Safe Queen or Shooter: What to Do with a Collector Grade M1 Garand

[Amsdorf]

Since starting to talk about my M1 Garand, CMP Collector Grade, which from all appearances appears to have come right out of the armory last week, several people have asked me if I'm going to shoot it, or treat it as a safe queen. These queries have caused me now to rethink my plan to use it as a shooter. I'll put in the video of it at the end here to remind you what I'm talking about.

Should I leave it as a safe queen and not use it?

I suppose a true collector of Garands may not ever shoot, choosing instead to leave it in this nearly mint condition.

Safe Queen or Shooter?



What are your thoughts on this? Thanks guys.

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[Sarge1998]

Amsdorf you really started some fires as well as stirred the pot yesterday with some posts. Now let me put you on the hot seat you seem to enjoy others on. The rifle you are displaying is a fine rifle and you say it's a Collector Grade issued by CMP. I would think that anyone who can not only afford but be wise enough to decide to buy such a rifle that this would not be your first one. Your questions are such that I would assume you have little knowledge regarding it's value and history in the condition it was sold by CMP with that certificate.

Hence, what's your point. I know what I'd do and I wouldn't be on three different or more forums asking for opinions, I'd do what I want and maybe PM a trusted senior advisor. I would also have an expert detail strip that rifle and identify that it indeed meets the CMP Collector Grade status. When that rifle left CMP I would trust it was as documented, how sure are you if it was not locked in your possession 100% of the time since? I'll ask you to make up your own mind on this one.

[Amsdorf]

Sarge, since you felt a need to post these basically irrelevant remarks on this thread, I'll just say this. I publicly challenged slander posted on another forum about the Civilian Marksmanship Program and got that all out in the open and the head of the CMP was able to respond to it, quite vigorously and publicly. The person who printed the libel on the other forum withdrew it and has now since deleted it. While you may feel fine sitting on the sidelines when a fine organization and the fine people associated with it are libeled and slandered as was the case yesterday, I do not. It is a good thing that the other forum deleted the remarks and the "senior moderator" there who made them publicly retracted and apologized for them. The remarks posted were such that the forum and its owner(s) could have been sued back into the stone age by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, so serious were they.

The rifle shown here has been detailed stripped and every part identified, labelled and documented. It is what the CMP says it is, and I have the paperwork to prove it and I have eyeballed it myself as well and done my research with the resources available to do it.

If you have something helpful to contribute to this particular topic and conversation, I welcome your opinions. Otherwise it appears only your intention to take a rather gratuitous cheap shot for reasons known only to you.

[LouisianaJoe]

I recently bought a Special Grade M1 Garand at the CMP outlet. the receiver was made in 1955. Using the info in the book "The M1 Garand 1936-1957" by Joe Poyer andCraig Riesch, it appears that the receiver, barrel, and trigger assembly are correct to 1955. The stock is a CMP new stock and I refinished it with 3 hand rubbed coats of Tung Oil. The muzzle gauged under 1 and it appears that the rifle was test fired.

I have shot it and it shoots under 1" groups at 50 yds. I intend to take it to the range some, but I do not intend to overdo it.

[Amsdorf]

Nice looking rifle!!

[DaveN]

I have bought several CMP service grade 5.8 mil M-1s and they where almost perfect like yours Though you could tell they had had slight use. A couple looked metal wise brand new with all the parts matched but the stock was replaced with a CMP birch?? stock. Your stock like new is dry as it would be and I suppose some are ruined that way so CMP replaces them.
Can anyone tell me why the cartouche is not present on the left side of the stock or is it my eyes? Nice rifle!!

[Amsdorf]

Thanks, the cartouche is just there, just not very deeply stamped. I'll be getting better pictures of it with better light very soon.

[mpd1978]

No reason to pay a premium for a collector grade rifle if you are going to use it as a shooter. Plenty of shooter garands around for that.

[Bob Seijas]

No reason to pay a premium for a collector grade rifle if you are going to use it as a shooter. Plenty of shooter garands around for that.

Amen to that! Does a stamp collector mail a letter with his 1924 Airmail? Probably not.

[Col. Colt]

I have to agree this is a question that answers itself and scarcely needs to be asked. Methinks the OP protesteth a little too much. Lighten up a little. I do not see anyone in this forum slandering anybody - lest of all the CMP. Most of us are members and do business with them.

The answer is simple enough. You don't shoot perfect, collector grade guns - unless you just like lighting $100 bills for fun and destroying an important piece of history perfectly representitive of "how it really was". Original is only original once, and brand new is ony new until the first round. Future collectors will curse those who fail to respect the custodial nature of our hobby. "Indy, we are only passing through history. This IS History!" (from the first Indiana Jones movie.)

It is indeed a beautiful rifle that anyone here would be proud to own. Thanks for the excellent video. If you do indeed want a shooter, they run $650-700.00. Sell this one and spend the remaining money on a nice shooter and ammo, spotting scope, etc. And if you merely want to share a very nice M1 with us, always just do it, it is very much appreciated, and you did a great job on the video. But let's work hard to all remain civil. "A soft answer turneth away wrath...." CC