What to look for in a Garand?

[hc18flyer]

My nephew want a Garand and there are a couple of local gun shows this weekend. He wants a 'shooter, what should he be looking for? Fair price point? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, hc18flyer

[Bigslug]

You can check erosion at the muzzle by inserting a cartridge bullet-first. The farther away from the case it stops, the less wear you have.

Ideally, handguards and such will space things out so the gas cylinder lock screw will start snugging up against the cylinder a little before the ring for the plug screw lines up at 6:00.

If the stock material is not totally compressed, the trigger guard should have some resistance as you swing it up to lock the trigger into the receiver.

The windage and elevation adjustments should have positive clicks. Usually, that can be tightened down if they don't.

Life seems to start around $1000 these days.

[Moleman-]

As stated check the muzzle for wear, and throat also if you or the seller has a gauge. Wear spots, wears through the parkerizing first and then through the machining marks. Pay attention to the lug on the oprod as they wear and eventually will pop out of the track. loose gas cylinder, oval trigger guard retainer studs, washed out detents on the rear site, worn clip latch (easy to replace) that no longer holds enblock clips in reliably, broken recoil spring, generally stay away from non GI receivers especially cast or rewelds. There's more, but for a shooter I'd always check those. If you find one with a nasty bore but otherwise decent overall and you're handy, you can make the wrench to change the barrels.

[country gent]

Theres a lot to look for but most cant be checked with out disassembly. The piston end and gas cylinder can be gaged looked at for wear and the plating on the piston. trigger groups wear and pin fit. Fit of the receiver in the stock, look for cardboard paper shims as this was a popular fix back in the day. On the bolt look for worn or modified extractors and or ejectors. With out disassembly muzzle wear crown can be checked A 30 cal bullet and magnifying glass. There is a gage for this also now. Throat erosin if you have the gage. Can be checked Timing can be checked with a gage if you have it. Fit and alighnment of the handgaurds. Damaged stocks. Make sure the fron of the stock s good where the metal is attached. Look in the front handguard for the liner it used to be popular to remove them modifying to NM not a problem but with out the liner you should handle by the front handguard either. Pressure on the trigger guard when latching in the last 1/4" or so from closed.

Basically look it over good and see what sticks out. Pay attention to the wear and wood conditions. Feel the action when operating for tight or binding spots. Same

[Alstep]

Best buy for a Garand is the CMP. The service grade goes for $750 and is gauged for throat and muzzle wear, so you know what you're getting. All rifles are thoroughly checked out and are good to go.

http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1-garand/

[Nines&Twos]

One thing to look for is Century Arms. See that, RUN. Don't walk. Run.
Had one that turned into a frag grenade with LC Ball ammo about 10 years ago. I didn't get hurt but those were a perfectly good pair of drawers before that happened.

[texasnative46]

Alstep,

The CMP has received numerous crates of Garands from the Philippines & Turkey recently but those rifles have NOT been "prepared for sale", as of last Wednesday PM.
(I was told at the South store that most of the crates have not been opened yet. - The CMO employee said, "Call back & inquire in 60 days or so, as we will have more rifles for sale by then.")

yours, tex

[texasnative46]

hc18flyer,

Fwiw, I recently sold a 1943 SA Garand, in good shape, for 900.oo cash, which I regard as a fair price for both buyer & seller. - I know of an IH -made Garand, in similar condition, for sale in Kerrville, TX for sale at 900.oo, too.

yours, tex

[Electric88]

I just received an email maybe 2 hours ago from CMP stating they had IH Garands in rack grade and service grade available for mail order.

[baogongmeo]

CMP all the way. Cruise the forums... there is a wealth of knowledge there. There are almost always a few Garands for sale and most times with great detail in listing of the components. Great people and rarely see anyone complain about a purchase.
He can join the CMP and order one and have it shipped directly to him which is kind of cool and he will be buying a rifle that has been armorer checked and will meet the specs of what ever grade he buys OR wait until the Turk and Philippine rifles hit the north and south stores and you and him can take a road-trip you both will always remember and hand pick rifles. I know it's a long drive but when the Greek rifles were in the stores a friend and I went... it was incredible. The quality of the rifles we had to pick from was amazing and well worth the trip. Watch the forums and when you see people start posting really great rifles hit the road.

[texasnative46]

baobongmeo,

I'm planning to hit the South store when/IF there are some NICE SG rifles, as I want a H&R & an IH (and perhaps a Winchester), as I have neither an H&R nor an IH & my Winchester shoots fine but looks pretty doggy. = Maybe some other San Antonio shooters will want to make the road-trip too, as 3 of us did from WDC to the North Store & "stocked up" 7 years ago.
(We were shopping for our local Garand club as well as ourselves & filled up the trunk of my Lincoln TC & filled every other available space with rifles/ammo/etc. = I couldn't see out the back window on the way home as we had about 8-10 Garand rifles & several M1 Carbines up there & wrapped in army blankets. = GOOD thing that I had 2 outside mirrors on the car.)

Btw, my buddy from Fairfax County found a SA 1903 rifle that was actually made in 1903 & rebuilt (and so marked on the barrel) at SA in 1918 FOR CHEAP. - BEAUTIFUL RIFLE, too. = As it was a "low numbered Springfield" CMP sold it with the understanding that it had no firing pin & wouldn't be shot with ball ammo.
(It went straight into my buddy's WWI doughboy display as soon as we got home.)

yours, tex

[Alstep]

The CMP is holding their Eastern Games matches at Camp Butner, NC starting April 27 through May 5. They always bring some rifles, ammo, and other stuff for sale. For those in the area, it's a good opportunity to go and pick out a nice Garand, and buy it right on the spot. And while you're there, attend the small arms firing school, and then shoot your new Garand in matches for the rest of the week. A great way to get into high power shooting. One of the nicest ranges in the country. No pit pulling any more, they've got electronic targets!

http://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-t...eastern-games/

http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads...f?ver=20180120

[texasnative46]

Alstep,

GOOD information. - THANKS for that.

yours, tex

[bob208]

buy some books and read them. at the least get the reprint of the nra about shooting the grand.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Best buy for a Garand is the CMP. The service grade goes for $750 and is gauged for throat and muzzle wear, so you know what you're getting. All rifles are thoroughly checked out and are good to go.

http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1-garand/

This is what you look for in a Garand!

No need to look elsewhere and you will know what you are getting. CMP guns have all been completely disassembled and refurbished, most all have new Boyd's stocks. You will get essentially a new gun.

Not so much unless you are a Garand expert at the gun show and know exactly what you are looking at.

Randy

[georgerkahn]

A very good friend purchased a fair M1 at a show at what was a fair price. Taking it -- after the fact -- to a gun dealer who specializes in the Garand as well as other military rifles, he most sadly learned the receiver was in fact two receiver halves which had been fairly adroitly welded together. Some time back -- I do not recall the details -- cut-in-half receivers were sold by government for their steel weight, and apparently enterprising folks made purchase of these -- welding the halves to produce (with furniture complementing rest of necessary and sufficient parts) complete rifles. 'Smith advised one or two were not tooo bad -- but, it turned my friends M1's receiver was made from two different manufacturer's halves. Nicely ground and polished, with only a few pit marks and the difference in grinding/milling only discernible by one looking for it... It turns there's quite a bit written on Internet about this, which I strongly suggest you research before, say, buying one at a show. Hey -- the dealer -- as was the case in my friend's purchase -- had no idea. What do they say -- buyer beware? Good luck. Fulton Armory has a page I suggest you read: https://www.fulton-armory.com/faqs/M1G-FAQs/Weld.htm
geo