year you can come to Perry and shoot in the John C. Garand Match at the National's.

Regards,

[fastforty]

Definitely go for it! That rifle is a piece of history that you will pass down to your grandchildren (long after you have thrilled yourself to no end with it's design & functionality). You haven't lived until you have completely disassembled a Garand, looked at the heap of parts in disbelief, reassembled it & made a few 400-800 yard shots with it. Yeah, it's heavy and yeah, it's BAD to the bone You won't wish you hadn't spent the money & even if you did, they are very resalable.

[pesta2]

Oh so pretty!

[donkee]

If you don't get one (or more) now, you'll be kicking yourself when they are gone........

I have 5, and when they were sold out and it seemed no more were coming, everyone I shoot with was bumming and asking if I would sell any of mine. h#%% no I won't sell! I want MORE!

[Eghad]

Gitcha one! They are fun!

pesta2 is that a DGR restoration?

[support_six]

Although I am a retired Army Officer from the era 1976 to 1999, the M1 is still "the" battle rifle! The statue of the soldier at the Infantry School shouting "FOLLOW ME" isn't holding a 1903a3 or an M16! It's the M1! The crossed rifles under the rank of most Marines are M1's! I know why many purchase bolt action milsurp rifles - cost. M1s cost much more, but they are well worth it.

The M1s are almost gone, not quite, but almost. Prices are rising and supply is getting limited. I bought my nine when they were cost effective. Now, I'm in that phase where I'm giving them to my children. ...and of course, one left for me!

[CanoeCrasher]

The mob has spoken. Once I get my paperwork in order, I'm ordering an M1.

I have a question for the M1 lovers out there. I spoke with customer service at the ODCMP. The M1s currently for sale are different from the rifles that will go on sale in 3 months (the previously-mentioned "Big Shipment").

Currently sold rifles were rebuilt from barreled receivers by ODCMP armorers. Parts are a mixed bag of GI and foreign manufacture components. Most were reparkerized at some point. However, they were also rebuilt by an armorer recently.

The next batch are MAP returns. The crates havent been opened yet, so no telling what condition they are in.

I should state that I'm not a collector. I would like a historical rifle that shoots well, but I'm not horribly picky about the heritage of parts. Would the former option be a better one for basic functionality, future life of the firearm, etc?

I'm a bit green in these areas of ODCMP and Garand knowledge. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and I think I'm going to have to send in paperwork to get an IBM M1 Carbine. I work in IT. That would just be too funny, plus useful!

CC

[Eghad]

From what I understand later rifles were shipped to depots for replacements where they were prepared for issue. Parts went in piles and whole rifles were put together. So its possible a rifle wouldn't have matching numbers in some cases. Correct me if I am wrong.

I had mine restored by DGR the action is Springfield Armory while the trigger section is WRA. The barrel is a Douglas military contour match barrel looks like a issue Garand to me. I know he replaced some other parts with GI unissued new parts. Shoots like a dream looks like a newly issued rifle.

[Walter]

I should state that I'm not a collector. I would like a historical rifle that shoots well, but I'm not horribly picky about the heritage of parts. Would the former option be a better one for basic functionality, future life of the firearm, etc?

From what I've read about it, getting a good "shooter" from CMP is
about as good as you're going to get. The chance of getting a Garand
in original condition with matching numbers is just about "ZERO".

I bought one back in the 70s from an LEO in Ft Worth, who bought it
from CMP, or whatever they called it then. It has a Winchester receiver
and a whole bunch of mismatched other parts, including a National Guard
re-barrel marked 1962. But it's a shooter, and it looks great.

Unless you want to spend many thousands, you may as well forget
about getting an original with matching numbers. But a good "shooter"
can be had, and everybody should have at least one.

Walter

[FirstFreedom]

The mob has spoken. Once I get my paperwork in order, I'm ordering an M1

.

Ehhhhhhhxxxx-cellent. [/cm burns]

[CanoeCrasher]

Walter and others,

Let me rephrase my question. I understand that all rifles coming out of the ODCMP are shooters, with mixed up parts and a fair amount of wear. If they ever do find anything especially collectable, there is an auction portion of the site.

What I really meant to ask is the decision between the two rifles, the "now" rifle and the "Big Shipment." Is there a differece? Would one be a better buy?

Thanks in advance,
CC

[chris in va]

If you get a Garand, you will not regret it the rest of your life. It's history and something to be very proud of. Who cares how old you are.

[musher]

CanoeCrasher,

If I were you, I would wait and order one of the military returns that are coming in rather than a cmp assembled rifle. Get the service grade.

Remember that these are 50-60 year old rifles that have been issued and used in the field...many were carried in battle. The inevitable dings and scratches come with the territory.

I don't think you will be disappointed.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

my local toy store has a "boxed" limited edition Garand with lazer engraved new wood stock... the rifle looks brand new... I'd assume the numbers match on a rifle like that ???

I have to admit, that since I'm not much into the fancy collectable rifles, I did a "walk by drooling" on the rifle, & it looked new & fancy... sorry, I didn't ask the price...

mine is an old numbers matching rifle lots of war dings... doesn't look fancy, but shoots great...

[deadin]

IIRC there are no "matching numbers" on a Garand. What is meant by "all original parts" is that all of the various pieces and parts will be from the same manufacturer and usually carry an identifier of some sort. These are getting hard to find and if the CMP comes up with one it is usually set aside and offered either through auction or as a "collector" quality at a higher price.
I have a CMP Danish return and besides the Danish VAR barrel it even has a couple of Italian BM-59 parts in it. Doesn't seem to make it any less shootable. As said before, most of these guns have been reworked at some time is the past 50 or 60 years and keeping all of the original parts together wasn't the goal of the armory.

[support_six]

CanoeCrasher, and I will take the opposite viewpoint from musher. The current rifles are no more a "mix-master" of different parts than rifles in crates. ...and you hit on a very important point. The current rifles were just assembled by an armorer! It works, no broken springs, no loose screws, etc. I know the later ones in the crates will be given an inspection but that is not the same thing as a "build". Since almost no M1's coming from the CMP have all their original parts anyway, I would opt for a current rifle. However, my wife says my current nine are enough!

[lockedcj7]

You have a very old soul CanoeCrasher. There is nothing like the feel of a wood-and-metal martial arm. I'm not that much older than you and I have plenty of black guns but none of them have the personality of a Garand, M-1 Carbine, Mauser, etc. There is something important to me about owning and shooting the rifle that my grandfathers carried in WWII.

I can't add anything, all I can do is pile on. You'll be extremely happy with your decision, whichever way you go. I sent my order in using the NLU# for a service grade gun from the "big shipment". I didn't even know about the "build-up" guns until I had already sent my order in. I don't know which one would be the better rifle but I'll be happy either way. I trust that the CMP will send me a great shooter, a true piece of history and a rifle I'll be proud to own.

I bought one of the last service grade rifles about three years ago and I had no idea that they were about to run out. Like a fool, I sold my M-1 and I have regretted it ever since. You can bet that I won't ever sell this one.

[Bigfatts]

I have been on a binge lately. First it was a free pistol, then an H&R .22 WMR revolver, then a Weatherby XXII, then a Savage/Anschutz Mk 10, today a Norinco SKS. To be fair though, the Weatherby was a gift from the wife, God I love her.

If I had known the CMP had Garands back in stock, I would have ordered one sooner. If you want one you'd better get it now, they won't last long and after they run out the prices will go even higher.

[ConfuseUs]

Just because I saw on the CMP website that they received an unexpected shipment of M1 Garand rifles, now I feel the need to get one before they are all gone. Is this rational? I've never fired a Garand, or a 30'06, for that matter.

More rational than you're giving yourself credit for.

Glocks, yes. AR-15's, yes. But an M1 Garand? I'm a young twenty-something, who should be interested in plastic and aluminum and high tech stuff. Where did this fascination with 60-year old steel come from?

The Garand is the holy grail of weapons for a still reasonable price.

Someone talk some sense into me, or at least help me feel better about my affliction.

Buy it buy it buy it! It's the only way you'll be umm, "cured".

And then go get lots and lots of clips full of ammo. It's surprising how quickly it eats ammo. Much faster than any other milsurp.