Brutus said:
Again, as of late there seems to be some more price gouging going on.

My advice to all persons looking to purchase a Garand, is not to fall into this trap of excessive prices!
I do not know if this post is in violation of the rules.....
Sorry in advance to mods.
Let's sift the sands of time here;
Garands I Have Known
1976...Too young to own guns at the time...Dad bought his first Garand at Bud Hayne's auction for $145. Had a "bubba'd" stock but was basically all complete. As a teenager i stripped and re-assembled that thing a million times and contracted "M-1 thumb" dozens of times. Where this ended up I don't know
1982...Bought my first Garand for $450.00, still have it. It is a nearly 98% gun, finish wise. The best Garand I have seen in years. Started me in my 20 year obsession with Springfield Armory firearms that eventually cost me well over $40,000 in 65 different pieces. Most of these are now gone though.
1990...A buddy bought an H&R re-welded deact gun with mixed everything for $400...Still had it till the day he died last year...the family kept it.
1995..A buddy bought a Garand during the "Garand drought" era. Paid $350. It was a very rare variation of the Garand in that it was a Smoothbore 30-06. It appeared as if it was used as a boat oar to cross the Atlantic, and possibly as an anchor once landed on "Da Rock". He invested nearly $1200 getting it functional...the only thing he did not replace was the receiver,, everything else was trash.
1997...Traded an Auto-Ordnance 1911 for a Garand that had been "accurized"...glass bedding etc. Total cost in the deal $375...still have this one and is my regular shooter.
2007...Bought another Garand, six digit, Danish import gun with early 1943 barrel. Deal included 320 rounds of ammo in clips for $650.00. This is keeper, and a hell of an accurate one at that.
I may not agree with the price gouging thing since current prices realized are dictated by the market. If someone absolutely has to have a Garand RIGHT NOW, then any price will do... event if it is a Smoothbore 30-06.
In 1982, $450 for a Garand was insane, but the condition dictated it. Two years later I bought a nearly new Unfired Remington 03-A3 for the same price...I only wish I still had that one.
Cheers