I have 4 Springfield CMP garands and am going to gift one... but which?  Ideally my kids get two and I keep the third as a shooter.

First has serial number 250xxx, muzzle is 2 and throat is 4.  Barrel marked SA 2/52. Stock has a P marking only.

Second has serial number 1.67 million, muzzle 2, throat 4. Barrel marked SA 1/51.  Stock kind of banged up, yellow paint "97," P on the botton of the stock, and the cartouche is an eagle with square around it.

Third has serial number 3.28 million, muzzle 1, throat 2. Barrel marked SA 3/52. Has a new CMP stock.

Last serial 3.80 million, muzzle 1, throat 2.  Barrel marked SA 5/45. Stock with "336" on bottom of stock, and cartouche has a square with initials "SA JLG."

I have my ideas, but curious the hives...

The first one I'd let go

The third would be a good shooter. The others for your kids

I was thinking that, but that early SN hurts ... even though I tell myself I'm not a collector.

I agree with this.  #3 is the one I'd get rid of.  The rest all have USGI stock and the one with the SA/JLG cartouche are not very common.  Of course I'd rob #3 of any desirable parts and swap them to a keeper Garand.

How hard to swap barrel between #1 and 3? Never tried on a Garand.

Why do you want to swap barrels?

This...

take the first three to the range...shoot two clips thru them...THEN shoot a clip for accuracy...

sell the WORST shooter...

Strike that. Number 3. I agree, it has nothing going for it.

Like ToTheMax said below you ... hung up on the barrel gauging.

Ive shot #2 and #4 already.  Assuming #1 shoots well, there's a strong case to sell #3.

No idea.  I jotted the SN's I could see above.

Sold #3 already, thanks for the input from all of you.