CMP Service Grade Garands

[Ben]

Just an FYI for anyone interested. I just got a CMP email that says they have about 2000 service grade rifles in stock. They'd been out of them for quite some time. Looks like $625 and $950. Though at $950, I'd probably kick in the extra $50 and get the Special grade.

I bought a service grade from them a few years ago. The service grades are really nice, shootable rifles. Thinking about getting a second one at the $650 price point.

To immediately drift my own thread, I wonder where these came from? I thought Obama put the kibosh on Garand imports in 2010.

[MechAg94]

I saw the email.  I was paying attention to the note about bayonets. 

[AZRedhawk44]

To immediately drift my own thread, I wonder where these came from? I thought Obama put the kibosh on Garand imports in 2010.

Not on Garand re-imports... just on one particular batch of Korean turn-ins that were coming to CAI or some other for-profit importer.  Some say the Garands were junk and not worthy of being put through the CMP channels.  Some say Obama did it to show toughness for the Brady folks.

I think it boils down to the fact they were given as military aid, and the S Koreans want to "sell" them back to us.  They should be given back into circulation via the CMP.

[HankB]

I think it boils down to the fact they were given as military aid, and the S Koreans want to "sell" them back to us.  They should be given back into circulation via the CMP.

We tend to "buy back" our own gifts . . . I remember reading that during the Vietnam war we were "buying back" leftover WWII bombs from the British that we'd originally given them to fight the war. 

[Ben]

Not on Garand re-imports... just on one particular batch of Korean turn-ins that were coming to CAI or some other for-profit importer. 

Ah -- interesting. I didn't know that. I knew the South Korean rifles started the controversy, but thought he did a blanket import restriction. I wonder where they found their latest batch? The $950 ones are labeled 'collector grade".

[AJ Dual]

My club got CMP affiliated just this year, right as they all dried up. 

 

I should pounce on one of these, whatever gauges out as the best shooter, but it would throw off all my projects to get my toes wet with NFA stuff by yet another year. 

[41magsnub]

But the NFA stuff will be there next year, that may not be the case on a Garand!

I love my H&R service grade I bought a few years ago.

[AmbulanceDriver]

^this....   except mine's a springfield

[French G.]

I'm still mad I didn't buy a wagon of the Danish re-imports with brand new barrels in them when the were $425 ten years ago. Had the paperwork printed out and everything.

[HankB]

If you're looking for a CMP rifle, Service Grade will give you a pretty decent & function one - but read and understand the description - unless you're exceptionally lucky, you're not going to get one that's pristine; you're going to get one that meets the criteria. (I've got two Service Grades - one slightly surpasses SG criteria, the other is somewhat better, so I have no cause for complaint. But neither is the nearly-collector-grade rifle that some lucky dogs get - they're both post WWII mixmasters.)

If I were looking for only one rifle today, and was going to use it as a shooter, I'd probably go for one of the CMP's Special Grade rifles with new barrel, stock, etc. 

[MechAg94]

I do have to say that the special grade rifles are great.  They look great and shoot really well.  I believe I got a 1.5" 5 shot group at 100 yards with mine once.  You have to get the rifle targets that match up to that front sight though.  I haven't shot it much lately.  I guess I need to correct that.

If you have the opportunity, a road trip to one of the stores is a great way to pick up a low numbered rifle in whatever shape.  I kick myself as my Dad and I did that and I passed on a rifle with serial number under 1,000,000 to get a 1950's rifle that ended up not being as great as I thought it would be.

[AZRedhawk44]

Just finished re-finishing my new Special grade that I received before Christmas.

It's a new stock, but not terribly well finished.  Stock was downright rough.  220grit sandpaper, 320grit, then #0000 steel wool.  3 coats of boiled linseed oil, rubbing down the stock with steel wool between coats. 

Now it looks and feels pretty darn nice.