Hypothetical New Garands

[Rick Cummelin]

yes the presence of heavy cosmoline seems to indicate rebuilds. But if they can be had for much reduced price and i'm not picky when it comes to surplus garands. as long as they are below surplus prices. If we find a gem or two then tat much the better.

During WWII, apparently new M1s were dipped in cosmoline before shipping. This cosmoline was NOT the heavy grease used after later rebuilds, or used on the M1s returned from Greece. The WWII cosmoline was a very dark brown color and was quite sticky. GIs cleaned it off with gasoline, but that was a nasty job.

If the rifles you refer to are covered in real, honest WWII cosmoline, they are likely to be worth more uncleaned than cleaned.

[JohnF]

yes, Some time back the CMP had some new in the wrap garands - not cosmoline but foil & paper bags w/desiccant

Yep, they were brand new in sealed bags with not a mark on them. Stocks were a little dry, but OK. Even some of the greased ones looked to be new with not a track on the receiver, bolt or op rod.

Attachment 20185

[DaveN]

My first concern was if they were obtained legally. I will if given the chance get all the ser# and give them the best look to judge condition age ect... Whether they are new or rebuilds.
just waiting to see for now.

[Charlie59]

The service grade specials I got have new(no wear marks anywhere)metal, with mws' of zero. CMP wood, which I replaced with mint usgi wood. That's new as far as I'm concerned.

[Bob Seijas]

One of my favorite stories (that I have told often) concerns a crate of 10 new IHCs. When IHC vacated the plant, they left one guy behind as caretaker until Whirlpool took occupancy. After about a week, a crate arrived -- 10 new rifles that had been sent to SA for parts interchange testing and just returned. The guy didn't know what to do with them, the contract was over, the machinery removed, all rifles and parts delivered. So he loaded the crate into the trunk of his car, waited until dark, and drove them down to the river and dumped them in the water. Ouch! Anybody got Scuba gear handy?
I interviewed him in about 1980 and he really regretted it, but said that Ordnance had scared everybody to death about theft of government property, so he never even considered keeping them at the time.

[Mark in Rochester]

M-1 Garand SA Unissued SN- 5834132 Auction



This is an SA garand that CMP believes to be new and still in original condition. The barrel is dated SA 3-55 and the muzzle gauges 1 with a throat erosion of 1+. The rifle is pristine. A data sheet is not prepared, but we will prepare one before shipping if requested by the auction winner. See Photos.

[Bob Seijas]

I think this is the first auction of the new guns found at the GCA convention last year. There were over 200 late SA and HRA rifles that looked like this, enough to make you weep.

[DaveN]

I received some CMP M1's in new condition but with CMP birch stocks. As mentioned in this thread, could these have been those that the stocks were to dry to be of use, though the parts and metal are great.

[JohnF]

I think this is the first auction of the new guns found at the GCA convention last year. There were over 200 late SA and HRA rifles that looked like this, enough to make you weep.

Yep..........I didn't cry, but the elastic in my shorts melted. Haven't been stable since.

[Bodyman]

I think this is the first auction of the new guns found at the GCA convention last year. There were over 200 late SA and HRA rifles that looked like this, enough to make you weep.
Yep..........I didn't cry, but the elastic in my shorts melted. Haven't been stable since.

Yup. Not blaming Orest or the CMP for my lack of stability but this is definitely a potential trigger for a weakening of the knees ... (oh, look, a pun to boot).

I musta handled 20 of those to walk them up front - one in each hand - gorgeous, just gorgeous.

Hats off again to the CMP for that - what a great time we had.