M1 Garand Value

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Syxx15

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Location
SW Ontario
Hey Guys and Gals,

I was wondering what my M1 Garand value would be as of today let's say. I have had it for a good few years now. I have a M1 Garand with a 3 digit serial number ranging the 15X. It has some matching parts for that serial number and mis match parts as well. One day I would like to find all the parts and make it a all matching Garand.

I know that the rifle was made in August of 1937 and was an original gas trap as well or in it one of first year production. I can really remember. So I was wondering what the value would be today if I were to sell it "as is".

Thanks for your input.
 
Syxx15 said:
Hey Guys and Gals,

I was wondering what my M1 Garand value would be as of today let's say. I have had it for a good few years now. I have a M1 Garand with a 3 digit serial number ranging the 15X. It has some matching parts for that serial number and mis match parts as well. One day I would like to find all the parts and make it a all matching Garand.

I know that the rifle was made in August of 1937 and was an original gas trap as well or in it one of first year production. I can really remember. So I was wondering what the value would be today if I were to sell it "as is".

Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...

well over a $1000 as its a 1937 but mismatch will lower the price
 
Dsiwy said:
well over a $1000 as its a 1937 but mismatch will lower the price
Click to expand...

Correction...if all original...and I mean all the original gas trap M1937 parts are correct and present it would be more on the lines of $10,000 to $30,000.
One just sold at auction...I beleive it was Rock Island Auctions and it landed nearly $50,000.
I have three of these in my hands. One at a gun show in Portland Oregon, One at a Denver Colorado Show and on that a buddy has in Montana
He showed it to me and asked what I thought...he knew I collected Springfield Armory firearms and was a fan of the Garand. I looked at it and asked him where he had it built...he laughed and said I was the only guy who picked up on it. It was all correct gas trap Garand, everything except the receiver, which was a 5 digit serial number.
 
There were approx 50,000 gas trap Garands built. The vast majority were converted to conventional gas port rifles in early WW2 by replacing the shorter gas trap barrel and the gas trap assembly with the later gas port parts.

A gas trap receiver has great value to a restorer who has, or is prepared to spend a lot of time and money to aquire an original barrel and gas trap assembly, which are virtually unobtanium. They are actually making some repro gas trap parts which are marked as such. Other gas trap parts can be found with original drawing numbers, but at a premium price. Funnily enough, I have aquired a gas trap era lower band, follower, and rear sight base from picking parts off other gas port rifles over the years.

In the absence of the unique and rare/ breathtakingly expensive gas trap parts for a restoration, a gas trap receiver is a curiosity, albeit a scarce one, and I would value it as that. Not to sound overly pessemistic, but the prospects of doing a full gas trap restoration in Canada are about zero due to the costs, plus the US restrictions on exporting parts, even if one was willing to pay the coin for them. Exporting to the more lucrative and discriminating US collector's market is not an option because of US laws.

Having said that, the rifle would be valued as a shooter, with some premium for the low s/n. What is the overall condition of wood/metal finish, bore condition and what are the drawing numbers on various components incl the, barrel (dates and markings) bolt, op rod, trigger housing and parts thereof? Are there drawing numbers on other parts? Is the windage knob a lock-bar style, or does it have any markings besides the arrow/left stamping? Any pitting on the receiver or other parts? Not too long ago someone was listing a gas trap receiver with, I think, a Danish VAR barrel, on the EE at a fairly hefty price. It did'nt sell.
 
Thanks to all who has replied to this thread. Here are some pictures of the rifle.

Complete full view of rifle.
IMG_1717.jpg


Close up of right side of receiver
IMG_1714.jpg


Top view of receiver. There is pitting around the front of the receiver where the barrel meets the action.
IMG_1716.jpg


Close up of pitting around receiver
IMG_1720.jpg


Left side of receiver and stock. The stock has SA-EMeF stamp.
IMG_1721.jpg


Close up of receiver when stock is removed
IMG_1722.jpg


Close up of receiver when bolt is back. You can see rebuild weld on the follower assembly
IMG_1723.jpg


And finally close up of serial number
1.jpg
 
Did any of you guys see the sequencial number that was for sale here a month ago? #154? What's the odds of that? By the way he has a nice Earl Mc Farlane stock that could go well to a collector.
 
This is a very early receiver which was re-built with a lot of later replacement parts. We don't see/have any barrel details, but the cartouched stock itself is worth some money.

The face of the receiver is badly pitted. Generally rifles are not re-built when the face is pitted to this extent as the pitting does not provide a good surface for the even, concentric crush fit which is desired when fitting a barrel. Beyond that, this detracts from the appearance of the rifle. I wouldn't do a build on this receiver w/o a very close look at the condition of the receiver face which bears against the barrel shoulder. If it was a no-go condition, the receiver could be removed and conserved as an interesting piece of history with the other parts being used to build a rifle on a more servicable receiver.

It's tough to put a value on the receiver alone. It depends on who may have an interest in it as a collector's piece. The stock dates from the mid-1942 to mid-1943 timeframe and would be desirable to restore a rifle of that vintage. If could fetch $200+ on it's own. The other parts, less barrel, would cost maybe $400. Barrel value depends on make/date and condition.
 
The barrel on this rifle is a Marlin. Here is a picture.
IMG_1724.jpg


Also there is a piece of paper in the stock, this guy must have own the rifle at one point. On the piece of paper is Bert Laraway Smith III, 76-1. I found that kind of neat.
 
You have a 1950s vintage Marlin replacement barrel. Barrel value is determined by condition-crown, presence/absence of bore & exterior pitting and degree of barrel wear at throat and muzzle as determined by erosion gauges. In the absence of a muzzle wear gauge, if you insert the bullet on a .30-06 ball round in the muzzle and can see 1/8"-3/16" clearance on the bullet from the case mouth, the barrel has lots of life left in it.
 
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