Field grade question?

[TRICKSTER]

Ordered two field grades last year. This is what I got.
These photos are fresh out of the box as received prior to any cleaning.

SA: TE=2 ME=1





HRA: TE=2 ME=2

[rojocorsa]

Ordered two field grades last year. This is what I got.
These photos are fresh out of the box as received prior to any cleaning.

SA: TE=2 ME=1





HRA: TE=2 ME=2

That second one has a really nice stock.

[mievil]

Here is a Field Grade stock (was the one covered in preservative) that I got. Just wiped off the exterior, no cleaning. Still letting it leak.







So they can come in nicely. Not perfect, but nice.

However, they can also come in like this:

[rp55]

Here is one of my service grade Garands, a 5.8 million range SA manufactured AUG/SEP 1955. Worth every penny of the $595 I spent on it plus the $22.95 to have it delivered to my door. This is the best gun deal in America today.

[Orlando]

Good god allready,
Mailed order 11-12-10
Delivered 12-10-10
That works out to 99 days give or take.
I agree that having guages would be much better in checking the TE & ME.
I double check headspace and call it a day.
The only barrel I have that comes close to taking the entire bullet came with a woodless winchester rack grade, ( no I don't remember the date I got it) the headspace was fine and its an OK shooter, but calling it a shotgun might be a bit of an overstatement.

No need to get your panties in a bunch.
I'm just trying to keep the OP from being dissapointed in his purchase
I have alot of experience with CMP Garands and know what to expect, I live less than two hours from the North Store
One thing to remember no one brags and shows pictures of the dogs they got. Only pics of the rifles that were at the high end of the description

[blu97]

No need to get your panties in a bunch.
I'm just trying to keep the OP from being dissapointed in his purchase
I have alot of experience with CMP Garands and know what to expect, I live less than two hours from the North Store
One thing to remember no one brags and shows pictures of the dogs they got. Only pics of the rifles that were at the high end of the description

Orlando I didn't make any personal comments about you, I didn't read the cmp grading to you, I didn't comment on your being only two hours from the north store ,I only answered your questions and showed you my rifles, you wanted to make sure everyone knew how well you could find the best garand out of the hundreds you have inspected, well good job you did it.

Since I live only a short ways from th OP I will make this deal.

If he buys a Field Grade from CMP and does not like it, I will buy it from him for what he paid for it plus pay the CA DROS fees.
And Orlando about the panties, get stuffed.

[Orlando]

The grading description was for the OP
My opinions on mail ordering was for the OP
No reason for the OP to think he will get a FG as nice as the ones you got because they are very few and far between and If the MW and TW is as good as you say they should have been graded SG. Sometimes nicer rifles slip through

[mievil]

If he buys a Field Grade from CMP and does not like it, I will buy it from him for what he paid for it plus pay the CA DROS fees.

Why would you pay DROS? Other than that, sounds like a good offer to me.

[mievil]

These are other Field Grades.

1943 Springfield. MW2, TE3. I actually really like this rifle. Decent stock with all matching colors. Nice plum color on the metal. Feels real throughout.



1954 Springfield. MW 2, TE 4. Good+ main stock. Front and rear handguards are different wood than the main stock, both are cracked. Nice honest wear on the metal.



1944 Winchester. MW 1.5, TE 3.5. Nice banged up metal turned a green patina. Rack numbers painted on receiver, front handguard, 2 different spots on the chewed stock. Front handguard is different age and color than the rest of the wood. Winchester rear sight and rear sight. This is the chewed stock pic I show in my post above.



The thing to keep in mind is that these were hand picked. And some of the best in the store. So you can take what is the best above, and imagine what the worst is. I will need to replace the handguards on the 54, and pretty much the entire stock on the Winchester.

Based on these examples, I would not go by luck of the draw with mail order. However, dude above said he will buy your rifle if it isn't what you want, so I'd take him up on it. Can't go wrong on that one. And there are a couple good Field Grades shown in this thread.

[metalliman545]

Orlando I didn't make any personal comments about you, I didn't read the cmp grading to you, I didn't comment on your being only two hours from the north store ,I only answered your questions and showed you my rifles, you wanted to make sure everyone knew how well you could find the best garand out of the hundreds you have inspected, well good job you did it.

Since I live only a short ways from th OP I will make this deal.

If he buys a Field Grade from CMP and does not like it, I will buy it from him for what he paid for it plus pay the CA DROS fees.
And Orlando about the panties, get stuffed.

Since you're willing to buy it if he doesn't like it, why don't you just buy it and see if hed like to pay you for it since you want one already.

[tempdrummer]

As I recall there was a bit of discontent over at the The CMP Forums about a guy who traveled to the south store and was mighty upset because there is a guy who, as I understood it did it for a fee that went to charity or something, was cherry picking all the Garands to meet specifications for those that paid him to do so. More than that I cannot say but if that is still going you could find out there and go that route.

And what an awesome service it is.......

[tempdrummer]

oh and to be on topic.

With field grade, expect the worse and you likely won't be disappointed. If you absolutely want USGI wood. Then field grade is your best choice. Most service grades have been getting CMP wood sets, which are pretty nice. However theres not telling what CMP may have by the time your order gets through. Its a lottery.

As far as requests, they won't do something as time consuming as switching stocks for you. People have put notes asking for a WWII receiver or post war receiver, or USGI wood and IF they have one within arms reach (so to speak) as they are processing your order they will grab it. They won't however go looking for one. CMP has THE best customer service but keep in mind, they are about 6000 orders backlogged at any given time.