Garand..I give up
- Thread starter Strangeday
- Start date
Build one.
It took me a couple of months and a ton of questions but it is really satisfying to build one up. I got my parts from Districorp. I don't know if they're around but they were great to deal with. In total I think I spent about $600. That includes all the parts, a brand new Douglas heavy barell, adjustable gas plugs, national match sights, parkerizing, and a Boyd's laminate stock. Think about building. Good luck!
It took me a couple of months and a ton of questions but it is really satisfying to build one up. I got my parts from Districorp. I don't know if they're around but they were great to deal with. In total I think I spent about $600. That includes all the parts, a brand new Douglas heavy barell, adjustable gas plugs, national match sights, parkerizing, and a Boyd's laminate stock. Think about building. Good luck!
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
Don't they have gunshows in your neck of the woods? There's always a couple around here... Also, call all your local gun shops and let them know your hunting for one and have them give you a call if one comes in.
Call Marstar or Lever Arms. Buy a receiver and then start buying parts. Districorp will get you alot of what you need. The rest is easy to find off e-bay. It will cost WAY less than a crappy cast copy from SA,Inc. that will most definitely be out of spec and maybe even dangerously fail. Yikes!
Or be patient for a few weeks and buy one for a fair price (about $600-700 for a reasonably nice USGI example) here in the EE. Yes, some are priced higher here, but they aren;t selling, are they?
Or be patient for a few weeks and buy one for a fair price (about $600-700 for a reasonably nice USGI example) here in the EE. Yes, some are priced higher here, but they aren;t selling, are they?
There are many many Garands in Canada that arrived in different waves. When I bought mine, I paid over $600 for a really nice example. Then after a few years the gun registry was proposed, and a whole bunch of Italian rifles were imported and the price of garands dropped to not much more than $100. People got comfortable buying guns again and those were all sold out, so now $600 is a bargain.
Just wait and keep looking. You'll find a genuine garand at a good price. In the mean time there are many other good deals on stuff that has been recently imported.
There were millions of garands made and given to all sorts of 3rd world countries and huge numbers are still out there. The same goes for Mausers and Lee-Enfields. Another shippment may come in and drop the price down again. You never know with surplus. Many of the people who will tell you that "they are all gone" are just trying to capitalize on the current shortage.
Just wait and keep looking. You'll find a genuine garand at a good price. In the mean time there are many other good deals on stuff that has been recently imported.
There were millions of garands made and given to all sorts of 3rd world countries and huge numbers are still out there. The same goes for Mausers and Lee-Enfields. Another shippment may come in and drop the price down again. You never know with surplus. Many of the people who will tell you that "they are all gone" are just trying to capitalize on the current shortage.
Klunk said:Geez...are they REALLY that bad?
In a word - yes. SA, Inc M14 = mostly ok. SA Inc or AIA or Fulton, etc. M1 cast receiver = disaster waiting to happen.
Elmer Keith had a hand in the design of the M14 cast receiver molds being used. 'Nuff said.
He didn't collaborate on the M1 receivers though.
Go to any US discussion board where these are easy to locate. I dare you - try to find something nice said about the SA Inc copy...
Chin up! Good advice for you in this thread. To summarize and add a few more tips:
a) Bank the money. It does no good buying, selling, and potentially taking a loss on multiple 'almost-what-you-wants' if you know exactly what you want to begin with. If you already have some money add a bit more: sometimes an extra $50-$100 goes a long way towards getting 'better than you expected.'
b) Post WTB on EE. Bump it every week.
c) Watch EE like a hawk. Watch various dealers' sites like a hawk. If you've followed the advice in a) you have the $$$ to jump on something right quick when the right one shows up (as usual, caveat emptor when buying anything second hand).
d) Yes, do visit any dealers within reasonable driving distance and leave them your card (for walk-in businesses showing up at their door leaves a better impression than just phoning with a wish list: you took the trouble to go there so you must be serious).
e) Expect to pay for something good and when you do expect to get something good for what you pay.
There are Garands out there. Like most Exc./better enfields, Swede Mausers, etc. most are in the hands of private collectors and shooters. If they'll part with a fine collectible and/or shootable rifle it will be at an appropriate price. As always, you're also 'buying' the seller's reputation (always worth an extra couple bucks if necessary for peace of mind). A good store that will take it back if it's not as described or a private seller with a good trader rating and references (never ask for references when spending <$100 but when dropping ~$1,000 it's not impolite to ask).
Sadly there are currently no lots of military surplus M1 Garand rifles available that I am aware of. I cannot foretell with perfect accuracy what the market will look like in a year or two but going by current market conditions a solid military M1 with lots of life in it is a minimum of $600, more for matching, more for collectibles, and more for especially nice cosmetics. If a fair price is paid for a Garand it will currently not depreciate if kept in 'as bought' condition; it's not uncommon to hear of one being bought, gently used for a couple years, and sold for the same price. Try that with a civilian cast Springfield
Hope this helps,
- Peter
a) Bank the money. It does no good buying, selling, and potentially taking a loss on multiple 'almost-what-you-wants' if you know exactly what you want to begin with. If you already have some money add a bit more: sometimes an extra $50-$100 goes a long way towards getting 'better than you expected.'
b) Post WTB on EE. Bump it every week.
c) Watch EE like a hawk. Watch various dealers' sites like a hawk. If you've followed the advice in a) you have the $$$ to jump on something right quick when the right one shows up (as usual, caveat emptor when buying anything second hand).
d) Yes, do visit any dealers within reasonable driving distance and leave them your card (for walk-in businesses showing up at their door leaves a better impression than just phoning with a wish list: you took the trouble to go there so you must be serious).
e) Expect to pay for something good and when you do expect to get something good for what you pay.
There are Garands out there. Like most Exc./better enfields, Swede Mausers, etc. most are in the hands of private collectors and shooters. If they'll part with a fine collectible and/or shootable rifle it will be at an appropriate price. As always, you're also 'buying' the seller's reputation (always worth an extra couple bucks if necessary for peace of mind). A good store that will take it back if it's not as described or a private seller with a good trader rating and references (never ask for references when spending <$100 but when dropping ~$1,000 it's not impolite to ask).
Sadly there are currently no lots of military surplus M1 Garand rifles available that I am aware of. I cannot foretell with perfect accuracy what the market will look like in a year or two but going by current market conditions a solid military M1 with lots of life in it is a minimum of $600, more for matching, more for collectibles, and more for especially nice cosmetics. If a fair price is paid for a Garand it will currently not depreciate if kept in 'as bought' condition; it's not uncommon to hear of one being bought, gently used for a couple years, and sold for the same price. Try that with a civilian cast Springfield
Hope this helps,
- Peter
huntinchef said:
To clarify, the 'Springfield Armory Inc.' that currently produces rifles and handguns for the civilian market is not the Springfield Armory who built weapons for Uncle Sam!
SA Inc. was started up by very shrewd people shortly after the U.S. government's Springfield Armory closed. The then new private company was given the marketing slogan 'first in firearms' which makes it appear as though they're the ones who built the original Springfield Armory 1903 rifles, M1 Garands, M14s, etc. etc. (I've left out many examples). They didn't.
Attn. owners/supporters of SA Inc.: the company apparently manufactures some nice stuff. I'm just clearing up some understandable confusion over who they are, not making any comments regarding what they make.
Here's One!
Disclaimer: I have never seen or handled this rifle nor have I ever met or had dealings with the owner thereof. This is neither good nor bad; the information supplied is 'as-is, where is'.
M1 Garand for sale here:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?p=899768#post899768
Disclaimer: I have never seen or handled this rifle nor have I ever met or had dealings with the owner thereof. This is neither good nor bad; the information supplied is 'as-is, where is'.
M1 Garand for sale here:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?p=899768#post899768
