One note on getting Garands... Keep an eye out for someone selling a CMP Garand. I've bought 2, one through the Equipment Exchange here, and another at a gun show. They were sold for about $600 on average, which is more than the CMP charges, but I didn't have to shoot in a qualifying match and join an affiliated club, so I figure I came out about even.
Garands are wonderful guns, and everyone should own one. There are fellas out there that specialize in sprucing them up, if you like, e.g., new park job or refinish wood. Here's one good one: [url]http://www.dgrguns.com/index.html[/url]
The Mini-14 is probably not as bad as the conventional wisdom says it is. An ex marine friend of mine had one, and I watched him pick off fist-sized rocks at 200 yds all day long with it. Perhaps it is hit-or-miss, and if it is, I guess he got one of the good ones.
I'm not real familiar with the Calif laws, but what about a Beretta BM-59? A little pricey, but a nice gun. Also, the AR-180B? Is that illegal?