Secretary of Army M1 Garand - Value?

[riflemann]

I was shown a "Secretary of the Army" M1 Garand by an Army Captain whom
said he won it shooting in an "All Army Marksmanship Competition" several years ago.

It was a nice, but nothing special, Springfield Correct Grade with matching parts and wood. BUT, it had two Gold Leaf Medallions inbedded in the stock, each about an 2" diameter. One stated that the rifle was a "Secretary of the Army"
M1 Garand and the other confirmed the "All Army Marksmanship Match" and FT. Benning.

He was not overly enthusiastic about it, he seemed more interested in some of the Springfields and Krags he had. I don't know if he would sell it, but what would you say it is worth?

Information

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[Gibbs505]

Who was the secretary of the army?

Details are everthing, if it was a famious person then that counts. Sme paid off politican, different value.

[Bob Seijas]

Must have documentation, anybody could inlet something into a common rifle. I'm not suggesting he did anything like that, but it won't command any premium if it can be easily duplicated. That's why team match rifles don't command anything like SA National Match rifles.

[duggaboy]

this rifle, M1 Garand, is worth exactly what in money or trade this capt. will take for it now, and not tomorrow. no more and no less.

[riflemann]

Oh, yeah, he had the papers and a news article from his college ROTC of him winning.

It was the real thing.

He laughed and said he may shoot it a Garand Match with it and freak out all the old guys who collect them. He told me he once shot a 97 off hand in a CMP Garand Match while in college.

Thomas E. White was on the emblem as Secretary of the Army on the rifle.

[Neal Myers]

Well, I don't think it matters a whit who the Sec Arm was.

The significant thing is, Sec Nav trophy rifles (regardless of who the Sec Nav was) have been thoroughly documented & are well known to collectors. Most, but not all, were fresh from rebuild in 7.62 mm. There are several varieties, some quite scarce. In recent months, you'd be hard-pressed to get $1,500 for the more common ones.

I'd be interested in how the papers describe your friend's rifle. But, unless a Sec Arm trophy rifle is written up by Bruce Canfield in one of his books, or there is an article in GCA Journal, most folks will turn up their nose as if it were just a team match rifle.

I would think a nice correct grade rifle would be worth $750. Maybe some day this one will become valuable, but I wouldn't bet my money on it.

[riflemann]

The soldier told me he shot service rifle competitions in high school and college.
So while an ROTC Cadet, he shot in the "ALL ARMY MATCHES"

These Garands are an award, or prize given to the winning Army Soldier at the annual "All Army" rifle/pistols mathes at Ft. Benning every year. It is hosted by the Army AMU and the winner of all of the rifle competitons(there are separate matches each day for a week)gets a Garand Rifle as a prize.

That particular year, a Garand was given the to Highest Scoring ROTC Cadet.
I don't know who does the Gold Leaf inlays, but it is cool to look at.

The only paperwork the soldier showed me was his picture receiveing the rifle in the awards ceremony, you could see the gold medallions in the picture, it was clearly him holding the rifle.

There has to be several of these Garands out there, the prizes from "ALL ARMY"

[riflemann]

The soldier showed me a picture of him being awarded the rifle at "ALL ARMY"
at Fort Benning. The caption said he was an ROTC Cadet and he was the highest scoring Cadet at the competition that year and he was given the rifle as a prize.

It was clearly him holding the rifle and you can see the gold leaf medallions on the stock.

"All Army" is the yearly US Army Rifle Matches held at Ft. Benning by the Army Marksmanship Unit there.

I guess there are several of the rifles out given out each year as prizes to the best shooters in the army.