43 Sa

[rice 123]

is 1500 to high for a correct 43 garand? original finish, uncut 6 op rod , chamber is white all correct parts. the only thing I can find is there is no cartouch on the stock. to me 1500 seems a little high

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[Calif-Steve]

CMP could probably find you a 1943 SA Service Grade for a LOT less.

[paul1440]

But not an all correct 1943 SA SG. IMO $1500 is not a bad price. Just go look at the price Scott Duff charges. I'd bet Duff would double that 1500, and someone would buy it in a heart beat.

[Rick Cummelin]

IMHO, yes, $1500 is too high.

Two weeks ago, I carried a June, 1943 (1.6 million) rifle just like you described around the big gun show in Phoenix, and could not get $900 for it. Most potential buyers were turned-off by the missing cartouche. This rifle is a DCM rifle from 25-30 years ago, and the DCM apparently sanded off the cartouche. You can faintly see the top of the box and the top of the SA, but that's all. It may even be the original stock. All correct, original finish, chamber in-the-white, shiny bore, low T.E., no rust, yada, yada. No takers.

Maybe $1100-1200 would be a good offer.

[Calif-Steve]

Order a Service Grade from CMP. Specify you will only accept a 1-2 million serial number. You will be very happy for about half the money. I fully realize dealers pump their products like crazy. But you need not go crazy spending in these times.

[Mike in NC]

Order a Service Grade from CMP. Specify you will only accept a 1-2 million serial number. You will be very happy for about half the money. I fully realize dealers pump their products like crazy. But you need not go crazy spending in these times.

You can probably get a 1-2 million serial number from the CMP. If you order a service grade your chance of it having an original barrel is very slim. I was at the Garand Collector's Meeting in October and was one of the 250 or so members that sorted through 17,000 Garands. One of the things I was looking for was WWII receivers with original barrels. Better than 90% of the WWII SAs that I handled had been rebarreled with early 1950s barrels. I found one 2.23 million SA with a nice 10-43 barrel and found a nice 1.8 million barreled receiver in the South Store with a 6-43 barrel.

If the 1943 SA for $1,500 is original finish, has a low wear barrel, uncut op rod, and everything is correct and matches up well for finish and wear (except for the stock), I think that is a fair price. WWII rifles in original configuration are getting harder and harder to find. Finding 1945 or 1944 era original receiver / barrel combinations are easier to find. The earlier you go back, the greater chance that the rifle went to war and the barrel was used up and replaced.

[islandhopper]

How is the finish on the metal? Does it all match? The wear consistent? The price will also depend on if it is an early 1943 or late 1943. Something from Jan to June will have a short fork follower rod. Those ain't cheap. If an earlier 1943, does it have a narrow base gas cylinder with the screw cap on it? Is there a type II lock bar rear sight on the thing with an originally staked end? What condition is the single slot gas cylinder screw? Is there a solid pin in the lower band and is it staked in place? Is there any pitting under the wood - did you detail strip it down to what you could (if original you couldn't take off the lower band or the rear sight without disturbing the staking)?

I think without the cartouche, the rifle is no longer original but with the earlier parts, it would be worth the $1200 someone mentioned - given that the finish was original, the parts were original and there were no functional issues with the rifle. Being correct in terms of parts doesn't make it original. This is just my opinion.

[AlReiter]

Not "correct" without the proper cartouched stock and those can be quite expensive.

[rice 123]

When did they start using the EMCF cartouche. Could a GHS cartouche be correct for a 43 garand. I have a GHS cartouche on my 1-42 lend lease. When I complained about the buttstock he offered to replace it with a GHS stock. That he said would be correct the stock it is unsanded but it is stripped so I would have to finish it to match the hand guards. I have to look at tomorrow and I am trying to get my ducks in a row before we talk money

[Joe W]

According to Larry Babcocks book, "M1 Garand Photo Essay" EMcF stock cartouches ran from June 42 to Oct 43 - 700,000 to 1.99 mil. Scott Duff states from apx. ser # 70x,xxx through apx. 1,8xx,xxx
I don't think a GHS would be correct for a 1943 M1. I would think mid 1942 would be about it for the GHS.