How exactly do you get one? I think I remember reading some where that if you compete in a certain number of CMP meets you can get one really cheap. Is this still true?

Go to  www.odcmp.com - everything is there that you need.

You need to belong to a CMP affiliated organization, the Garand Collectors Association qualifies for this and they transmit the membership data to the CMP every two weeks (www.garandcollectors.org).  You will need proof of marksmanship activity (unless you are 60 or older, a veteran of the armed services, etc - its on the cmp site), and many things qualify as marksmanship activity (like concealed carry permits for instance).  Its real easy and they are accomodating - they WANT to sell you a Garand.

Does anyone by chance have a chart that compares  the five grades of M1s the CMP sells?

I wish I was smart enough to figure out how to make these links LIVE:

http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/index.htm

copy and paste this into your browser, it will take you right to the CMP website. Click on M1 Garand and it will describe the different grades and the prices of each grade.

I will tell you my own fairly recent experience. I purchased 1 "Collector" grade H&R Garand, and two "Correct" grade H&R Garands.
All three are about as new as you could possibly imagine a 50-60 yr old rifle to be. The Collector grade was about a 99%, a few dings and dents in the wood....PERIOD. Metal finish was like new. muzzle and throat  erosion both guaged out at less than 1. I doubt the rifle had more than a couple hundred rounds thru it.
The two Correct grades......maybe 96% but only as far as the stocks were concerned, they both gauged out about the same, both less than 1 for muzzle and throat. A few more dings and dents in the stocks but metal finish was what I'd consider as 99%.

I don't know what your budgets are, but if your looking for premium NICE almost new M1's go with the Correct grade. I'm sure you'll be happy with the service grades as well. I feel like I tossed a few hundred bucks out the window comparing the Collector to the Correct. I might have just lucked out on the "Correct" grades.....it is the luck of the draw.
Either way, you can't loose. Its worth getting your paperwork together, and just doing it.
Trust me,
You'll be mighty glad you did!


 

www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/index.htm

Quoted: I wish I was smart enough to figure out how to make these links LIVE: http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/index.htm

Like this:

{url}http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/index.htm{/url}


Except replace the { with [

If I did it that way in my example it would have ended up looking like this:

www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/index.htm

It's a shortcut mode for adding the URL while typing. The server will automatically code it correctly for the board.

THANK YOU!