AS a CMP member I have access to limited releases of the M1 Garands and I purchased a select grade this past year for 900 dollars. There are still quite a few rack and field grades in various condtions available through Camp Perry, but again one must be a CMP member to order. Most of those are in the 500 - 700 dollar range. Many may not have matching serials, or have been parkerized or show heavy pitting, but all are well within firing limits and have lots of life left in them
It took me 9 months to get my select grade ... it is spin the roulette wheel to see what you get ... all select models will fall into the physical descriptions for “select” grade. I was ecstatic .. when I first saw my M1, i realized it was at the very very top of that grade. In fact I have fired collector grades that are not even cloe to the one I got.
It is a thrill to shoot. The walnut stock shows a bit of wear, but is cosmetic finish issues more than anything. NO cracks, checks or spits. As in all original garands the forestoc fits perfectly, a lesson in precise work of the woodsmith matching wood to machined steel. I have friends that have spent 3 grand for new stocks for their M1’s .. The wood on mine is in such excellent shape I think I will choose to leave this in its original condition. After all, every gun I buy is a “user” No reason to have an “expensive” club laying around.
It lets my mind drift when out in the field with it. Whose hands was this weapon in. Where has it been. It’s use took incredible care of it .... makes me think user and gun parted as great friends. And .. that leads to wonder how they parted. A guess that I would hope was a happy parting and not a parting ddue to necessity.
Good chance it was a training weapon, used mostly for drill. In my USMC boot camp in 1966, we trained with M-14's. After that we went to ITR and there were issued M-1's.....only fired them rarely, but part of the daily chores were clean, clean, clean and endlessly rub down the stock with raw linseed oil.
Both of you clearly appreciate the beauty of these fine firearms, as well as their functionality and ruggedness, not to mention the history associated to them. It literally makes me sick to see them destroyed. It’s a crime against America, as far as I’m concerned.
I have a Colt AR-15A2, a Springfield Armory Inc. M1A, a 1903 Springfield from WWI, and an M1 Garand from CMP.
It’s hard to put into words, but the M1 Garand is my favorite.
bump to ask you questions later
“but again one must be a CMP member to order.”
No CMP membership is required or actually exists (technical nit, I know).
1) What you do need is a notarized purchase form for the first time (they file this for future orders) stating you are buying this for yourself and not for resale. Subsequent ammunition orders can be online, but all firearm orders must either be by mail or in person at the two stores. They are based in Alabama with the original store in Ohio at Perry.
2) Evidence of marksmanship activity (pistol permit, FFL, shoot a match and have send in your scorecard...).
3) Membership in a qualifying organization (most State Associations, many gun clubs, the Garand Collectors Association, or the US Armed Forces.)
As of today, by the way, they are out of M2 ball. They’ve been out of US M2 ball for a year now.