Need Advice on Garand I would like to purchase.

[rico911]

Hello Everyone,

I have very little knowledge of M1 Garands and I thought I would come to this forum seeking advice from you guys. I have the option to purchase an M1 garand from a family friend but need some opinions on the rifle first. I have never seen nor fired an M1 so I truely have no idea what to look for. I was hoping some of you may be kind enough to write any advice or opinions on the rifle. I will attach some photos for reference. thanks so much.

http://s350.photobucket.com/user/rico911911/library/

please see the attached photobucket libary.


EDIT: I am aware that the barrel is seems to be an aftermarket one. Also there is no cartouche on stock that i can find. The serial seems to be a 1944 and the make is springfield armory.

[TJT]

This isn't the answer you want but it is the truth. It takes YEARS of study in the real world, not minutes of study on the internet to learn enough to even begin to make an educated assessment of the rifle in question. With that said, if your heart goes pitter patter every time you look at it, AND you can afford it, go for it and take your chances. You might make out ok, or you might get hosed. Unfortunately, education is expensive.
Having said that, your best bet is to try to find someone knowledgeable on the subject living near you and see if they'll accompany you to examine said rifle in question.
Jon

[rico911]

I mainly just wanted to see if there were any obvious things wrong with the rifle that any of you guys could see. I am paying $800 for the rifle so I am not expecting it to be perfect. I was just hoping someone here could give me any more details or personal incite on the firearm. I appreciate you reply and agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, I do not know anyone around me who has any knowledge of these rifles. The only thing I am somewhat cautious about is that someone on another forum said that the barrel seems to be at the end of its lifespan. Is it very difficult to find barrels for these and have them replaced?

Thanks

[TJT]

Barrels are easy to find. A barrel R&R will probably cost you about $150+/-. For some reason I can't access your pictures. My biggest concern would be whether the receiver is welded or not.

[jak]

The serial # and heat lot # match. The wear on the barrel under the op rod is normal. You have National Match front and rear sights. The stock appears to be bedded. The muzzle wear is ok. Is there a "NM" inscribed on the barrel near the gas cylinder ? If so, you have may have a National Match rifle and is a steal at $800.00

[rico911]

have not found any markings on the barrel at all...no date stamp or anything. i was told it was aftermarket

[lapriester]

With an M2 round, the above is a close representation (approximate) of barrel wear. From left to right: MW-1,2,3,4. MW-1 being virtually new and 4 being almost used up. A MW-3 being something you shouldn't expect much out of beyond 100 yards. Again, this is a test using M2 ammo and commercial can be way different and vary all over the place.


I posted this answer on the other Garand Forum you asked the same question on. Here it is again:

The previous owner obviously spent a great deal of time NM accurizing the rifle. Bedded stock, NM front and rear sights, possibly unitized handguards if he went full boat, some sort of premium barrel (it's not a USGI barrel and possibly Wilson since it's unmarked which could be a good thing accuracy wise). And, before someone gives you an opinion on the bullet test of the barrel they need to recognize that the round being used is NOT an M2 military round, making the bullet test useless to estimate barrel wear unless compared to a barrel with a known MW. Virtually every brand of commercial ammo has a different ogive for various weight bullets where most M2 bullets are close to the same shape. That particular round looks like a Remington Core Lokt round. A bad choice actually. That, IMHO, is the only real risk in buying that rifle....barrel wear. I would want to know why the rifle was being sold and how many estimated rounds down the tube. See if you can find someone with a muzzle gauge or find someone with a military 30-06 round to do the bullet test with. What you have pictured says nothing about barrel wear. If the guy selling the rifle has another 30-06 rifle, or you know someone that has a commercial rifle with very few rounds through it, stick that bullet in one of those, scribe it and put it in the M1 Barrel. If they match, or close to it you know the barrel is as good as the other 30-06. Most hunting rifles have very few rounds through them so their condition is usually very good to excellent. It takes thousands of rounds to wear a barrel out and few, especially those shooting M1's will wear an aftermarket premium barrel out in their career especially considering there simply aren't that many places around where people shoot NM Garands anymore and there hasn't been for many years.

If the barrel is indeed worn out you may be paying too much when you could get a Service Grade rifle from CMP for close to the same money and have a legitimate, papered USGI rifle without all the un-needed NM modifications. For a mere $200 more you could purchase a CMP Special Grade M1 which is a virtual new, rebuilt rifle. To turn that rifle back to an original condition, without all the NM stuff, will not be cheap (more than that $200). Buying it means you'll just have an expensive plinker, rather than anything close to a USGI M1. Unless you plan on competing in Service Rifle Competition where, unfortunately, the AR based rifles will always blow your doors off. The days of NM M1's is gone and that's probably why it's being sold.


Read more: http://garandforum.proboards.com/thr...#ixzz4aociZrTq

[rico911]

Lap, I do not know anyone who has the right gauge. I will go to a friends and see if I can borrow an M2 round to use so at least there is a better idea than the round that I had originally used. The owner is close to 95 years of age and is needing to sell the rifle. These Service grade rifles you are talking about seem to be in the same condition or close to the same condition as the one I took pictures of? Are they somewhat easy to get? I am trying to figure out whether I want to pull the trigger on buying that rifle or not. It does not seem like a fantastic deal, just seems like a fair deal. I have always wanted an Garand and this is just the first opportunity that I have had to purchase one in person. If those rifles are somewhat easy to get it almost sounds more attractive to purchase one of those, because like you said they are "papered" and their condition is decent. I greatly appreciate your response, it was exactly what I was hoping to receive when posting on this forum.

The time the owner spent "NM accurizing the rifle" does that reduce the value?

I will try and get that bullet test done with the correct round and I would greatly appreciate your input again. Thanks so much.

[Ssteven]

Rico,

The rifle looks clean to my eye, and ready for the range. It has been modified for accuracy, and should probably shoot some nice groups. For a first Garand, or adding another WWII Garand to your collection, I would say it is decent, and worth it. It is fun to go to the range and spend ones time shooting some good groups, and certainly so with your Garand.

Best,
Steven

[Phil McGrath]

The bolt is from a post war rifle, and the barrel has a blued looking like finish if so it is a commercial barrel.

[FlyJS41]

$800 really isn't too bad for a shooter Garand. Maybe get the seller to come down a bit and you'll have a solid deal. If you have basic mechanical skills, the Garand is a pretty straightforward piece to understand and keep running. Of course the learning curve may be expensive, but it's not a foregone conclusion. A good manual goes a long way and I found Scott Duff's owners guide to be quite helpful. It's on Amazon and plenty of other sellers if you're so inclined. https://www.amazon.com/M1-Garand-Own.../dp/1888722037