Looking for opinions please......

[DrenMadre]

My father wasn't a true "collector", but did have more than several rifles.....one of which was (as I've researched out) a war-era Garand.

With my father's passing this past July....my mother took possession of his collection. She has absolutely zero interest in anything military or weapon-related.....so she started selling off her collection.

Where I come in on this is she was attempting to do this herself with no knowledge.....and (to her credit or good luck) turned down a $300 offer on the Garand.
I don't know how badly she got screwed with the other guns (I know of an M14 and M1 carbine she already sold, and she won't tell me for how much....but I doubt it was what they were worth).....but I'll be damned if she's going to get screwed anymore.....

Please.....I'm not looking for a $$ amount, or an "internet appraisal".....all I'm asking is an opinion if we are talking a "high grade" weapon, or a POS, or something in-between.

Here's what I got.....thru internet research, I did try and date things......but there are so many conflicting numbers out there, it's frustrating........

receiver: 2819908 Springfield Armory May 1944?
bolt: D28287-18SA F4A October-Nov 44
trigger housing: D28290-7-SA July-Oct 42
trigger striker: C46008-1 W.R.A. Pre-September 1940?
lower receiver: D 28291 32 Dec 43-May 44
marks: Y O 5 B (diamond) 9 underneath: 6 pointed star and football-shaped oval (pointed ends)
Operating handle: D35382 9 8A Dec 43-Jan 45
barrel: SA-F6535448 (reversed small "h") Jan 53-Nov 56 5 54 MD 40 near muzzle: ARL. ORD. ARLINGTON, VA
gas tube muzzle end: HRA O or 0 Jan 53-Nov 56
Follower: 13 March to October 1945
Bullet Guide: stamped, notched Post May 1944
safety lever: D46015-9SA Aug 42-Oct 43
stock: circle "P" san serif? no other marking that I can see

It is still chambered for .30, not 7.62 NATO.

Unsure if it can fire or not....have not taken it to a smith for a full inspection yet.....but knowing my father it works just fine lol

Again....I may be a military guy and a history buff, but really don't know if this is a "wow" or a "meh".....and just looking for opinions.......

[FlyJS41]

What your mom has is a piece imported back to the US by Arlington Ordnance. If it's a reliable and accurate shooter, fair price would be around $600-700.

[TJT]

Typical rebuilt and imported "mix master". I concur with fly's pricing.
Jon

[lapriester]

What your mom has is a piece imported back to the US by Arlington Ordnance. If it's a reliable and accurate shooter, fair price would be around $600-700.

It's neither a "wow" or a "meh" and definitely not the latter. Don't let anyone fool you. That $600-$700 price would only be a really good price range for a buyer but for the seller it would be a give away for a WWII M1 whether the barrel was in really good shape or only fair shape or whether a rebuilt mixmaster or not. The sum of the WWII parts is worth more than the prices estimated here. If I'm not mistaken Field Grade M1's were selling for more than $600 the last time available. At Gunshows, the rifle you describe would not be priced under $1000 and, with a good barrel about $1200+. If it wasn't import marked it would be worth more. CMP prices, these days, cannot be used as a basis for actual value these days especially when you consider that CMP is sold out of everything except overpriced 6 Mil M1's.

At a local Gunshop a friend of mine owns, he recently took in a Garand total mixmaster on consignment in only fair condition with a moderately worn barrel. He priced it at $1350 and sold it in two days for full price wishing he had priced it higher. You have a really nice rifle there that is of desirable WWII vintage. You don't just go out and find those everywhere any more. Fact is, for the last two years, Garands in even fair condition have been especially absent or uncommon in Gunshows altogether. The only thing you can be absolutely certain of is that the value of it will continue to increase for many years at a rate that might surprise you. The days of the CMP providing a glut of M1's on the market are over making them an excellent investment for the future.

Finding a decent used barrel of any vintage to replace the import marked barrel would increase the value as much as it would cost for the barrel.

[CCyooper]

It Michigan, as close as we are to the CMP it would be a tough sell in the 800-1100 range but it would eventually sell. The CMP still has a quite a few and will continue to get more so I do not see prices escalating that much in the near future for standard imported "mixmaster" guns as they are referred to by some. I don't always agree but some people are hooked on the paper the CMP provides. The finish is the key to a good rifle and without better pictures a fair assessment is hard to give, but it does look pretty good. Some of the ARL imports looked good and some were road hard... good luck and thanks for helping your mother out. I'm sure at her age every nickel counts. Bottom line, you are looking at something in between.

[FlyJS41]

Since I'd have zero personal interest in this kind of piece, I'll concede that my pricing may be off depending on the OPs location. Here in the southern US, quality firearms aren't particularly rare so unless you find a newbie let's call $875 (give or take) fair. Now, my disclaimer is that the few Arlington Ordnance pieces I've seen are clap-trap POSs brought back from Korea and required a couple C notes to make run right.

As with anything in life, YMMV...

[Garanditis]

The discerning buyer will want to drive the price down on a many-times rebuilt Garand, as stated herein. At the same time there are plenty of big-city folks out there with loads of cash who wouldn't blink at $1500-$2000 simply because they want a real slice of WW2 memorabilia; especially since all those vets are sadly leaving us.