I'm about 2 weeks away from turning 18 and am interested in making my first purchase an M1. I would like something i can take out and shoot preferably GI wood. I'm not real worried about serial numbers or matching parts or a perfect finish but could use any info on what I could expect to pay and where i could go about finding/buying one. I live in Northwest Ohio and I've checked into CMP but it seems there numbers are little to none now a days and Im not sure where to look past CMP. Any suggestions or advice as to what to look for and where to find one would be appreciated.

CMP has them and are worth the wait.  You will also get a weapon that is worth far more than you paid for it.  I'd swing by the store if I lived closer to either one of them.

Yeah, go CMP especially if you live in Ohio. They still have them. You'll pay at least double on the secondary market (which are mostly CMP guns anyway)

Go to the CMP store. It is Garand Heaven.................


You live in Ohio and have NO EXCUSE.

OR....Order one from the South store, have it shipped to Ohio and save the sales tax $$$$ for ammo.

Thanks everyone for the advice! Looks like I'll be checking out CMP. I only live like 30 min away from north store so I'll definitely check it out. Only problem I'm running into with the requirements is the proof of marksmanship. Any suggestions for meeting this requirement?

I took a CHL class and that worked.

Shoot in a 22 league.  That will count

Yep CMP.

Store shelves have been bare for months,call before you go to see if anything is in stock

Most of the time people post in this forum regarding the store inventory if you don't want to call the store directly.
Looks pretty bare right now.

http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=73

Take a GSM (Garand / Springfield / Military) Clinlic at a club close to you.  The club generally shoots a match after the classroom portion.  Club will generally have rifles to loan and you can buy ammo for the match.  Coaches often are setup and will let you use their mat, spotting scope and possibly even a coat and glove if it will fit.   Should be fairly inexpensive and it will meet the requirements for marksmanship participation.  Or go to an Appleseed event.  

































 

I sent my paperwork in on 12/19/14 and received the rifle on 12/26/14......YEP, 7 days front sent to received.  If you want one, the CMP will have one for you.  

What your looking for is exactly what you'll get from the CMP.  A shooter, with a mixup of parts.  If your lucky you will get an original barrel to your receiver, and USGI walnut!

Good luck!

Take an Appleseed course, that will meet the requirement AND provide you some valuable training

Thank you for the suggestions I will most likely take an Appleseed course to meet the marksmanship requirement. Seems to be simple and something that will help improve my shooting ability.

Join the Garand Collectors Association ($25)

http://www.thegca.org/membership

They will forward your membership information to the CMP. If you sign up online, you will be given a drop-down menu that will allow you to choose to have them forward the info to the CMP. This will avoid having to fill out a form and fax or mail it. I have been a member for several years now.

Here is the link to the CMP Eligibility Requirements.

CMP

Didn't notice that these were your first posts.... Welcome  

You have to also be a member of a CMP affiliated club, or belong to GCA.

The selection at the North Store isn't like it used to be. The headquarters down south usually sends some nicer Garands up north in time for the Camp Perry matches so you could wait till then, or if you have $1,035 + tax get a CMP Special which has a new stock & barrel and is essentially a new gun compared to the WW2/Korean war remnants.  Compared to a couple years ago, the current field and service grades aren't as nice as they used to be and need some stock work & reparking to clean them up compared to the rifles in the past.

Shuffs Parkerizing is just to the NW of Toledo in far southern MI does a great job for a reasonable price to repark all the metal & clean  up a dinged up muzzle.  If you know someone in your area that's good at refinishing stocks, or can do it yourself you could still get a field or service grade & fix them up. The guys at the North Store are very helpful.

My. 02

I wouldn't hesitate to order from the CMP, personally it's worth the wait

There's no reason to order & wait months when the North Store is close by.

Once you have your qualification paperwork just drive to the North Store at Camp Perry/Port Clinton since you're in the same area. This is much better vs. ordering through the mail. Its much more satisfying to pick out the Garand that catches your eye & meets your standards vs. waiting for months & getting something blind.

Service grades ($730) will be in better condition than Field Grades ($630).

If you find one that needs reparking you're in the same area as Shuffs Parkerizing (Jerome, MI). He's a great guy and has a good turn around time. The guy can take apart & put together in his sleep he's done it so much. For reparking you won't be disappointed.

Shuffs Parkerizing

Even if the metal needs reparking look for Garand with as low a TE (throat erosion) and decent wood (if you don't get a CMP special - $1030) as you can find, and an OK ME (muzzle erosion).

The guys at the North Store have gages & can help you use them, and likely any other Grand-nut there will help since you'd be a new-be. Then take it to Shuffs & have him repark it, re-crown the barrel to clean that up & regain a low ME, and have him do a 5 lb. trigger job. This all would be a  "Shuffs Special" (the repark, recrown & trigger job) at $178. Pick up a web sling and a can of 06 ball at the North Store also.

He's done several Garands for me & I've stopped by his shop a couple times on trips back that way.

Not anymore it isnt. No selection at either of the Stores. Its been that way for many, many months

Yes I know the selection hasn't near as good for awhile & have stated that above. I haven't been to the NS in about 3 yrs. and will likely be surprised when I swing by there sometime this summer. IMO the golden age is over.  But we all know there are plenty of folks that are at the NS when it gets a shipment in.

But if you're willing to find a field/service grade in as good as a condition as possible, take it to Shuffs for the work I described above, then there are still options for the OP to put a nice shooter together vs. waiting. You can have a nice restored shooter Garand done & in use well before an order arrives in the mail.

IMO I have always liked getting mine by picking them out at the NS then restoring them, although I still value my DCM gun & a couple others that I got in the mail.

Plus there are still CMP specials there if you have the extra $$ and not hard up about getting an original barrel.  Still plenty of options.

I'll likely get a Special this summer when I stop by since I have plenty of standard Garands when I stopped by regularly from 09 to 11.

I used to hit the NS several times a year. Selection has been so bad I stopped going about a year ago. Havent had any Fields or Service Grades at the NS for some time. Even during the National Matches last summer they just didnt have the rifles they did a few years ago.
Best bet is mail order a Service Grade

According to the CMP Forum they had service grades at the NS the middle of last month. Considering the holidays its not surprising the stock is out for FG & SGs. But there are 30-06 and 308 M1 Specials there if he wants one of them. The latest report indicates there are Winchesters SG's and FG's at the South Store, so  something should be heading north soon.

All the OP has to do is to monitor the CMP Forum to see what's happening at the NS since he's so close. Regardless he needs to get all his paperwork/quals together whether he orders one thru the mail or visits the NS.