What look for when buying M1 Garand

[Fireguy]

I'm looking for a M1 Garand for my 88 year old Dad. He wants a garand like he had in ww2. I can't afford a WW2 relic. I'd like to get something that has some collector value.

What are things I should look for in a garand that is a shooter?

Thanks in advance, I'm going to the Reno show this weekend.

[milotrain]

Wait for them to show back up at the CMP.

[sofbak]

I'm looking for a M1 Garand for my 88 year old Dad. He wants a garand like he had in ww2. I can't afford a WW2 relic. I'd like to get something that has some collector value.
What are things I should look for in a garand that is a shooter?

Thanks in advance, I'm going to the Reno show this weekend.

Well that's a small conundrum. There are thousands of Garands in the public domain that are WWII relics-most of them coming via the CMP program or its' predecessor the DCM. Not many of them have significant collector value, and are mostly service grade, or field grade "mix masters" meaning the parts have been interchanged at least once in their lifetime. So you can get a WWII relic at reasonable prices, but not with much "collector value."

......

What are things I should look for in a Garand that is a shooter?
Thanks in advance, I'm going to the Reno show this weekend.

First reasonable evaluation criterium would be head space, throat erosion, and muzzle wear. Head space is a safety issue. High throat erosion is indicative of a barrel that has had the snot shot out of it, or a ton of rapid fire strings. Usually high wear is an indicator of reduced accuracy/consistent point of impact. Similarly, muzzle wear (crown wear or damage) has the same effect. But you need a set of gauges to determine this.

Finding a candidate gun that has the CMP provenance paper work would be a good indicator. They classified their guns by configuration, condition, and barrel condition prior to sale:

Collector Grade=high dollar, high value, good condition, not usually a "shooter" candidate because of possible usage detriment to value.

Service Grade= Medium dollar, medium value, best "shooter" candidate.

Field Grade=Lowest dollar, lower value, less probability of good shooter.

Finding one at a gun show with the CMP paperwork would be a good place to start....

hth

[Garandimal]

CMP Field Grade.

Best value for a beater, and will have USGI wood.

Most are very near Service Grade.


Other than that, the CMP Service Grade is generally a better bet and the way to go for a younger shooter. They have a good chance of coming out w/ new CMP wood, but are usually otherwise in very good USGI condition.




GR

[musketjon]

You can't learn what you need in an over night or two session on the internet. It takes YEARS to learn about them. I've been at it 35+ years and there's still more to learn as new things come to light almost daily.
Jon

[seabee1]

go to the CMP website, and sign up on the CMP forum. I found mine for sale in the classified ads here on Calguns

[rvr350]

If you don't want to go through hoops with the cmp, look for the Garands that has the cmp papers, that ensures you are getting a usgi, non-import, non-demilled rifle. The grading cmp uses also gives you an idea how the rifle is. Good luck.

[Enfield47]

Unless it has to be a WWII era Garand, you can easily get a post war model. They basically look and feel the same so either should do that nicely. As stated above, if you can find a Garand from the CMP with the papers you'll know exactly what you have. I would invest in a throat erosion and muzzle gauge and verify for yourself. They are worth the investment. Brownells carries one for the M1 but they are out of stock right now.

[blackfalcon]

Only Springfield, Winchester, International Harvester and Harrington & Richardson made Garands. If you are at the Reno show make sure the receiver has one of these makers, all others are aftermarket. Lots to know about the parts. If looking for WW2, only Springfield and Winchester made them. Springfield did make them again for Korean War (had higher serial number) along with International Harvester and Harrington & Richardson.

[seabee1]

Then recently, Springfield Armory Inc. made a run of them, and continued the serial numbers where the numbers ended circa Korean war

[Fireguy]

Thanks guys for the info, it was very helpful.

[alpha_romeo_XV]

I hope you can find one and he gets to shoot it. A few years ago before he passed away, I let my WW2 vet uncle shoot mine and it really made his day. I offered my M1 carbine first but he said "no, the M1 Garand is what I carried". I did load up some light 30'06 loads for it though with 110g bullets so recoil was very manageable for him.

[Mojaveman]

If you're looking at a used one and don't know the history of it ask the seller if you can remove the action/barrel from the stock and look at the underside of the receiver. You will want to do this so you don't buy what's called a 'cut Garand'. Many years ago when I was a kid in the military I bought an M-1 from an older NCO and didn't know about them. A few years later a guy at a range I was shooting at told me about 'cut Garands' and we took mine apart. Looking at the receiver with it upside down you could see that it had once been cut in half and then welded back together.

After keeping it a for few more years I sold it to someone else who didn't know about them.

[beerman]

Generally,If you want to get dad an honest to goodness WW2 rifle you need to be looking for a Springfield Armory with a serial number from 1 to about 3.7 million....anything later would be a Post war gun...Or Any Winchester as all were made during the war. Any others (Post 3.7 mil S/A, H&R or International Harvester) were made Post WW2.

[Bainter1212]

I don't mean to sound like as @ss OP, but how is it your 88 year old dad served in WWII? If he was born in 1928, he would have only turned 17 by 1945. Did he lie about his age at 16 to join up in 1944?

Just curious. Hope you can find him an M1.