I'm considering the purchase of an M1 Garand from the CMP.  And here's where my delimma begins.

My local range holds an John Garand match each month.  I can see myself participating in such an endeavor eventually, right now I'm into the high speed of 3 gun and IPSC.  They only allow participants to use the Garand in it's original .30-.06 form.  When purchasing a Service Grade US M1 from the CMP how likely is it that I need to rebarrel?

My problem is that if I get one that needs rebarreled, I would lean toward rebarreling it in 7.62 NATO as I have 2 FALs and an AR-10 all of which could eat from the same pile.

But of course that kicks me out of ever shooting the John Garand matches.

Thoughts?

Ryan

Likelihood of getting a service grade M-1 with a bad barrel is about nil. In the very unlikely event that you do, they have a liberal return/exchange policy. It's pretty much 100% satisfaction guaranteed. I have seen about 10 CMP M-1's over the last 2 years that me and some friends have received they are all in serviceable condition. All have been great shooters. If you want to re-barrel to .308 I suggest getting a rack grade Danish M-1.

Check out www.odcmp.com. I believe they have a page that tells you exactly what they check when they prep a rifle for shipping. If I remember correctly, they do a headspace check and a throat erosion check. You will probably get a rifle that has had use, but with a decent barrel.

You won't have to get a new barrel right away. If you're not planning on shooting competitively for a while, don't worry about it until you get into serious competition.

you can get a new M1 for about 800.00
why do you want one.
they are hard to reload.
the scope mounts sit off the center line of  the bore.
the CMP rifle will need work to win a match.


i say get an M1A.
or better yet an AR-10.

Sukebe and neilfj, thanks for the responses.

I did find the odcmp inspection page after I posted.  What is the safe range of a TE gauge?  I'm guess that I can buy one and keep track of where my barrel is from time to time just like headspace gauges?

308Wood, I've always wanted an M1 Garand.  My first post stated that I already own an AR-10, I'll probably get an M1A next year.  My wife is really good about my gun habit collection.  If it was up to me we'd have an M1A in the safe now, but she refuses to eat PB&J so I can buy another rifle.

BTW - I have no intention of putting a scope on an M1 Garand ... blasphomy! (sp)

I just found out that my USPSA classification now qualifies me for the marksmanship portion of the CMP requirements and I already belong to an affiliated club.

Thought for $500 bucks or so it'd make a nice addition to my rifle collection.  Also, M1's will probably not always be so available.

Ryan

Quoted: you can get a new M1 for about 800.00 why do you want one. they are hard to reload. the scope mounts sit off the center line of  the bore. the CMP rifle will need work to win a match. i say get an M1A. or better yet an AR-10.

This is not true.

M1 from the CMP will run you 5 bills.

Once you learn how to do it, you can reload an M1 faster than an M1A.

Who cares where the scope mounts?

My M1 from the CMP can easily win service rifle matches as delivered. My shooting, on the other hand, could use a lot of work.

Granted, there are millions and millions of Garands, but they won't be around forever.  As far as why to have one, who doesn't want to own one of the finest rifles ever made, not to mention one that helped save the the world from Nazi Germany.

-Gloftoe

Quoted: I did find the odcmp inspection page after I posted.  What is the safe range of a TE gauge?  I'm guess that I can buy one and keep track of where my barrel is from time to time just like headspace gauges? Ryan

I don't think that TE affects safety (if I'm wrong, someone will correct me). I think it just affects accuracy.  I wouldn't worry about TE, it will take thousands of rounds to wear out the barrel, and by then you'll notice the accuracy problem as your groups open up.

As for reloading problems that were mentioned. Yes, they take a little more work than straight walled pistol rounds, but I never had problems with it.

1. An "as issued " M1 from CMP will NOT be competitive in highpower matches, or even JCG matches..

2. WHO CARES?????

M1's are about beauty, patriotism, and history.

Get your order in now. A recent CMP release said they may be as much as two years out to fill orders.

Quoted: you can get a new M1 for about 800.00 why do you want one. they are hard to reload. the scope mounts sit off the center line of  the bore. the CMP rifle will need work to win a match. i say get an M1A. or better yet an AR-10.

Why not get one?

Easy to pull out of a gun case (no magazine sticking out)

Condition 2 (empty chamber with 7 rnds in clip) is a totally relaxed rifle with very little stored spring tension and fast to get into action if needed.

$5.00 for 10 clips as opposed to $75.00 for a pre-ban 20 round mag for an m1A...duh

Who in the civilian world needs 20 rounds available for suppressive fire when 8 well aimed rounds would satisfy any real world threat?

Who can resist that "cliiiiingggg" when the empty clip ejects???? Hold on... I have to go to the ...never mind, too late, what a mess!!!!h.gif

I think it's every rifle shooter's moral and patriotic duty to own an M1!

A service grade will be fine for some shooting and will probably fair well in matches.  If you want to get something that will shoot REAL well, get yourself a rack grade from the CMP... or even a Dane rack grade, and rebarrel it.  Send it to a reputable smith (Orion 7 is my choice) for the work.  Put some NM sights on it and maybe a new stock, and you could have a great competition rifle for probably a LOT less than most M1As will run you.

There is always the historic factor to them.  mine was made in June of '45, just a couple weeks after the fall of Nazi Germany.  The pitting on the receiver legs means it likely saw service in the field either in the Pacific theatre, or in Korea.  Given most of the parts are not 'correct' since she's been rebuilt at least once, I had no qualms about putting another barrel on her.  A new gas cylinder (I mean new, never on a rifle, still in cosmoline) should solve my short stroking problem.  

Anyway.  Get an M1.  Get a couple!  I plan on having at least three!  :)

I'll take the Garand over most rifles.  And you don't really need a scope.  Best iron sights ever put on a rifle, in my opinion.  There is also something to be said for a rifle that doesn't have a magazine protruding from it to get in the way or catch on things.

Get an original and keep it that way.  About the only thing I would do to one would be to spruce it up:



Check out www.dgrguns.com/index.html

Quoted: Get your order in now. A recent CMP release said they may be as much as two years out to fill orders.

Meaning it'll take them two years to get a Garand to me?  Or that they only have two years of Garands left?  (Pray for the former, pray for the former)

-Gloftoe

Gloftoe:

The two + year wait are for M1 Garands with Winchester receivers. If you want one with a Springfield Armory receiver, the wait is about 3 months, with a significant amount of the wait time being spent on order entry.

For example, I sent my order in on June 11. I called at the beginning of July to see if they have received me order. They had not. I received an email from them on July 5 telling me that they had seen my order in the "to be entered" pile.

A

Quoted: 1. An "as issued " M1 from CMP will NOT be competitive in highpower matches, or even JCG matches.. 2. WHO CARES????? M1's are about beauty, patriotism, and history. Get your order in now. A recent CMP release said they may be as much as two years out to fill orders.

3: when u take it out to the range everyone huddles around and oohs and ahhs at it. atleast they do here.

I have a M1 Garand that was built late in 1940. It is honestly my favorite rifle. My dad taught me how to shoot on it, and a Ted Williams .22 Match rifle. When my dad died I got the rifle and I have always thought it was the most quality looking gun...ever. My M1a is good too, but if you are serious, send it here:
http://www.m1garand.com/Service%20&%20Upgrade%20Packages.htm

They will make it look, AND shoot better than new. Mine is perfect. Thanks dad, I miss you.

Get the Garand. While there are newer rifles out there such as the AR-10, FAL and M1A, none of these can match the nastalgia and history that goes along with the Garand. And the beauty of the Garand isn't that it just happened to be the rifle we used during WWII and Korea....any rifle could have been there. But what makes the Garand so special is the fact that the gun was damn good at it's job and served with distinction...just like the men who carried them.

Also, stay with the 30-06. While standardizing your ammo is generally a good idea, I think changing the ammo of this wonderful rifle is nothing but a pure bastardization. There is still plenty of good quality GI ammo available at the CMP also, and you can always reload or have someone load you some ammo to M2 ball specs. You aren't as likely to gobble up as much ammo with the Garand as with an AR, AK, etc. anyway. The slower rate of fire and heavier recoil helps to keep rounds fired in the sane category. Plus, if you need really accurate ammo, Federal Gold Medal loads a 168 gr match grade round that should work well.

Again, there are newer rifles out there that are lighter, fire more rounds and look more futuristic. But when it comes to quality, I would take a Garand over any of them. There's a reason why the rifle weighs 9.5 lbs and when someone sends a negative comment my way about my M1's weight, I just chuckle and inform them that I am holding 9.5 lbs of confidence. A heavy duty, robust rifle that delivers 8 rounds of potent 30-06 accurately and quickly....that still seems good to me, even with modern "assault rifles" everywhere. I too like the M1A from Springfield. But what I don't like is the cost of the 20 round mags. They are fine rifles but I would would rather just spend a small amount of money and get gobs of 8 round en-bloc clips. With practice, you can keep an M1 rockin'and rollin' plenty fast enough with these.