Help! Need advice on purchase

[xomff]

I have the unexpected opportunity to purchase an M1 Garand manufactured by SA from a friend and need some help determining if the asking price is fair. The rifle was purchased by his father through the CMP back in 1984. The serial number of 823xxx indicates a manufacture date of Sept. 42. Drawing number D28291-17. The barrel is stamped SA-9-42, an R, what looks like a 1 or 7 and a P all on the side. The top is stamped with a drawing number but hard to read. It looks to be D35448-16-R 81B and an M. The 3 and 5 are the numbers i'm unsure of as they aren't very legible. Could this be the original barrel attached to the reciever? I've completely stripped this rifle down and all parts are either stamped with a SA drawing number or not stamped at all with the exception of the trigger guard which is stamped C46025WRA indicating later winchester manufacture, and the safety which is stamped MXR. The stock is in good shape. Has an uncircled P on the pistol grip and RIA over EB in a box on the left side. Two brass pins through the stock just ahead of the trigger assembly and no other markings. The rear sight is the lock bar variety. He is asking $600. Does this sound fair?

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[gary]

$600.00 is a good price i just left a gun show and there were no M1 Garands under $1000.00

[cmbtinfantry]

Hey xomff, this is kinda neat, I've got a m1 that is 785xxx so not too far away, never had one that was pretty close to someone elses. Mines july 42. Pretty neat.

[Badger]

Sounds like a great price to me ...

Regards,
Badger

[Calif-Steve]

Good deal. How is the bore? Brass pins in stock indicates a major repair. Price still sound Ok to me.

[xomff]

Hey xomff, this is kinda neat, I've got a m1 that is 785xxx so not too far away, never had one that was pretty close to someone elses. Mines july 42. Pretty neat.

That is pretty cool

[xomff]

Good deal. How is the bore? Brass pins in stock indicates a major repair. Price still sound Ok to me.

The bore looks to be fine. It was recommended to stick a round in the muzzle and if the bullet will only go in so far and leave a 1/16th inch gap between the muzzle crown and the beginning of the neck on the brass it should be fine. That is the case on this rifle. The research I've been doing indicates the brass pins weren't only used for repairs but sometimes just for reinforcement. What you say sounds logical to me but I can't find any evidence of cracks or damage that would warrant such a repair. It has also been recommended to check the pricing on the CMP sight which I did. Best I can tell from their grading system this rifle would rate as best a service grade which is going for $595. I believe I will be pulling the trigger on this purchase

[Neal Myers]

The "poor man's" muzzle wear gauge should be a round of USGI M2 ball; we have "calibrated" it against the real gauges. A new barrel will leave 5/16" of copper jacket showing, excellent barrel=1/4", good=1/8", none=replace the barrel.

[Joe W]

Purchased in 1984, it would be a DCM rifle. If he still has the DCM papers, get them too. This rifle is from U.S. inventory and not a return from another country. Much more desirable than a CMP service grade. In 2007 the GCA printed a "Relative Value Chart". They rated a DCM mixmaster at twice the value of a CMP service grade. To bad you are buying from a friend because $ 600.00 for that rifle sounds like a steal, but to answer your question, does $ 600.00 "sound fair" ? More than fair IMO.

[Griff Murphey]

The other factor is, I think DCM may have been the source of that rifle; CMP's predecessor. DCM rifles were not "graded" but were almost always what I would call "NRA Very Good" or "Service Grade" in today's lingo. That probably makes it an even better value. I would say a brass-pin repair in an M-1 stock, and al cartouched like that, makes it a GREAT buy.