there's a guy at the local gunshow selling a H&R M1. I don't know the year but it is all original with no rust and the wood is in really good shape. The bore is listed as having a #1 condition. What is this gun worth aproximate? He is asking $1000 for it.

Have a look down the bore to see what it really shows.  Get a muzzle wear and throat wear indicator too and see what those figures read. Is the crown dinged up? Break it down and find out if it's a mixmaster or all H&R. What about markings on the stock? Barrel?

Now, head over to the CMP site and post your findings there or back here. You will need all of that info to get a good handle on it value.

Garands' are nice rifles..I hope you get it. Enjoy if if you do.

I'll look it over closer tommorrow. I gave it a quick once over and I know the crown is perfect, and there was a cartouch(spelling?)mark on the left side of the stock but I didn't look at it close to see what it was. I talked to a third party that looked the gun over and he said it was 100% all H&R.

If you trust the third party $1000 isnt bad for a all correct HRA. How well do you trust this persons opinion, are you willing to overpay  by hundreds if he is wrong?
What is it you want, just a shooter? You can get a very nice HRA from CMP for $625

I basically just want a shooter, but don't want junk. I looked the gun over better and the bolt was also marked H&R but the serial #'s didn't match(I assume that's probably normal for a gun that's probably been rebuilt at some point). I looked down the barrel and it looked very nice with deep rifling and no pitting. I also used the trick I read in one of the stickies and took a .30 ball round and set it into the end of the muzzle to check for wear and less than half of the bullet went in. Another guy I asked told me to just buy one from the CMP, but I like to look a gun over before I buy and was willing to pay a little extra to do that. I offered the seller $800 cash but he said he wouldn't take less than $900.  I told him that I didn't want to spend that much. I'll see him at the next show in a couple of weeks and maybe he'll change his mind or I'll find one cheaper.

I know a guy that has a couple of the $625 Garand from the CMP and I tried to buy one from him and said he could just replace it next time he went down to Perry, but he didn't want to sell.

Forgot to add. Is it normal for there to be a minute amount of play in the front sight base/gas tube?  There was just a little bit of side to side wiggle in this one.

Sould be no movement in gas cylinder. You can peen the barrel splines but for $1000 rifle you shouldnt have to.
There are no matching serial numbers on a Garand. The only serial is on the receiver heel, the rest are drawing numbers
You do not have to worry about ordering from CMP. If you order a Service Grade "you will" get a nice rifle. If for some reason anything is wrong with it they will make it right, paying for return shipping to repair or replace
They also test fire and check headpace on the rifles.
I have made dozens of purchases from CMP and all but one was up to Grade Description and the one I had issues with they fixed at no expense to me

Thanks M1G. I think I'm just going to joing the Garand collecters club and order from the CMP. Do you think it's worth the extra money to get a correct grade over the service grade? Also should a guy get the SA receiver or H&R, or doesn't it matter?

Correct Grades are sold out
If you want a good accurate shooter just get the $625 service grade and spend the rest of the money you saved on Greek HXP ammo from CMP
Another cheaper way to fullfill club membership is the M1 Collectors Club, only $14 for a full year
http://www.m1collectorsclub.com/

If you want one made during WWII you'll have to get a SA. Other then that I think SA and H&R are about equal from what I've read.