Thinking of selling my Garand -- could use some advice

[cooltouch]

I have a Garand I've owned for about 18 years. I was an FFL dealer back when I bought it -- bought it from a walk-in at a gun show I was selling at. I haven't done much of anything with it in the ensuing years other than take it out and shoot it a few times. It is a good shooter -- quite accurate.

The gun was reimported. It has a very faint stamp on the barrel, not all of which I can make out. Looks sorta like ADI ORD ARLINGTON VA -- could be API or APL or ADL etc. Pretty sure the second letter grouping is "ORD."

Condition-wise, it's in excellent shape. If it were a CMP Garand, it would probably grade out as Correct or better. The metal looks to have almost all its original finish and has no corrosion or pitting. I haven't had the muzzle or throat gauged, but as I mentioned at the outset, this Garand is quite accurate, so I gotta believe that both of those areas are well within spec. Manufactured by Springfield, the S/N is 5.29 million.





The guy I bought it from had two buttstocks to go with it. Both are walnut. One has a very nice straight grain and the other has a very pronounced flame pattern, as you can see in the above photos. The fellow told me that he had worked in an armory where Garands were stored and had combed through over 20,000 stocks to find that one stock with the flame. As you can see from the photos, the flame is pretty nice. Here's a shot of the straight-grained stock, which is looking pretty nice itself after six coats of Tru Oil. You can see a few blemishes in the photo yet. I couldn't get them out without having to remove too much material, so I just let them be.



One of the things that will probably affect value is this guy did a real number on both stocks. He sanded them down aggressively then finished them rather crudely. In sanding down the stocks, he removed all traces of stamps or cartouches, plus he left flat spots and sanding scratches behind before slathering on the finish. Fortunately he didn't mess with the two pieces of forestock wood other than refinish them. They're in excellent condition, but I'll be refinishing them as well anyway because the job he did wasn't good enough for my tastes.

So far I've stripped the finish from the straight-grained stock and resanded it, smoothing out the flat areas and recountouring others to get it back to looking right. Fortunately, Garand stocks are beefy enough where I could do this without affecting appearances or feel.

So that's the background. Now, for the advice part. My plan is to swap stocks from what you see. I plan to sell the Garand with the straight-grained stock and to sell the flame-grained stock separately. I think I'll be able to maximize my return this way. What do you think? Would you include the figured stock with the rifle and sell the straight-grained one separate, or do as I plan to do? Or would you do a package deal and include both stocks in the sale?

Also, given the CMP prices for "Correct" Garands, and given that mine is at least as clean as a Correct one, but given that mine has been reimported, is it realistic for me to try to get an equivalent amount for mine? I'm in no real hurry to sell, but I do want to get as much as I possibly can when the time comes.

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

I plan to sell the Garand with the straight-grained stock and to sell the flame-grained stock separately. I think I'll be able to maximize my return this way. What do you think?

Yes, the flame-grained stock will not add as much to the complete rifle as it will bring by itself if sold to someone who wants to pretty up another rifle.

Or would you do a package deal and include both stocks in the sale?

No, the second stock would simply be regarded as a "freebie".

Also, given the CMP prices for "Correct" Garands, and given that mine is at least as clean as a Correct one, but given that mine has been reimported, is it realistic for me to try to get an equivalent amount for mine?

No. The stocks have been completely devalued for collectors by the refinishing and removal of the stamps. And collectors do not like extraneous marks - such as the reimport marks.

The number block is also post-WWII. So no "antique" bonus there.

In other words, I think it is just worth its value as a shooter.

[cooltouch]

Thanks very much for the input, Patrick. I was figuring about as much. Hopefully its value will be a bit more than just that of a "shooter." Cuz at least it's a pretty shooter.

And given that it's a "pretty" shooter, I'm wondering what a good asking price would be. Looking at post-WWII Garands at a couple of auction sites, I'm seeing prices ranging from $800 to $1200 or so. Most of these have stocks that are pretty dinged up, but which have intact cartouches. Some are CMP rifles. I guess, given that mine's an import and despite its clean condition, if I were to list it at an auction site, I'm thinking I should probably have an opening bid amount in the $750-800 range. Does this sound reasonable?

[Patrick Chadwick]

I can't provide useful comment on values where you live. Gun laws are more restrictive here. In Germany one can (as an active member of a rifle club affiliated to a recognized body) acquire no more than 3 self-loading rifles. Permission to acquire more that that requires you to be either a registered collector, with a bomb-proof cellar, alarm system, AND inspections by the authorities, or able to convince the governing body of the shooting association that you are such a crack shot, having won competitions at a regional or national level, that if you are allowed to have a better rifle you are going to be a credit to the club, association, and nation, by becoming world champion. Which prevents the acquisition of multiple examples of the same type, forcing competitive shooters to be very choosy about what they purchase. All this means that it is not possible to equate prices here with prices over there.

My previous comments were therefore concerned with "how others will see it" as regards selling strategy. As to starting price, I have seen items with no minimum price reach astonishing heights in the last seconds at online auctions. Sometimes the final bid is way above another example of the same type that has a high starting price, and as a result attracts no bids whatsoever. I suspect that you will experience this if you set a starting price so high.

[Neal Myers]

No point in trying to compare your rifle to a CMP Correct Grade; the value is based on originality & condition. Your rifle is a rebuilt mixed parts rifle, & has been altered; as you were advised, value is strictly as a "shooter". Arlington Ordinance was one of the better importers; their rifles came from the Korean Army (which used & badly abused many rifles), but Arl Ord actually evaluated their rifles & often made repairs.

Value of a shooter would be largely based on condition of the bore. Replacement USGI barrels are virtually nonexistent, but even commercial barrels aren't cheap by the time you pay for labor. Anyone knowledgeable would want a Muzzle Wear measurement. A single round of USGI M2 ball, inserted point first in the muzzle, will let you know how worn the muzzle is, based on how much copper jacket shows.

Neal

[cooltouch]

No point in trying to compare your rifle to a CMP Correct Grade; the value is based on originality & condition.

Understood, which is why I was specifically discussing condition. Based on the descriptions found at the CMP website, one is able to make condition comparisons. When it comes to a dollar value, if I chose to sell it, I am aware that my rifle will sell based on factors different from a CMP M1. But it can still go for a decent sum I believe, and using the CMP condition rating system is useful in that respect.

Your rifle is a rebuilt mixed parts rifle, & has been altered; as you were advised, value is strictly as a "shooter". Arlington Ordinance was one of the better importers; their rifles came from the Korean Army (which used & badly abused many rifles), but Arl Ord actually evaluated their rifles & often made repairs.

I've heard of Arlington Ordnance, but that's it. Appreciate the input. What you've written also seems to agree with my experience with this rifle. It's good for hitting what you're aiming at, so things must fit together the way they're supposed to. So, all of the imports are "mixed parts rifles?" How would I tell with mine? Given that the bolt is showing a drawing number or whateveryoucallit, how does one tell? The barrel is dated 2-54, which seems to correspond pretty closely chronologically with the s/n. It has a long series of stamps. I didn't feel like transcribing them, so see the photo below. My bolt's a D28287-12SA (S-B7[diamond] below that). The op-rod's a D35382 S SA. I know the "SA" stands for Springfield Armory.

Here's a shot of my Garand's barrel stamps:

Value of a shooter would be largely based on condition of the bore. Replacement USGI barrels are virtually nonexistent, but even commercial barrels aren't cheap by the time you pay for labor. Anyone knowledgeable would want a Muzzle Wear measurement. A single round of USGI M2 ball, inserted point first in the muzzle, will let you know how worn the muzzle is, based on how much copper jacket shows.

I don't have any .30-06 loaded right now, but I do have some cheapo Chinese copper-washed 7.62 NATO stuff. Looks like this:



If I drop it straight into the muzzle, it stops with about 1/8" left to go:


Holding the rifle horizontally . . . more or less:


I really appreciate the info you guys are sharing. The more I learn, the less inclined I'm feeling about selling this gun, to be honest.

[Sarge1998]

I really wish it wasn't suggested to use a round to test the muzzle, get a gauge.

[Patrick Chadwick]

use a round to test the muzzle,

- tells you whether it's even worth checking with a gauge!
In this case, it looks like it is worth a serious check, so

get a gauge.

- is the next step. But if that bullet had disappeared down the muzzle, a gauge would be an expensive waste of time.

---------- Post added at 11:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 PM ----------

The more I learn, the less inclined I'm feeling about selling this gun, to be honest.

Now you're going in the right direction! Get out and shoot it, and have more enjoyment out of it that a couple of pieces of paper with numbers on them!

[Neal Myers]

Based on the parts information supplied, they (& the milled trigger guard) are WW2 era parts. Most imports have been rebuilt, so that's not surprising.

Sorry Sarge, but sometimes a "poor man's Muzzle Wear gauge" is all we have. I don't know if a MW gauge is worth the investment, most folks looking for a shooter will be satisfied with the photos we have seen.

The suggested opening bid sounds optimistic to me, but go for it.

Neal