OT Black Friday Big 5 M1 Garands on sale $599 Help!

[pharmseller]

and I want one!
Quantities limited, of course.
If they still have any when I get there, what do I look for to make sure it's worth the $599?
Be as detailed as possible, because I intend to add one to the inventory.

Thanks!

Pharmseller

[awp101]

I'm no Garand guru, but I can tell you that as long as it's not a flaming pile of junk and the bore looks good it should be worth $599 IMO. I think even the rack grades from CMP are going for that now.

[AJMD429]

There's also some "Century Arms" ones that are I believe Chinese 'clones'. I've shot one before, though, and it went 'bang' just like all the other Garands I've shot. Pretty much not the one to get if you want something 'historic' or 'collectable' though.

[pharmseller]

There's also some "Century Arms" ones that are I believe Chinese 'clones'. I've shot one before, though, and it went 'bang' just like all the other Garands I've shot. Pretty much not the one to get if you want something 'historic' or 'collectable' though.

Chicom clone = bad (for me). $600 is a lot of cabbage to me and I will not part with it for a knockoff.


P

[Ray Newman]

I have no idea where the advertised Grands are from. But, I'll offer this advice:

-- Look for a counterbore. The U.S. Arsenals did not counterbore rifles, they replaced the barrels. Over the years, I've seen more than a few surplus Grands that were counterbored to clean up improper use of a cleaning rod, damage to the crown, etc.

-- If the barrels are import stamped, ask if you can run a cleaning patch down the bore and carefully feel for a tight spot where the stamp is. I read reports 'bout distorted barrels from a stamp applied with too much force.

-- Bring a very bright flashlight or bore light and examine the bore. More often than not, store lighting -- like gun show lighting -- benefits the seller....

[pharmseller]

What's a counterbore?


P

[abcollector]

What's a counterbore?

What's a counterbore?

Where the muzzle is bored larger that what it should be. Might not be much or deep but there won't be any rifling if counter-bored. Import marks/stampings are usually just back from the muzzle on the side of the barrel. I think some may have even been stamped just forward of the operating rod/slide on the barrel but I could be wrong about that.

Check the bolt face for pitting. Definitely the bore as mentioned.

[Rusty]

You know that everything on it can be fixed for a price over time as long as the receiver is OK. Somethings are more expensive than others but it can all be fixed. I hope you can get there when they open the doors.

Check out Fulton Arms.

[JerryB]

Get one if you can, an M1 is something every rifleman needs to own.

[morgan in nm]

I have an M1 that came from big 5 and I am not sure "knock-off" is the word. Granted, the rifles were sent to Tiawan some years back leaving condition rather poor but there is good ones to be had if your careful. The one I bought is an HRA that has a good bore (type 5? tiawanese barrel) and it shoots like a dream. Everything else other than the barrel is HRA. I will admit that I had to put a lot of elbow grease in the poor thing to get it looking nice again but I am glad I bought it.

Thanks for the information. I see a trip to big 5 in my future.

[awp101]

There's also some "Century Arms" ones that are I believe Chinese 'clones'.

Every CAI Garand I saw (including the one I owned) were built from demilled parts kit on newly made Century receivers. The only connection to "China" I can see is if the kits came from Garands given to Taiwan and demilled or if there were replacement parts the Taiwanese or S Koreans installed.

Of course as with ANY Century build, the tolerances are sketchy at times. In this case it was the receivers and some folks had to tweak them for consistent operation. As long as the ones you see at Big 5 don't have the Century/CAI markings you should be OK.

I sold the CAI because in the end, it was a Garand but it wasn't a GARAND, just an assembled parts kit if you know what I mean. Plus I already had one my Grandfather gave me that was one of the Blue Sky imports from S Korea in the 80s.

[madman4570]

Just take a deep breath and dont get over excited and buy somthing that you wish later you waited.
The preferred way to go would be through the CMP, an accepted club(call one of the local gun clubs around you.
If it was me,I would get a CMP issued "Service Grade" with all documentation.I think the going price is $595

Good luck whatever you get! (call the CMP and ask them for some help! get talking with them and maybe they will build you a sweet one!

Mine from them was full S.A. mfg and looked like brand new(holds 1 MOA)was worth the hassle.

http://www.thecmp.org/

[AJMD429]

There's also some "Century Arms" ones that are I believe Chinese 'clones'.

Every CAI Garand I saw (including the one I owned) were built from demilled parts kit on newly made Century receivers. The only connection to "China" I can see is if the kits came from Garands given to Taiwan and demilled or if there were replacement parts the Taiwanese or S Koreans installed.

Thanks for educating me about that.

Of course the person 'dissing' them to me and calling them 'Chinese', was a die-hard Garand collector who must have had a dozen different Garands in his collection, of all sorts of fancy grades and features. He was wanting to sell one for $1,100 (and this was a few years back) and may have been just trying to make sure I didn't go to another gun show table and buy a CAI one for half the price. I wound up with neither, but took home a nice SKS for even less. Not a Garand, but what I could justify/afford at the time.

[awp101]

NP AJ!

Of course the person 'dissing' them to me and calling them 'Chinese', was a die-hard Garand collector who must have had a dozen different Garands in his collection, of all sorts of fancy grades and features. He was wanting to sell one for $1,100 (and this was a few years back)

A couple of years ago I heard an interview with Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks. The man has a well developed sense of making good business deals and he said something that stuck with me (probably because it was the only thing I understood out of the whole interview ):

If you're making a deal and can't figure out who the sucker at the table is, it's you.

I'm not saying that collector was looking for a sucker, but anytime someone tells me "You don't want that, you want THIS" my BS-meter pegs. I want to know what they are going to get out of it. Occasionally it's well meant advice but usually the conversation shifts to "And I just happen to have one of THOSE I'll graciously part with for a princely sum". I try to avoid being the sucker as much as possible but if you collect anything long enough, you end up being suckered by poor information or by choice if you want it bad enough.

I suppose this doesn't really have anything to do with the original thread, or even your question AJMD, but for some reason I'm in a mood to elaborate and expound tonight...

[Rusty]

The only person who knows what I want is my wife's husband.


Many years ago I bought a book on salesmanship by a fellow named Hank Tresslor IIRC. The name of the book was "No Bull Selling." It was about the smallest book I've ever seen on the subject. He said there are two main things to remember when selling.

1) Learn to listen to what the customer wants.
2) You need to always remember that people buy
for their own reasons and justify with facts later.

How much further off track can we take this thread?


So tell us Pharmseller... how'd you do?

[pharmseller]

Well, no M1 for me.
I called Big 5 this morning and talked to the salesguy. He was very up front with me and told me the M1s they had were "pretty rough."
In looking at the CMP website they have service grade SA models for $595 available. I'm leaning toward that route. I have a CHL but I am not affiliated with a shooting club so I need to join in order to qualify.

Thanks to all for the advice.

P

[awp101]

It's been several years since I looked into going the CMP route but IIRC joining the Garand Collectors Association covers some of the bases.

[madman4570]

Well, no M1 for me.
I called Big 5 this morning and talked to the salesguy. He was very up front with me and told me the M1s they had were "pretty rough."
In looking at the CMP website they have service grade SA models for $595 available. I'm leaning toward that route. I have a CHL but I am not affiliated with a shooting club so I need to join in order to qualify.

Thanks to all for the advice.

P

P,

You will find joining one of those shooting clubs will be one of the best things you ever did. When you get your gun, some of those friends which you have now made in the club will want you to bring your M1 to the club.Some of those Old Timers will help you in pointing out things to even enhance your M1 if you want by use of their knowledge without costing you much of anything.Its kind of like on here,you will learn a lot of stuff you did not know.
Nothing better than shooting a M1 match with some new friends/old friends and enjoying your new gun!
Keep everything the CMP sends you!