for $549, is it crap or not?

if it was $349, i would still say DONT GET IT
they are crappy and not worth a damn on the collector market
for $500 get a REAL DCM (ODCMP) GARAND, which only go up in value, and is a real piece of history

besides century headspacing aint the best, notoriously OFF

While I've not seen one myself, the general concesus is [b]crap[/b].

For that price you could get a U.S. issue M1 from the CMP. That is the best thing to do.

O.K., thanks guys.

Even IF they were a decent piece of iron, they'd still have no arsenal name on the receiver. The arsenal name/date is what makes these guns worth having.

I see Springfields all the time for $650 in great shape.

I heard they are not safe to shoot at all! they
are not in spec! or something of this sort yea
go shoot in a cmp match one time the you qualify
for a Issue garand.

Go to Fulton Armory's website and look at Clint McKee's technical inspection of a Century Garand.  Very informative.  In a nutshell, he says it's completely out of spec and should not even be fired.  Spend your cash on something else.

Go with the DCM/CMP.

It's easier than ever to get a real USGI M1 GARAND from the [b]CMP[/b].
[url]http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/m1garand.htm[/url]
They are a piece of history, and the [b]CMP[/b] program will save them from the Govt. cutting torch and scrap metal pile.
The new cast commercial receivers are JUNK and unsafe to fire.
[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/016/wg/kE/wK/YS20043.jpg[/img]
That's grease, not rust on my CMP rifle.[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

I agree with the others ... if at all possible, get a CMP Garand.  I recently got my first and it is a real beauty.

I've seen the CAI Garands advertised as "Refinished parts on a new receiver".  I've run across a few of these at the gun shows.  IMHO, the stocks look like they were pilfered out of the trash at CMP.  In other words, they took a new (albiet crappy) receiver, and put it on a hideously ugly old stock.    

Now, if for some reason you cannot get a CMP Garand, there is another option.  Israel Arms Int'l (IAI - [url]http://www.israelarms.com/flash/iai.html[/url]) has been putting out quality M1 Carbines for a little while now, so I suspect their Garands are equally well built.  While at the gunshow this weekend, I had the chance to check out an IAI M1 Garand (model M-333).  Fit and finish was very nice.  I didn't work the action, so I can't comment there.  It looks and feels like the real thing to me.  The stock was the most beautiful NEW Garand stock I've seen.  They do cost more than a CMP Garand, but if new and quality are your requirements, this is probably your best bet.  If you do get one though, you MUST give us all a range report.

Good luck on your Garand quest.

LL

Put a little more with it and find a nice one at the gun shows. The CMP guns are not looking too good as of late. Bottom of the barrel. Of course, they might very well have another warehouse ready to unload.

I had one a year ago that I paid $380 for.  It shot great and headspaced fine.  The gun had no collector's value, but was a good shooter at the range.  A friend of mine talked me into selling it to him.  He says it's still shooting great.  Perhaps I/he got one of Century's better guns.