HELP M1 Garand

[NOTABIKER]

My friend was offered a M1 garand from a friend that he has known for a long time. i do not know how much this friend knows about garands and he has owned this M1 for a long time. So he brings the rifle over for me to check out. He paid 700 for it.
Problem

No original Ser # or who made it. I am sure this is a put together. Left side of receiver
M1 P2226*
made in USA by CAI georgia VI
bolt D 28287
op rod NM
trigger guard C 6025 wra
Barrel B.SID 1954
receiver and lower gas system look sand blasted
Nice stock but upper hand guard and lower not even a close match to what the stock look like color wise. I told my friend as a shooter or parts gun it was not worth much. am i right. I did not take the wood off to inspect the receiver. at a glance it does not look like it is one of those welded together scrap receivers.
THANKS

[phungn]

700 is a bit much since the cmp has them for not much more. I think not having original serial number is a deal breaker.

I agree if he must have it, it's just a shooter and he should pay a lot less

[TMB 1]

It sound like it's a CAI receiver parts gun. From what I've read they're ok shooters if the receivers are in spec.

[NOTABIKER]

Lucky DROS has not started and his friend said he would take it back.He new it was a CAI put together. It is one ugly M1 with the mix match metal and wood.I would never be proud to own it even at 1/2 the price.

[RHT447]

Might want to have a look at this---

http://www.fulton-armory.com/faqs/M1G-FAQs/CAI-TI.htm

[TMB 1]

Would have been a good deal at half the price if you had one of the receivers CMP was selling awhile back.

[Mustang]

I've heard mixed reviews on the CAI Garand receivers. Apparently they are cast and many have dimensional problems. Apparently the elevation cuts also have been known to wear quickly.

Even if this is a decent one, your friend paid too much for it. $700 is more than a Field Grade from CMP costs and almost as much as a Service Grade.

Just my opinion.

[NOTABIKER]

CAI cast receiver makes sense from what i see. This thing does have a few good parts. The right side wind-age adjuster in early WW 2 . NM operating rod. the upper and lower hand guards look like they are right off the cutter and no finish on the wood what so ever. the stock is a nice WW 2 stock with nice stampings and a super dark glossy old finish.If the wood all matched it might be a keeper- shooter for 500 bucks. my friend just wanted to sell it at a small profit.

[Capybara]

That's what I was going to say, possibly, as a shooter, at $450.00 to $500.00, if it works/cycles/shoots okay.

[aghauler]

That's what I was going to say, possibly, as a shooter, at $450.00 to $500.00, if it works/cycles/shoots okay.

Yeah AND if the op rod stays in the channel!!! They were known for being out of spec and the op rods popping out. Total parts put together by Century to sell the parts kits they imported. I won't even buy one as a shooter grade.

[NOTABIKER]

It took me about 5 seconds to figure out this was not a legit garand. Makes me wonder about rifles you see for sale from vender's at the gun show. they might look nice but have hidden secrets. I was looking forward to spending the day taking it apart and cleaning parts and inspecting stampings .

[I Swan]

I had one it sucked. Worked OK but receiver was out of spec it was very hard to insert clips. They were $400 on sale at Turners around 2001-2002.

[RPVFlyer]

I had a CAI Garand for about a year. Maybe this is it lol. Was a mixed bag of parts with a cast receiver. The barrel was nice enough, Danish. Seemed to shoot fine but I did not like it did not have the elevation And windage notches. Resold it at a gun show and sucked it up and did the work to qualify for a CMP service grade rifle. You're better off going with CMP the rifles are beautiful (my avatar) and can't beat USGI.

[TRICKSTER]

Part it out, sell the parts and see scrap the receiver. If the stock and parts are as described, he may even come out slightly ahead.

[NOTABIKER]

Kit Garand

the more i looked at this CAI parts build M1 the worse it got. the elevation adjuster does not function [ just spins ]. Their are no increment markings on the receiver for windage. the metal finish on the gas system and receiver i would call glass beaded and no protective coating.