Too GOOD to be TRUE ? ? ?

[imarangemaster]

I've never bought from the CMP.
Luck of the draw just scares me.

AZ,
Thank you for your service.

Charlie

+1

While I got got VERY lucky with my Inland racker (1.5 ME and a highwood I cut) I have seen some that were rough. They are almost out of rackers now, anyway. I'll just be happy with my one Inland "shooter" (it would be a tough act to follow, anyway) so I decided to build up an AR. I picked up an S&W M&P15 stripped lower for $120. May do a 20" SDMR type, or maybe a 16" M4. At any rate it will be one part at a time since my house sale fell through!

[stickhauler]

I think the inland is a great buy, it's an early one, and the receiver is in real nice shape with crisp markings, not washed out by repeated sandblasting and repark. I do not like the Saginaw becuase the numbers/letter are a little washed out. I don't care what anyone else says on this site, I would rather have a rightous receiver with an import stamp on the barrel than one that has numbers/letters that are barely readable. The receiver is the gun! I guarentee that if a Irwin Perdersen came up for sale with a really clean receiver and an import barrel, the people on this site would bid it up to $2,000 in a heartbeat. My advice, buy the inland!!!! It's a good deal. (And no, I'm not the one who has it for sale either)

I am just a little tired of the "Blue Bloods" on this site sticking their nose up at anything that does not come from the CMP. Those guys are a bunch of Beauracrats anyway. I'm an honerably discharged vet and when they told me all of the rediculus hoops I would have to jump through, I said don't bother sending me any paperwork. I will acquire my Carbines through other means and GB is a good place to start. Enough Said.

For me anyway, that Inland, even with a import marked barrel is a good deal at the "buy it now" price. The guy is looking for his first carbine, if it's even a decent shooter, and the barrel isn't shot out, that's pretty much market price.

I check the CMP sellers forum regularly, and the "deals" I see mentioned here are fairly rare. And I'd wager the best part of them are rack grades someone bought out of the CMP, cleaned it up a little, added some BLO to the stock and put it up for sale at a couple hundred more than what they paid. Finding the "honorable" collector/sellers is getting a lot tougher these days. For the best part, I'd trust most everyone here that I'd get a fair deal on a purchase. Given the fiasco over Garand ammo that's been an ongoing thing since it was offered, and sold out over there, I question the integrity of at least a few folks over there now.

But I fail to see the "hoops" the CMP lists as requirements to buy from them that difficult to deal with. I too am an honorably discharged veteran. My use of a concealed carry permit as proof of recent marksmanship experience was accepted for that criteria. They ask for proof of citizenship, a copy of your birth certificate and drivers license or a copy of your passport satisfies that requirement. You can drop around $20.00 for a membership in the Garand Collectors Club, or around the same amount for membership in a couple of carbine collector groups to satisfy the group requirement. That can also be satisfied with a membership in most veteran organizations, I used my membership in the American Legion to cover that. The application has to be notarized.

So what outlandish requirements are there? I fail to see how it's that tough. I'd have to ask what people think would be "reasonable" requirements to order from the CMP? I'd wager the criteria set for buying from them was a part of the mandate set down by congress when the CMP was set up, first as the DCM and now the CMP. How should it work, should you simply be able to send in an order, write on it that you are a citizen, served in the military, and are over 18, with no proof to back that claim up?

Buy off Gunbroker, the profits made off the sale go to the seller, be them an individual or a company. Buy off the CMP, and any profit goes to continue the program and to fund shooting competitions and shooting education programs. Are the workers government employees? Sure, some of them are, some are volunteers who after retiring from their profession have extra time on their hands, and a love of military surplus rifles. This gives them something to keep themselves busy while getting the chance to work with stuff they love. What's the downside in that?

I have one carbine bought through the CMP, a rack grade Inland with an Underwood replacement barrel. Yes, it came looking a little rough, they'd ran it through the big "dishwasher" cleaner they have. A little TLC applied by me made it look like a pretty nice carbine, at a reasonable cost to me. I'd be glad to call any of the folks who work there a friend, they're good people.

[Rustship]

I havent ever bought through the CMP, too much paperwork. Everything I own, I got at a GunShow, or Texas Guntrader Site, and inherrited 1. I dont have anything against imports, I just see that everyone shy's away from them. Lets face it Metal is Metal, and for a shooter that's all you need. The 5 digit serial number is desirable. I have a 5 digit Inland myself. Oh I did buy one from PBI off of this site.

[mpd1978]

For starters, if you do in fact find what may or may not be a great deal on an online line auction site, dont post the the link for the auction itself, cut and paste just the pictures to this site and ask questions. If it was a great deal, showing it to a bunch of carbine nuts isnt a wise way to aquire it. If if was a great deal, it wouldnt be for sale right now.
For your first carbine,i wouldnt pay any extra for a special early number or even a rarer maker. Look at condition of the barrel(Muzzle wear), a nice USGI stock, and a us military type finish. Plenty of said carbines around in your price range. THe CMP is by a mile the best deal going, they still have several rack grade choices for $479 and up. From my experience with the CMP guns, i think the secretaries grade them in the dark. Ive never gotten rack grade that was a bad deal and if you do, they will probably take it back. Stay away from the import marked ones-resale is terrible and swapping barrel isnt easy, unless you are know someone with the tools. Plus barrels arent cheap and import marked ones are not worth much.
Good luck and check out the CMP site, i wouldnt wait too much longer, i think the carbines are nearing the end.

[fn111557]

Thank you to everyone.
There is a lot of GOOD advice for a newbie to chew over. I am still in the learning stage so if somebody wants to snag that carbine go for it, I am waiting for my Birthday & the Gun Show in November. I was just looking for some input as to my ability to know what to look for, it seems I did OK for a first try.
I have sent my application to the M1 Carbine club. I am waiting on ATF to send me my application packet for my C&R FFL. I have joined several “FORUMs” dealing with the M1. I am trying to learn something new each day about this wonderful obsession. I still need to get a few of the recommended reference books.
I can’t wait to finally get that first hunk of metal & wood, spend several hours learning all about it, lovingly clean, oil, and grease it in preparation to go to the range. . .

[stickhauler]

Just remember, carbines are addicting. If you buy one, you are forced to buy as many as possible to keep the ones you already own company.

One thing I've learned is that in the community of carbine owners, most folks are more than willing to share their knowledge freely. I belong to several of the forums, and I'm proud to be a part of this one, great people who treat others, whether they have been into these rifles for years, or are a new collector, with respect. Too many forums, those who are considered experts talk down to anyone who doesn't know more than they do about carbines, and snipe at the ones who actually do know more than they do. The folks who know about carbines here are good people, they'll treat you right.

[fn111557]

Just put my toe in the water! My “5310.16” just went in the mail, NOW the wait begins. . . Any bets on how long it takes to come back?

[Neal Myers]

For the Inland, I didn't have to get past the seller to make up my mind: seller has too many bad FB's for me, plus this rifle is sold AS IS. Some imports are fine shooters, others, especially from Blue Sky, are junk; without the seller's description of the bore, you need to assume the worst.

For a shooter, the BARREL is the most important part, not the receiver. Good USGI barrels are hard to find, figure replacing the barrel will run at least $300-400 with a commercial barrel.

The Saginaw's not much better. He doesn't tell us it isn't import marked, so figure it is. Good MW, but is it pitted? Who knows? The birch stock has been heavily sanded & varnished; someone even varnished the metal.

You might want to take a MW gauge with you when you go shopping, plus a good bore light.

[fn111557]

Happy . . . Happy . . . Joy . . . Joy . . . !
Only had to wait 3weeks and 3days. Let the FUN BEGIN!

Bad idea! Edited by Bill Hollinger for privacy reasons.

[Tired Retired]

FN,

You have a PM...