Garand valuation

Jesus.C

Jesus.C

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Hi guys, im looking to buy a m1 garand, but im having a hard time valuating these rifle and ive got some more experience people in the matter with fairly different valuation. Ive done my research but still im having a hard time with valuation. Ive only really been into milsurp for the last 2 years so im lacking experience in market price fluctuation. So for example what would you pay for a springfield garand with a 1942 reciever and 1941 barrel, most part mark SA, everything seem in good condition, good bore, good crown etc. I know most of those rifle have been re-arsenal so an all matching piece is unlikely. For 2700$ Is it fair? is it overprice? Im looking for a decent working piece that went trought war.

Edit: link wasnt allow
 
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55recce said:
Link does not work
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This is because OP posted a link to a vendor who shall not be named on this forum.

$2,850.00 would be a fine price for a Springfield M1 Garand with matching serials but as PLENTY of other people have discovered, that online exchange is known for scams and you should be wary of the fact that it appears too good to be true.
 
OP, contact Purple, a member on this site. Easily comes up on a search.

He can help you out, with what you're looking for.
 
Is there such thing as a "numbers matching" Garand? From my understanding the receiver is the only part with the actual serial number and that the other numbers are drawing numbers and heat lot numbers which have nothing to do with the serial number at all and are shared numbers from within a specific lot. So by numbers matching do people mean that all the parts numbers are from the same lot? I'm an ex muscle car guy so when people say "numbers matching" I think of serial numbers matching.
 
I have an M1 Garand that I found in the 10,000 that Allen Lever imported.
Some Armourer numbered the new barrel to the receiver number etc for some reason
Very nicely stamped close to the receiver number markings style
So, that could define matching numbers on a Garand!lol
Matching Garands are usually one's that went through the US rebuilding program and were issued or never issued. These guns usually are SA because there was a lot of SA parts available or manufactured by them for the re build programs by the various US Military Armouries
The Danish guns came like that, especially the Navy one's because they didn't use them or hardly used them
 
bearhunter said:
OP, contact Purple, a member on this site. Easily comes up on a search.

He can help you out, with what you're looking for.
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thank you for the head up. I knwo half of this hobby is about reading and doing its own research. Wich Ive done to a good extend, but right now I need market background knowledge.
 
ArmedGinger said:
Is there such thing as a "numbers matching" Garand? From my understanding the receiver is the only part with the actual serial number and that the other numbers are drawing numbers and heat lot numbers which have nothing to do with the serial number at all and are shared numbers from within a specific lot. So by numbers matching do people mean that all the parts numbers are from the same lot? I'm an ex muscle car guy so when people say "numbers matching" I think of serial numbers matching.
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Youre right, in a garand im mostly looking for the SA marking that indicate that most part are from springfield
 
For collectors, price is a function of originality and condition. An early production Garand with original parts would be at the top, condition being equal. Arsenal rebuilds would be next. Shooters would focus more on condition as all parts made by the six Garand manufacturers are interchangeable.

Virtually all Garands were overhauled or had parts replaced in service, so originals are very scarce. There's still a pecking order where people prefer USGI rifles to the Italian Bredas and Berettas. Springfield made the most with lesser numbers produced by Winchester during WW2 and by International Harvester and Harrington and Richardson in the 1950s.

Folks shouldn't turn their noses up at the Bredas and Berettas. They were made to a very high quality standard, didn't experience wartime use and were rebuilt less often. I'd say that $2200 -$2400 would be a reasonable price for a wartime Springfield with all USGI parts, not necessarily matching receiver date, a good bore and nice overall finish. Check out the EE to see what sells and what doesn't.

Prices have really gone up in recent years. They aren't making any more of them and parts are becoming very pricey. 45 years ago I bought an arsenal fresh Letterkenny Arsenal rebuild on a 1942 Springfield receiver for $75.:eek:
 
A lot of the M-1s floating around have been cobbled together from miscellaneous parts by hobbyists who may or may not have known what they were doing.

If you are paying premium price for a rifle, make sure it is a rifle - a real, actual surplus rifle - and not someone's home shop project.
 
tiriaq said:
A lot of the M-1s floating around have been cobbled together from miscellaneous parts by hobbyists who may or may not have known what they were doing.

If you are paying premium price for a rifle, make sure it is a rifle - a real, actual surplus rifle - and not someone's home shop project.
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Very wise words. If looking at an “all original” rifle I’d consult with someone who really knows what they are talking about.
 
ArmedGinger said:
Now prices are in the mid $2000's
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There were IHC rifles available from one of the vendors around 11-12 yrs ago in the $650 bracket. The ones I bought all had original barrels which were serviceable. They had a pretty good sprinkling of other IHC parts. There was some parts swapping on them from post war Springfields and HRA rifles. Stocks were all replacements. Its tough to locate an original IHC stock with the Julian date stamped in the barrel channel.
 
ArmedGinger said:
Is there such thing as a "numbers matching" Garand? From my understanding the receiver is the only part with the actual serial number and that the other numbers are drawing numbers and heat lot numbers which have nothing to do with the serial number at all and are shared numbers from within a specific lot. So by numbers matching do people mean that all the parts numbers are from the same lot? I'm an ex muscle car guy so when people say "numbers matching" I think of serial numbers matching.
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I read that a Museum was looking for a numbers matching ... As it left the factory.. matching they gave up after 3 years of looking

I think there is only 1 M1 garand ... as it left the factory in existence the one presented to John Garand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_22sKIyj6yM
 
Most of the IHC guns went to Iran in the grease. There was an importer from Florida who bought iranian mauser surplus rifles years ago. He also got some garand wood and parts from Iran. IHC wood mostly , just not much of it.
He wouldn't ship to Canada.
There are still garands in Iran. They paid for them, so the US has no Aid issues, the Florida guy proved it
 
About the first M-1 rifles to come back to the US for sale were ones that had gone to Britain during WW2. At the time of their return, the M-1 was still issue in the US. As it happened, the Brits essentially did not use the rifles, and they remained in storage in the UK until sold as surplus. Not only was their condition superior, the rifles were never rebuild or refurbished. All original 1942 parts, never upgraded. Band painted around the forend, denoting .300 caliber.
First thing some US collectors did was strip off the band, thereby destroying the proof of the history of the rifles.
So, not only were these about the first M-1s to become commercially available in the US, they were also absolutely original.
 
It has been estimated that over 90% of M-1 rifles retained by the US went through complete rebuilds.
Then there were the thousands upon thousands that were sent all over the world as military aid. Heaven only knows what happened to those.
As far as M-1s having all correct parts goes, unless there is proof otherwise, assume that someone has swapped out parts until all the bits are "correct" for the receiver. Someone paying a premium for such a rifle (with unknown provenance) is kidding himself.
 
What constitutes a high end "numbers matching" garand means the parts made are all by the appropriate manufacture and the drawing numbers are also in the correct range for the date of manufacture.
The numbers on each component are not serial numbers. The drawing numbers that were placed on the majority of parts referenced heat treat lots, modifications, dates of manufacture, and can be tracked
to the serial number range of the receiver.

This web site is a master source for garand information..


See ht tp://usriflecal30m1.com/Parts/PartsMFG.aspx?mfg=SA
 
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