Garand Parts Price Advice Please (that's a mouthful)

student of history

student of history

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Hey Guys,

I'm in the process of restoring my Oct 1942 SA Garand and am in need of some advice. I've got the opportunity to purchase a narrow base gas cylinder with the plug, lock and also a front sight seal. The only thing is that the guy is asking $325 for it....does the front sight seal really warrant such a high price? I've attached some photos so you guys can take a look at it.

On another note, I've also got the opportunity to pick up a spare SA 1942 dated barrel (I think the TE is about 4 so it's been well used) but I was just wondering if people would be interested in it if I were to hypothetically put it up in the EE in the next little while?

As always, thanks for everyone's time!

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Sorry, guys, I guess I'm really out of touch: to me these prices seem completely off the wall. I paid less than that for a complete, unfired rifle only a few years ago.

The BULK of Garand production was during War Two. Parts can't be THAT scarce.

Look around, friend, look around.

And remember that the military continually brought their rifles up to date. Unless you are trying to create a time capsule, you don't need absolutely everything 1942. Example: if you are ever going to shoot the thing, sooner or later it is going to need a new Recoil Spring; how do you date one? The rifles served in at least TWO big wars and a non-War that went for 11 years, 20-odd years in total; that's a long time for a rifle not to be seen by an Armourer.

Collecting is fine. But sometimes things can go too far.

Your call.

Hope this helps.
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I quickly gave up on trying to match date every last part. If the the rifle is a restoration project I try to get the correct manufactures parts in there and if it something special get the drawing numbers close but that is about it.
 
yeah, I don't agree with the 1200+ price tag people are asking these days for garands.

I will say this to argue my own point:

Marketing is now what the market will bear. Gone are the days of product manufacture cost +20%.

The value of something is what people will pay.

The only thing that will stop the rising prices is if people don't buy them. But with the internet, it seems there is always someone willing to pay - and thus the price can remain in the stratosphere when it should be more terra-solida ;)
 
There is also the fact that decent Garands are not readily available in Canada. Even in the US sales are brisk at sky high prices. The CMP can not keep them on the shelves. They are the ultimate piece of WW2 gear, same as K98...

Want proof? 5 years ago I routinely witnessed Russian SKS selling for 500+ With Yugo 59/66 versions even more at 550+

Now that Russian SKS imports have made them more common they have hit the floor in value.

With Garands there are no more, even with the fabled Korean stash looming the values will continue to rise. Americans will suck up the Korean supply within a blink of an eye.

My advise for a new Garand purchaser - buy an Italian version, still good value and will also increase.

No use #####ing about it, it's plain supply and demand. To the OP, don't take my advice if you want an all 1942 Garand go ahead and build it. That is what great about the hobby.
 
That is funny to read all this a few years back Springfield Armory put out a 10,000 run of the M1 these were new rifles they used up all the spare parts they had left from the war they had such a good response they put the part number back in the system i think up until 2007 you could buy a new M1 for $1000 checking there web site i see they no longer have it for sale new just M1As which i think are way over priced.

Check out these places he is asking too much for that part.

http://www.marstar.ca/ac-M1G/index.shtm

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=11884
 
Ultimately people will pay a price which is set by their wants/needs and their budget. On this one, I really don't see much chance of recovering a $325 outlay for a gas cylinder assembly, even when incorporated into a restored rifle. A caution before buying; Garand gas cylinders are subject to internal wear and there is a specified maximum internal diameter in order to ensure functionality when matched to an op rod piston of a certain diameter. This is determined by the use of an appropriate gas cyl gauge. These are available from Brownells. Before paying this much I'd want to make darn sure that I was getting a usable/servicable gas cylinder.

Garand restorations are a challenging proposition. The key starting point is to find a sound receiver with an original barrel in servicable condition. Based on availability of parts, the 1950s vintage Springfield armory rifles are probably the easiest/cheapest to restore followed by the wartime Springfield rifles. Winchester rifles are the hardest to restore as original barrels and stocks are very scarce and expensive. Locating correct stocks (fakes are abundant) and barrels is always the hardest part. Once a stock is refinished or the metal is reparkerized, the rifle will always be less than original, even if correct parts are used. This is why Garand collectors rank restorations after original rifles and arsenal rebuilt rifles.
 
Look for 1967 winchester m1 Garand re-builds. They have 1967 winchester manufactured barrels and many winchester parts.
 
maxinumarmor said:
That is funny to read all this a few years back Springfield Armory put out a 10,000 run of the M1 these were new rifles they used up all the spare parts they had left from the war they had such a good response they put the part number back in the system i think up until 2007 you could buy a new M1 for $1000 checking there web site i see they no longer have it for sale new just M1As which i think are way over priced.

Check out these places he is asking too much for that part.

http://www.marstar.ca/ac-M1G/index.shtm

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=11884
Click to expand...

I remember those. If my memory serves me correctly, you could even order an olive drab stock.
 
1966 and 1967 dated Winchester barrels were supplied on contract as spare parts. They may be found on any make/vintage of US Garand. The Winchester firm did not have a contract to overhaul or rebuild Garands in this timeframe. Other than the provision of these contract barrels, Winchester's involvement with Garand production ceased in 1945. Their machinery and tooling was sent to Italy in the early 1950s to help establish Garand production by Beretta.
 
id say ask him 300 it sounds alright with the Seal still in there. i recently bought a seal for 50, i was lucky i didnt bit on the last one that went for 100$. the narrow gas cylinder is numbered and looks like in good condition 125-150 if gauges good . a single gas screw goes around 25-75$ depends on the condition. and beveled gas cylinder lock is around 20$. whats you serial number? i just recently restored a Feb 1942 receiver and it looks great and the price just went up on it. i had to pay 700 just for the flush nut. and 500 for the SA-GHS stock
 
It's interesting to see the outlandish prices being asked and paid for some of the early components which were determined to be unacceptable in service and were therefore replaced by improved types of parts.:eek:

The narrow base gas cylinder didn't allow for any lateral movement of the front sight without overhanging the base. It was replaced by the common wide base pattern which did allow this.

The front sight seal didn't allow access to the screw to tighten a loose front sight and was dispensed with for this reason.

The flush nut style rear sight pinion and elevation knobs didn't provide a sufficiently positive lockup of the rear sight to avoid slippage under recoil and were replaced by the lock bar model and then by the final post-war pattern.

There were numerous revisions and improvements to many components as Garand production continued. This must have been quite a scramble under the press of wartime demands.
 
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