I have the back half of a destroyed M1 receiver that I bought at a gun show for 25 cents. It was chopped in half during the Clinton administration to keep it out of the hands of "criminals". I get nearly sick to my stomach every time I see it.
I have four of them that I’ve rebuilt...two were beaters that I basically used the receiver and parts and put on barrels, refinished the stocks, etc. The other two are from receivers of WWIIs that I got from Numrich when they were selling them. These I built up from parts searching. It took me about 3 years to get the correct parts....now I have 4 very nice ones all with correct parts with respect to the receiver make and serial number......
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.
They destroy millions of dollars worth of these pieces of history. They could sell them and put the money towards helping wounded vets or something equally worth while.
But they are so short sighted about guns. There are not a lot of gang bangers who would use a M1 Garand, even if they could get thier crack addled brains to figure out how to use it.
***I get nearly sick to my stomach every time I see it. ***
Years ago one of the major gun magazines had a photo of a beautiful walnut base with a gold plated “demilled” frame from a .45 Auto on it. The author of the article had it done to remind himself how the US gov then destroyed billions of dollars in PUBLIC PROPERTY to keep it out of public hands.