M1 Garands, new imports?

[Light Infantry]

I think the US import rules depend a lot on whether or not the rifles were sold or lend/leased. If they're lend/leased then the US Gov. never lost ownership of them and they can be re-imported. Didn't the last batch of CMP Garands come from Greece? Please correct me if I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

Besides, you'd have to sell them for $99.99 if you wanted to move that many in just the Canadian market.

You are correct, the last batch was from Greece.

LI

[tiriaq]

The CMP had to get special authorization to bring in that batch of M-1s. The rifles could not have been commercially imported. The ones currently being advertised by the CMP are described as being from US sources. The Cdn. market can only absorb limited numbers, compared to the US. The rapid price increase for M-1s in Canada suggest that there is demand, but how many rifles would it take to meet that demand? Most of the Danes that came into Canada were broken for their parts, and shipped to the US as kits, to be assembled on commercial receivers there.

[Stevo]

I think our market could absorb 5-10k Garands, depending on price of course. The interest and demand has gone way up recently.

If they were good quality and priced around $500 I'd guess at a market of less than 3k rifles. Under $300 and I'd say 10k rifles.

[tiriaq]

Interest and demand HAVE increased. But 20 000 plus Danes got broken for parts kits, they were more salable as parts in the US than as rifles in Canada.
Dealer cost on the Danes ranged from $125 to $250 or so. The cheapest were perfectly servicable rifles, showing some wear and tear, the more expensive were the really nice rebuilds, unfired since new barrels were fitted and all metal was reparked.
If the price was comparable, decent M-1s would sell just as well as the M305s have. Personally, for the same money, I think a clean M-1 is a better rifle than a 305.

[GuessKto]

Receivers for $99 would get sold quickly here too.

[stoggie]

Thats true too. I totally forgot about parts kits. According to my shop, $700 hundred is as low as they can go, I have no idea what typical markup is, but I'm sure the importer had it all figured out when he bought a bunch. I'm sure he's not crazy enough to buy them all if he can't liquidate them.

[Stevo]

Thats true too. I totally forgot about parts kits. According to my shop, $700 hundred is as low as they can go, I have no idea what typical markup is, but I'm sure the importer had it all figured out when he bought a bunch. I'm sure he's not crazy enough to buy them all if he can't liquidate them.

Given all the on-line bitching about current Garand prices, I can't see the market absorbing all that many at $700 retail.

[sdh1911]

Many rumors going around at the local gunshows. NOTHING IS IN STONE!. Quantities expected are running from 5K to 100K. The fellow I talked to was dead certain the number would be quite high and the conditions would vary greatly, who knows for sure. I wish I had friends in customs, they would have the first hand info on how many and who's getting them. 5k wouldn't budge the market, 50K would, Hum, I'm still saving up-SDh

[Richard47]

The problem is that US rules won't let rifles back into the states if the taxpayers lent or gave the rifles to someone for free. They had to be SOLD to another country (taxpayers compensated) before a 3rd party can re-import them.

If they were never "bought off" then they can only come back if the foreign gov't gives them back and they then get sold through CMP.

Some rules may have changed though as last year a whack of Savage No.4's went back to the US, where before it was not allowed.

We got a couple of Savage Enfields marked US PRORERTY. They came from Century WITHOUT the import marks. I was told they were made here so they were not subject to the rules of marking for "imports".

[Claven2]

If those Garands can go stateside, the majority will. Dealers are smarter these days. Outfits like Marstar will retain only enough units in Canada to keep the prices over $500ea. and trickel them out over the next few years. The remainder would go to CAI or Inter-Ord in the US to be sold fast and cheap.

Sad but true.

If any more than 1000 or so Garands come to Canada, I predict the prices would rapidly drop to the $300 range in the short term as supply would exceed demand. Remember, the number of M1 enthusiasts in Canada who have both money and an acquisition license is likely not as high as most people think, especially since most people who want one already have a nice example or two from the imports a few years back.

For the record, Garands (if they are really coming) are not the only popular milsurp semis coming into Canada in the near future. But I can't say much more - sorry