Posted on 02/14/2011 2:18:45 PM PST by neverdem
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, sponsored legislation to compel the State Department to allow the importation of 857,470 lawful M1 semi-automatic rifles into the United States. The rifles were relics from the Korean War, which are being sold by South Korea in an effort to raise money for its military. These rifles would be made available to the public as well as to museums and historical societies.
“Whether it’s importing legal rifles or blaming legal firearms sales for the violence of Mexican drug criminals, this State Department has appointed itself as the spearhead of regulatory gun control in America,” said Rehberg, a member of the Second Amendment Task Force. “Americans should not apologize for our freedom. We shouldn’t feel bad for insisting that our government respects our rights. And we absolutely should not be allowing the Administration to restrict the importation of legal guns on the whim of an anti-gun bureaucracy.”
In its decision to block the importation of these rifles, the State Department claimed that the M1’s “could potentially be exploited... for illicit purposes.” Possession of these firearms by Americans is lawful, and purchasers would have to be approved through the National Instant Check System used for all domestic firearms purchases.
I would like to get one. Through what channel will they
likely be sold if they are ever brought here?
The “new” ones from Springfield are made of refinished USED parts with a new CAST receiver, new barrel, and new stock. A similar one from the CMP (refinished parts and FORGED receiver, new barrel, and new stock) is $995.
No doubt that many of them will be well worn and worthy of taking the best parts for repairing others, many will be field grade (need new barrel, look rough) for $495. However, many, many of them will be service grade (used but still a good shooter), and there will undoubtedly be several thousand armory queens that are in magnificent shape and all original for about $1500.
The .308 is about twice as accurate as the ‘06. If you set up two Garands exactly the same except for one being .30-06 and one in .308, the .308 will outshoot it. That being said, my biggest problem is the loose nut on the trigger. ;^)
More likely than not, if they are “Lend-lease” rifles being returned to the US government, they will go to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP)
from which they may be purchased by qualified NRA, Sporting Club, Competitive shooting team or Veteran’s Organization Members.
The CMP usually goes over them to inspect them for safety and sort them out by grade and condition so it may take some time before they come on the market.
The ones that are really shot will be stripped down for salvageable parts.
The CMP also has milsurp ammo, which it gets by the ship load. If they still have the Greek HXP .30 M-2 Ball, by all means buy at least a case of it with your M-1; it is excellent, non corrosive Boxer primed ammo. The brass reloads wonderfully. The last I knew you could get it all loaded into unused Garand clips in cloth bandoleers.
A lot of the milsurp guns typically go to Century Arms:
Where they can be purchased by any FFL holder.
The M-1s can be ordered direct by a “Curio & Relic” FFL holder - the license is only $30 for 3 years and handy if you collect old, milsurp, or oddball guns. I just let mine expire as I just don’t use it any more - but I got some really good deals on some fun old klunkers.
Once you get your C&R send a signed copy to CAI (or any of the Importers / Wholesalers) and they will put you on their mailing list and a Rep will call you with any incoming deals. That way when the M-1a arrive you can be among the first to have the little brown truck deliver one directly to your door, and you will pay Dealer’s price on it plus shipping. A couple of rifles and your C&R pays for itself.
There is some paperwork and records you have to keep though, and the BATFE can come and “inspect” you - although I never got inspected in more than a dozen years of licensure.
The Korean rifles (ROK Soldiers were still carrying them when I was there in 1968) tend to be rode hard and put away wet, and most of them had the butt stock sawed off an inch or two for the short, stocky ROK troops who are usually bundled up in the Winter, making the US milspec stock too long for them.
They will need some TLC and probably some repair and restoration - but parts are readily available from a variety of sources.
Plan on investing at least a couple hundred $ and several hours of tinkering time on restoration after you get a rifle - assuming that we can pull this off.
Apparently Obama wanted to pressure the Koreans to destroy all of these historical relics! Kudos to our new Congresscritters for rescuing these fine old guns for us.
Ah, But then how do you know that particular M1 wasn’t just used for guard duty and never saw any action??
Ok, well yeah, maybe. What if the one you got was just carried around by some REMF on guard duty.
Was in a gun store in Illinois that had used M1’s from Belgium. I’m wondering what the provenance of those from Korea are.
Ya have to shake it to see if the nut rattles ...LOL
That will depend. I believe that all the rifles were actually purchased by the Korean government from the US, so they can dispose of them any way they see fit. From what I have read (and this has been going on for several years) the Korean government has made several deals with various importers that have all fallen through because of bureaucratic bullshit. I have also read that the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) has applied for and received an importer’s license and they may get the rifles (or some of them anyway).
In all, Korea has well over 1 million rifles that they want to sell to the US.
If they were Lend-Lease, we wouldn’t have the importing problems because they would legally still be the property of the US Army. The Koreans purchased them from the US.
One can’t really know, can one.
Wanna buy some ARVN rifles? Never been fired, only dropped once!
It’s Tester vs Rheberg in 2112 here in Montana.
Go Rehberg!
Springfield Armory, silly rabbit.
My grandfather took a 1911A1, dropped it into about 8-inches of water, announced that he'd dropped it in the river, picked it back up, and carried it with him for the rest of the tour.
***What if the one you got was just carried around by some REMF on guard duty.***
It will still look good hanging on the wall causing some liberal to loose bladder control.
**Never been fired, only dropped once!***
Kind of like French Lebels!
***and most of them had the butt stock sawed off an inch or two for the short, stocky ROK troops who are usually bundled up in the Winter, making the US milspec stock too long for them.***
My M1-D stock is too long for me but I don’t have the heart to cut about 1 1/2 inches off of it. The scope sets too far away from my eye even at it’s most rearward position.
Without the scope I am just fine.
I actually put three shots into one hole at 100 yards before witnesses during a CMP shoot. Unfortunatly it was the sight in phase and didn’t count. I have never been able to do it again.
In that case I’d get one for each wall!
“...Who wants a burned out M1 from Korea?...”
I do - Just for the sheer pleasure of the fact that I KNOW it puts a craw up some Democrat’s *ss in D.C., keeping him/her/it awake at night. Multiply that by thousands, and it gives those POS’s nightmares.
Every little victory for us is a HUGE loss for them and their liberty-stealing agenda, and that’s the ONLY thing that matters.
I own one of these fine rifles, have had it for years. The Garand was the very first rifle I ever learned to shoot.
But it’s not the gun - it’s the principle of the thing.
I’d buy ten of them if I could afford it. Somebody else CAN afford to, and should have the opportunity to do so if they desire.
These “public servants” have ZERO right to stop these items - which were already PAID FOR by US TAXPAYERS (our parents and grandparents). They rightfully belong to the American people already.
Klinton did worse to thousands of M14 rifles that were supposed to come back into the country.
We need to push this and our people for all its worth until we break them.
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