Personally there are plenty of "shooter" grade rifles and I would never shoot a "collector" as there is simply no point to it.

I would hasten to add I have two collectors I purchased from CMPicon several years ago and more than a dozen "corrects," none of which will I ever fire.

I have many Garands for shooting, well tuned and with new barrels for shooting. No sense in ruining a piece of accurate and correct history except to reduce the value of the piece as it related to others of its kind.

I always liken shooting a new and correct historical rifle to the man who found a valuable antique auto stashed in a barn and, having purchased it for less than market value, decided to use it for a daily driver. Needless to say, the miles, rock chips, worn upholstery and faded paint soon reduced his antique to the status of a well-worn taxicab. He had failed to predict the results of his own shortsightedness.

Do as you like, but rest assured that your piece is no longer a true "collector" to those knowledgeable enough to recognized op rod wear, follower wear or who possess the tools to check a barrel for erosion. If I were to price your piece, I would downgrade it accordingly in price for the wear.

Do what you want with your piece, but shooting an otherwise pristine example is simply making it worth less and the others which aren't shot worth all the more.