M1 and M1As

[SturmSoldaten]

so i am going to get a new springfield M1A soon and along with that i want to get myself an M1 garand (i have had a few before) and i am gonna go through CMP to order one. my question is how are there service grades? know i read on many place that they have great stuff and i just wanna know what is in store for me? what is the finish like? stocks? accuracy? anyone have picks of there service grades?

i am not looking for a collectors iteam, just a shooter and hunting rifle. but looks are important to me.

[Dutch]

Service Grade rifles show just the way advertised, occassionally you will hear guys talk of a jewel. For what they are and how old they are they meet most everyones expectations.

Hopefully yours will exceed your expectations!

Dutch

[Army Chief]

For the most part, the boys in Anniston (CMP South) will be the first to tell you that the arsenal stocks of "cherry" Garands were depleted several years ago; as such, you should expect a Service Grade rifle to be serviceable and authentic, but not in the kind of as-new condition that our fathers and grandfathers often found when they uncrated their DCM rifles.

The news is certainly not all bad, however; my Korean vintage Springfield shipped with a pre-Pearl Harbor stock, which was itself worth the price I paid for the entire rifle. That stock was sold to a collector for an extremely reasonable price, and I still had enough to fund replacement wood of the correct vintage in conjunction with a full restoration by Dean's Gun Restorations.

The moral of the story is that there are still jewels out there, as Dutch has observed, but those tend to manifest themselves in different ways, now that the "beautiful" rifles are largely a thing of the past. Everyone who can qualify to own a CMP Garand, should own a CMP Garand in my view, and like you, I chose to pair it with an M1A ... just two more entries on my "never, ever sell" list. :)

Chief

[SturmSoldaten]

IMHO the M1 garand is the greatest rifle of all time. i have never shot anything nicer or anything that handels as well as a USGI M1 garand. none of these new fancy semi auto tacticool rifles will ever be as nice as a good ol M1

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

It's been years since I shot a High Power match, what is the fastest way to get a Garand?

[Dutch]

CMP, or local purchase.

Google "odcmp" once there follow the directions on how to purchase, send off required documentation, kick self for not doing it sooner, and continue to wait until it is delivered.

Dutch

[gunsouth]

I recently purchased an M1 from the South store in Anniston. I found a 5.8mil. S/N Springfield that gauged less than 1.5 at the muzzle and less than 2 at the chamber. This was a service grade at $595. While I was there I saw several HRA's that were brand new in a rack all by themselves. These were $975 ea. I think.

I tore mine down to find mostly Sprgf. parts that showed very little wear. The hammer was only slightly used. To say the least, I am very happy. I think that it depends on when you go as to what they have out for display. So don't be dissappointed on just one trip.

While I was there I was told they still have enough pallet loads of garands to last quite some time. So get yours while you can. The Greek ammo is a great deal so stack it deep while it is plentiful.

Take Care,
Gunsouth

[jeffy]

It's been years since I shot a High Power match, what is the fastest way to get a Garand?

Ordering from CMP will usually take 3-4 week but is shipped to your door.

[billt]

I've been thinking about a Springfield M1-A for a while now, but I've heard quite a few complaints about accuracy and reliable functioning lately. I'm seriously considering the FN-AR instead:

http://www.fnhusa.com/le/products/fi...049&gid=FNG022

It must shoot 1 MOA or less to make it out the door, and I like the style better. Plus it's available in both a light, and heavy barrel configuration. Seems more adaptable to optics and accessories as well. Bill T.

[louie]

Short of having a custom M-14 built for you, Springfield M-1A's are nice rifles. They can be hit or miss; usually extractor/ejector problems.

BUT!, they have a Lifetime Warranty.

Of course you can always hit the M-14 forums Classifieds.

I strongly urge you to avoid the Chicom's M-14's; the Norinco's and the Poly's.
Most need to be improved by replacing the Chinese parts with USGI parts, most notably the bolt. They are known for headspace issues. In addition, many M-14 smiths won't work on Poly's or Norinco's.

For the cost of 'upgrading' a Chicom clone, you'd be better served buying a Springfield, or better yet, a used ALL-USGI rifle.

Drop me a PM, and I'll give you the linky.