Garand Collecting

C

Clancy

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N. Catasauqua, Pa.
Gentlemen,
I have been around M1 Garand collecting for over 30 years. I started back in the days of $99 M1's under the old DCM. I just want to ask you guys why, in about the past 5 years, there has been such a massive increase in not only collecting the M1 Garand, but all US military firearms, mostly WW 2 rifles, Carbines and sidearms. Basically, what got you interested in this field of collecting?

www.garandm1rifle.com
Thanks again
Clancy
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I've been a collector MUCH longer than 5 years, but I suspect the recent trends can be attributed to Hollywood's renewed interest in making WW2 movies and the recent 50th and 60th anniversaries of D-Day.

Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Thin Red Line, Enemy at the Gates, The Great Raid, etc. all likely have something to do with it. Movies tend to inspire young people these days, where in my case, many moons ago, it was hearing old war stories from friends and relatives who were vets of those conflicts. Most, sadly, have now passed on.
 
Combat! Claven's right though. In days past, every time a 'Dirty Harry' movie ran on TV or a new one came out, retail sales of Smith 29's went up. The enormous upsurge of internet forums with guys like us espousing the virtues of both M-1's has likely had something to do with it too. There really is no rifle that's quite like a Garand.
 
I'm 20 I've only had my PAL for two years or so, otherwise I'd have been collecting since I started shooting at 3.
The online community is very helpful and encouraging, but stories from vets, a grandmother who worked at long branch and a grandfather who spent 6 or 7 years overseas with the Canadian Engineers (who unfortunatly passed on before I ever met him) got me inspired.

And as the guy before me mentioned Vic Morrow in COMBAT! encouraged me as well :)
 
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I bought my Garand about 5 years ago.

For the princely sum of $149.50 Canadian :eek:

One of the Danish Garands, October 1944 Springfield Armory receiver, 6/61 VAR Barrel.

Prior to this I had practicaly no interest in M1 Rifles, I was mostly into Black Rifles, but when I saw them advertized for $150 I couldn't NOT get one. Patton's quote "In my opinion, the M1 rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised." immediately came to mind.

And it's still a formidable weapon. There really is nothing quite like it.
 
Skippy said:
and a grandfather who spent 6 or 7 years overseas with the Canadian Engineers (who unfortunatly passed on before I ever met him) got me inspired.
Click to expand...

Interesting! My Grandafather signed up in 1939, arrived in England in 1940 and landed in Normandy on D-Day+1.

He was a corporal with the RCEME as a mechanic in one of the forward motor pools.

He didn't make it back to Canada until 1946.

Sadly, he died many years ago when I was 20, but he only ever talked about his experiences in WW2 once when I was around, and even then he had to have a few whiskies first before he could even begin to discuss it. It was pretty traumatic for him, I think. He saw alot of friends die, got detailed after the landings to cut dead Airborn out of the trees and church steeples, saw combat a number of times when the forward motorpools couldn't retreat fast enough during German counter-offensives.

I have the greatest respect for any vet who actually saw the elephant.
 
I used to collect U.S. Military firearms UNTIL it became necessary to start having dog food for dinner in order to have the cash to continue. I can remember $40 O3's, $125 Garands, and $35 M1911's.

There are simply more collectors and a finite number of firearms. The supply has also been decreased by folks "sportyizing" those old military rifles and making "match" pistols out of original M1911's, not to mention firearms that have been so severely "bubba'd" that they cannot be returned to original specs.

Then its been 88 years since the end of WW1, 61 years since WW2, and 52 years since the Korean war.

We also have to contend with the government chopping up a lot of "obselete" rifles.

We also have to take into account that American firearms are more desireable to American collectors, just as Lee-enfields are more desireable to those in the Commonwealth.
 
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Ww2

I'd say my Grandfather being in the war from 39-45 was the catylyst for
my WW2 interest. I'll have to blame Saving private Ryan for the Garand
addiction. I was collecting WW2 odds and ends even before that movie came
out. I've got stuff that no ones ever heard of or seen. I love tracking down the
history of the things i find.
 
Claven2: My grandfather enlisted in 1939 as well. He fought with the RCE (I wish I could remember his unit designation. Something like "MD LK" maybe?). He saw action in Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. His chief role was scouting locations to build prefab baily-bridges. He also helped assemble them, more than once while under fire. He also didn't return until 1946.
 
I believe it has something to do with limitation of choices available. For the late comers, most black guns & CAs are deemed evil and in the govt's bad book. This pretty much makes M1 and the few other WW2 surpluses the only choices to choose from in the milsurp market.
 
Like most things people collect, it becomes a bit of a fad for a while, and things start going a little crazy in time. It seems that Lee Enfields were real big just a few years back, and parts on Ebay were going for nutso prices, and now you can say the same for the Garand. I think I saw a Winchester barrel go the other day for something over $600!!!! I started collecting Garands about 2 years ago, after I got tired of collecting Enfields. But I also enjoy shooting the Garand much more as well, and just really like the rifle for some reason...
 
I got into it through always being interested in military history (probably through movies) and being in the cadets. As for the Garand, I saw one in the shop and just had to have it.

Claven: My grandfather was also in the RCEME, he was a fitter on artillery pieces or small arms. Unfortunately everything I've managed to find on his military service came from my dad (who unfortunately wasn't interested in it in his youth - hey, it was the 60s) and his service book. I know he joined in '42, arrived in Italy in November of '43 and Europe in February of '45, which leads me to believe he was with the 1st Infantry division.

Apparently his war stories were mainly about partying in recently liberated towns after the infantry had moved on. How much of this was not wanting to talk about the rough stuff and how much was actually managing to avoid combat I'll never know.
 
I was fortunate within the last 3 Yrs. to pick up a #4 MK1* Long Branch Fkr in 1952 with barrel still full of Cosmoline for $75. I am mad as hell at myself for passing up a Springfield Garand for $175 at Gobles at around the same time. I did pick up an Ljungman AG42B though. Hey, one of you guys must have too many Garands but need an AG42B. Don't need a 6.5, but I already reload 30-06.
Bill
 
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