DCM Garand Value

[pro-nra]

I have a SA Garand field grade I bought from the DCM 16+ years ago and was thinking about selling it to fund another project. It is a typical field grade condition with USGI stock vivid proof marks and other armory markings on it. All the major part that I can see (barrel, trigger and op rod are all SA). I was wondering what to ask for it. Honest opinion please.

[cmichini]

Without seeing it directly, and more details (WWII s/n?, proof marks consistent with s/n dating, SA parts and drawing numbers consistent with s/n dating), hard to tell. But being a DCM (vs. CMP) I feel the the odds of it being more correct (and therefore more valuable) are higher. Initially, thoughts of value could be from $700 - 1200+, depending on condition/correctness/etc. If a WWII that is pretty much correct (especially wood) you could be on the higher range.

Go online and get a garand data sheet and fill it out, scan that and post pix and you'll get a better idea, and responses.

Also, do a little market research. Check gunbroker, Auction Arms, Guns America, etc. to check prices on closed auctions to see what folks asked (and whether anyone bid).

Here on the CG classifieds people often edit the ad and remove the price and replace it with SPF. This reduces the abililty of others to do market research on CG.

Post back with pix and details and you'll get a more precise replies.

Good luck and I hope to see it.

[littlejake]

Field Grade is a notch below Correct Grade -- so, some parts may not match for year and manufacturer.

I agree it would bring in from $800 to $1200 depending on how quickly you want to sell it.

Finding the person who wants it; and has the cash is the key to selling these days.

[TRICKSTER]

16 years is not a long time and it being a DCM vs CMP has nothing to do with being more correct since even WWII rifles went through government rebuilds and the parts were mixed up. CMP is selling Field Grade SA's for $495 and they are currently some of the best I've seen and would have been considered Service Grade rifles just a couple of years ago.
People will pay more than $495 because they see meeting the CMP requirements as too much hassle or want to see the gun before they purchase it. Without seeing the rifle or knowing the breakdown of its parts all one could say is it could be valued at $600+
Also having the original DCM paperwork will up the value.

[sacto929]

I have a SA Garand field grade I bought from the DCM 16+ years ago and was thinking about selling it to fund another project. It is a typical field grade condition with USGI stock vivid proof marks and other armory markings on it. All the major part that I can see (barrel, trigger and op rod are all SA). I was wondering what to ask for it. Honest opinion please.

So why would you want to sell such a sweet shooting rifle? What's the other project?

[Boarding-Team-Leader]

Field Grade is a notch below Correct Grade -- so, some parts may not match for year and manufacturer.

I agree it would bring in from $800 to $1200 depending on how quickly you want to sell it.

Finding the person who wants it; and has the cash is the key to selling these days.

Field grade is two notches below correct grade. CMP grades rifles as
Collector, Correct, Service, Field, Rack then Salvage. Being it is a military rifle it may or may not have any "correct" parts on it. It is all luck of the draw. I have purchased service grade rifles with all or almost all "correct parts" and others that had only 2 or 3 correct parts. My best purchase is a May of 45 rifle that only needed a NFR stock and type III rear sight. I traded the EMcF stock it came with for the NFR it is wearing now and made a trade + cash for the type III lockbar sight. Best $550.00 I ever spent. (maybe)
BTL

[Boarding-Team-Leader]

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Dupe Post

[cmichini]

16 years is not a long time and it being a DCM vs CMP has nothing to do with being more correct since even WWII rifles went through government rebuilds and the parts were mixed up. CMP is selling Field Grade SA's for $495 and they are currently some of the best I've seen and would have been considered Service Grade rifles just a couple of years ago.
People will pay more than $495 because they see meeting the CMP requirements as too much hassle or want to see the gun before they purchase it. Without seeing the rifle or knowing the breakdown of its parts all one could say is it could be valued at $600+
Also having the original DCM paperwork will up the value.

I was working on anecdotal evidence that it seemed that the earlier guns from DCM seemed to be better than that coming from CMP (I have a DCM 1903A3 that I purchased on eBay that is SWEET and I've seen many DCM guns that blew recent CMP guns away).

Depending on when he purchased, were these grading levels even existence back then? I thought there was only one grade.

Also, could be the grade descriptions may have changed, that's why I thought a data sheet and pix would really tell the story because until you're inspecting THAT rifle, it's all hearsay and innuendo.

[pro-nra]

M1 Info

I took some pics and recorded data on the major parts. The wood looks rough but it is USGI. Receiver SA serial #588XXXX with marking T 4 F6528291, barrel SA F6535448 6 55 MD 51, op rod 6535382 SA, trigger D28290-5-SA, bolt 6528287-SA A15. Looks like a Korean War era Garand is this correct?

She shoots really well @ 100 yards. I have the original letter from DCM and DD Form 1348-1. I was wrong it was only 13 years ago when I bought it. All I remember was I waited so long I forgot about it till a long box came in the mail. I waited about 8-9 months. Any idea what its worth?

[TRICKSTER]

It looks almost as nice as the SA Field Grade that I got last year from the CMP. $495 + the sling and whatever someone is willing to pay for seeing the rifle first before purchasing and not having to qualify for the CMP and wait a few weeks to get it.
Right now you can get a real nice service grade from the CMP for $595 + $22 shipping so figure that into your pricing.

[Anchors]

Well I think it looks pretty nice.
I'm sure one of the boys here would take it off your hands for a fair price if you wanted to post a for sale thread.
I don't know what it is worth, but if current field grades look like that then I think my next M1 I'll put the extra $100 into ammo.

[pro-nra]

Yeah she is nice. Remember though that this was bought during the the DCM era so I don't know if you get an identical field grade rifle today from the CMP.

I just don't know what a fair price is. Any idea what I should ask for it?

[Orlando]

Any Garand with low muzzle and throat wear measuremenst and in decent shape will fetch $700.00 any day of the week.
Is it worth it? No not to me but there are others who do not want to go the CMP route
Guess no one else noticed yet but you have a early grooved rear handguard clip . Its worth around $75.00 all by itself

[SanPedroShooter]

Any CMP customers, myself included, will always place a lower value on Garands knowing that they can get a very nice CMP gun. I just got a pristine HRA for 595. That said, i've seen people who dont know any better pay over 1000 dollars because they either didnt know or didnt want to deal with the CMP. I always check gunbroker completed auctions to see what the current market is willing to support.
I looked at the pictures, and it looks pretty good, but check out what the CMP is sending out as field grade these days. That said again, I am sure you will get a good price for it on an auction site for the reasons mentioned above me.

[TregoMark]

I took some pics and recorded data on the major parts. The wood looks rough but it is USGI. Receiver SA serial #588XXXX with marking T 4 F6528291, barrel SA F6535448 6 55 MD 51, op rod 6535382 SA, trigger D28290-5-SA, bolt 6528287-SA A15. Looks like a Korean War era Garand is this correct?

She shoots really well @ 100 yards. I have the original letter from DCM and DD Form 1348-1. I was wrong it was only 13 years ago when I bought it. All I remember was I waited so long I forgot about it till a long box came in the mail. I waited about 8-9 months. Any idea what its worth?

Very nice looking Garand. I noticed an odd thing in the third pic - a grooved handguard clip.