M1 Garand Question

[ThePunisher]

So, I can't afford to buy anything right now, but I have been researching a few guns that have always interested me. The M1 Garand has always been a gun that I wanted, but never really paid that much attention to. Lately, whenever I see one pop up on the EE, it is well over $700. There's a place in Quebec that I stumbled onto that has a few for sale, all around the $650 mark. What should one look for when buying a Garand? Is there any manufacturer that is more desireable (Springfield, International Harvestor, etc...)? Are these $600 and $700 prices reasonable?

 

[Winchester-1897]

I believe the IH is very desirable only because there were less of them made. I have one and it is quite nice and I probably would sell it for about a grand if I wanted to sell it but I likely just keep fondling it on occasion and take it to the range here and there.

I've got a lot of original parts in her now such as the stock which are hard to find and the trigger group.

[/IMG]

 

[berger]

Are these $600 and $700 prices reasonable?

I am not sure if they are reasonable......but they are the going rate. I bought one from P&S Militaria (JP is a regular here) and he knows his stuff. I am sure if you tell him what you want to spend, he will help you pick one from his collection. I likeds a few, and I asked him which of the lot he would select, and I went with that.

Berger

 

[#1bcshooter]

Wow a grand for a Garand !
Last 2 I bought were $199.00 each from Districorp

 

[Winchester-1897]

Wow a grand for a Garand !
Last 2 I bought were $199.00 each from Districorp

Ya I know,years ago there was a place called Ontario Auto Mart north of T.O. that was selling them for about $150.00. My buddy has a 1953 International Harvester and I think they called them Select grade and the Cherry ones were going for about $275.00. I think they had them come in from Vietnam from a bunch that the yanks had given the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.If I remember right they brought in a load of 1911s at the time.

 

[#1bcshooter]

I remember the 1911A1's . I remember picking through a pile of them to get the 1941 colt I still have . I lucked out on the Garand as the one I kept was originally a M1C as the side of the receiver is drilled & tapped for the original scope mount .

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

I believe the IH is very desirable only because there were less of them made. I have one and it is quite nice and I probably would sell it for about a grand if I wanted to sell it but I likely just keep fondling it on occasion and take it to the range here and there.

I've got a lot of original parts in her now such as the stock which are hard to find and the trigger group.

In my best Christmas moose voice, 'Wrong-O.' The smallest USGI production is the IH. The smallest Italian run has not been uncovered yet. Maybe Haiti, Jordan or Yemen, by Beretta. For Canadian collectors, we should think of the Danish contract Breda and Beretta Garands as much smaller than the US runs. I have seen knowlegible posters indicating no more than 12,000 Italian Garands with the FKF markings for Denmark. Get one of those bad boys, and you have one the American collectors won't know what to say about it.

 

[bearhunter]

mle, I've been under the impression that the garands the CMP is offering in the US are Danish surplus. I don't know for sure, but find it hard to believe that the CMP boys checking the rifles over, are separateing out the Breda or Beretta rifles.

Maybe one of our US members can enlighten me on this.

bearhunter

 

[ThePunisher]

Why is there such concern on the op rod? On some of the info I have dug up, there seems to be an issue with op rods being shortened or some other issue concerning them. I thought these things were built like tanks and had very few issues. That being said, I suppose any mechanical object will begin to show issues after 60 years of use.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

mle, I've been under the impression that the garands the CMP is offering in the US are Danish surplus. I don't know for sure, but find it hard to believe that the CMP boys checking the rifles over, are separateing out the Breda or Beretta rifles.

Maybe one of our US members can enlighten me on this.

bearhunter

CMP took back USGI rifles loaned to the Danes in the early days after WWII. However, the Italian rifles were purchased outright on contract by Denmark. They were never part of the CMP's US-goods-returned policy. Clinton (et al) signed import restrictions to prohibit foreign 'assault rifles' from coming into the US. After the Italian rifles were sold onto the surplus market they couldn't go to the US. By default Canadians benefitted.