Help .. M1 Garand as a gift for my dad ..

[bobKat]

Hi - My name is Kathi and my Dad is a collector of WWII artifacts. He has everything from a few jeeps to radios and everything in between. I am looking to purchase an M1 Garand for him for Christmas. A friend of mine is offering an M1 Garand that was manufactured in January 1940. I did some reading and found out that the Garand was changed sometime later in the year in 1940 due to problems with the gun and the gas(?). Is this a desirable gun to purchase or is it one to stay away from? Is it hard to get parts or rounds for this gun? He would probably really want a 1942 or 1943 Garand. Could someone please give me some advice on a January 1940 M1 Garand? Thanks in advance...........Kathi

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[Bob Womack]

First things first, the parts for a Garand are all interchangeable. It was a pretty regular thing for rifles to be repaired and refitted with parts from other vintage weapons. Fitting is needed for a replacement barrel or bolt and can sometimes be needed for other parts, but that is for all Garands. However, if your example is functioning, it may not need and mods or repair. The early weapons had a gas trap system rather than a gas cylinder system, but it was rare that those rifles survived without being modified to convert them to gas cylinder design. If it is an original gas trap, you WON'T want to modify it because of rarity and value.

Good luck on the search!

Bob

[KarlKW]

Hi - My name is Kathi and my Dad is a collector of WWII artifacts. He has everything from a few jeeps to radios and everything in between. I am looking to purchase an M1 Garand for him for Christmas. A friend of mine is offering an M1 Garand that was manufactured in January 1940. I did some reading and found out that the Garand was changed sometime later in the year in 1940 due to problems with the gun and the gas(?). Is this a desirable gun to purchase or is it one to stay away from? Is it hard to get parts or rounds for this gun? He would probably really want a 1942 or 1943 Garand. Could someone please give me some advice on a January 1940 M1 Garand? Thanks in advance...........Kathi :

Kathi, I think that before you purchase the gun that has been placed in front of you, you should take a few moments to think through this purchase. Will your dad want to shoot this rifle? If so, will that be only occasionally, or will he want to shoot it regularly, or in competition? As he is a collector or World War II (WW II), I assume that you want a representative rifle from that period. If so, depending upon what you want, be prepared for some sticker shock, as virtually everyone wants an “original” M1 Garand from WW II (just so you know).

There are many options to consider. First, will be “original” or “correct” rifles from WW II. These are rare, and consequently, expensive. They can also be difficult to verify, unless you purchase from a recognized expert, such as Scott Duff. His “seal of approval” means a lot in collectors’ circles. There are other reputable dealers, but Scott is top-notch in this field of collecting.

Second, are rebuilt rifles. Almost all M1 Garands from the WW II period were rebuilt after the war. Many of these offer an excellent value for the money, especially if your dad intends to shoot his new rifle. These rifles were taken apart, and new parts were installed, to correct any worn or broken parts. Often these rifles have new (or nearly-new) barrels, and other parts in good condition. The issue for collectors is, many of these replacement parts date from after WW II, and thus the rifle is neither “original” nor “correct.” However, the receiver and some other parts "served" during WW II, and so such a rifle may still appeal to your father.

Third are the post war rifles, which due to your father’s interests in WW II, are probably not a consideration for you.

If a rebuilt rifle appeals to you (and your wallet), depending upon where you live, you or your dad may qualify to purchase a rebuilt rifle through the Civilian Marksmanship Program, or CMP. Check our their website, www.odcmp.org. They have complete explanations on who can qualify, and what rifles they have for sale, and their prices. My recommendation is consider “Service Grade,” although others will disagree with me. I think that you get the best “bang” for the buck with a Service Grade rifle. This is just my opinion. HTH, KarlKW.

[kikokat]

A well thought out answer Karl! That should help get the lady on the right path at least.

[chriskat]

Where are you, roughly? Someone here may be willing to look at the rifle for you and give you an opinion. Probably need more information on your Dad to answer the questions reasonably. How "picky" is he about the exact detail of the rifle? Does he just want something that "looks like" a WWII M1 (I'm in that category by the way) or does he want something that is period perfect?

Not much help but seeing would make it easier to answer.

Jeff