Buying a restored Garand

[Darkwolfe]

In my area, "slightly battered" with a good barrel goes for near $1k. I got mine for $800, but then I turned around and did close to $400 worth of work on it to bring it up to the level I wanted. At the same time, I was building a shooter, not a safe queen. Keep in mind what you want to make out of it while you are shopping.

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[sed6]

In my area, "slightly battered" with a good barrel goes for near $1k. I got mine for $800, but then I turned around and did close to $400 worth of work on it to bring it up to the level I wanted. At the same time, I was building a shooter, not a safe queen. Keep in mind what you want to make out of it while you are shopping.

That rifle was on my short list! WAS because I forgot to bookmark it and could never find it again. Glad I didn't, it sold for $1699...

[Darkwolfe]

From the way things are sounding on this board and a couple of others, the CMP is kicking out some awesome rifles right now. Price tags are great, but the wait stinks. Take a road trip?

[Kirk]

Definitely worth a road trip! Mapquest says it is 750 miles from Kansas City, MO to Anniston, AL & 742 miles to Port Clinton, OH so it is a a toss up as to distance. Being from Alabama, I am biased in favor of the South Store. Having been to both, I am still in favor of the South Store since it is right next door to the warehouse where they process all the goodies.

At either store, you get to hand pick your rifle. You will find friendly, helpful armorers there who will help you find what you want. Just tell them what you want & they will do their best to find it. Plus, there is ammo, bayonets & other stuff for sale. The only downside to going to a store is the sales tax. In Anniston, it is 9%; once you select a rifle, you can have it shipped to your home and not pay the tax.

[Bob Seijas]

I was there a couple of years ago doing research for the GCA Journal and stopped at the South Store to help a Marine vet pick out a rifle. The Correct Grades were priced at $995 and there was a row of about 35 of them. What bargains! We narrowed it down to three late SA finalists, and finally chose the one that had the nicest stock by a narrow margin. They all looked almost new with only a few VERY small dings in the wood.

I always wonder why people pay those high prices at gun shows when gems like that are available at CMP.

[Charlie59]

CMP also has beautiful Service Grade Specials, which if they had real good USGI wood, they would be sold as Collector Grades. They're $895. They are all HRA an SA. I've noticed before, some guys telling me they had problems getting their money out of rebuilt rifles, when they decided to sell.

Charlie

[latigo 1]

CMP also has beautiful Service Grade Specials, which if they had real good USGI wood, they would be sold as Collector Grades. They're $895. They are all HRA an SA. I've noticed before, some guys telling me they had problems getting their money out of rebuilt rifles, when they decided to sell. Charlie

Why would you expect to? I don't know of anything you can buy, use for a while, and then expect to sell it for what you paid for it. It is not a loss, it is just the cost of the enjoyment you got out of it. My motorcycle is worth $2000 less than I paid for it, and that does not include the cost of the gas, tires, and maintenance. I don't care because I have derived so much pleasure from it. Same thing with most of the brand new guns I have bought. I don't understand why people think Garands should be different.

[Charlie59]

Why would you expect to? I don't know of anything you can buy, use for a while, and then expect to sell it for what you paid for it. It is not a loss, it is just the cost of the enjoyment you got out of it. My motorcycle is worth $2000 less than I paid for it, and that does not include the cost of the gas, tires, and maintenance. I don't care because I have derived so much pleasure from it. Same thing with most of the brand new guns I have bought. I don't understand why people think Garands should be different.

Every gun I've ever had, I've used and later sold at a price at which, I not only got my money back, I made a profit. However, I once bought a nice commercial Colt 1911A1(1950s' mfg.) from a shop and rebuilt it. I put target sights on it, a Bar-Sto stainless barrel, had the front of the frame stippled, and had work done to tighten the frame/slide fit. I have over a grand in it, and I doubt I could get over 6-700 bucks if I tried to sell it. The last time I saw one of these, in original condition, the guy had it priced at $1500.

[Calif-Steve]

So will somebody tell me where the dealers get their nice Garands??? Do they drive over to the CMP South store with their wife and but the annual max for 2 persons?? Dealers wouldn't do that, would they? Guys if you are looking for a nice shooter, please drive to CMP South and ask for help. On my 3 trips there I have helped several guys pick out keepers. People are very friendly and will help you in a New York minute. Make the drive, skip Gunbroker, OK?

[Charlie59]

So will somebody tell me where the dealers get their nice Garands??? Do they drive over to the CMP South store with their wife and but the annual max for 2 persons?? Dealers wouldn't do that, would they? Guys if you are looking for a nice shooter, please drive to CMP South and ask for help. On my 3 trips there I have helped several guys pick out keepers. People are very friendly and will help you in a New York minute. Make the drive, skip Gunbroker, OK?

CMPs' North Store is the place to get a M1, if you live in that part of the country. The service there is excellent, and the customers usually will help you pick out nice rifles as well. I saw "the husband/wife" thingy once. CMP had just got a load of SA service grades in, the first ones they had in a while. They looked at each rifle for a few minutes, took them to the counter, and bought them. It's really something to see. The person at the counter later told me that lots of people get their limit in one trip. I was at a gun show recently, and everywhere I looked, I saw decent looking Garands, priced in the 7-8 hundred dollar range. A person can save a lot, buy buying from CMP.