considering this HRA garand- need help with pricing

[battering ram]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/641541822

I am looking to buy a M1 Garand and like the originality of this gun, but have not been around enough to know what its value is. It seems like the price is too high from my limited research, but the bidding is going up and up...id like to know what the ceiling on this gun should be?

what do you think the value is? im willing to pay a correct price for a higher end shooter, but this seems to be getting into collector price range

thanks for any advice

ps---ive got books on the way to learn more

trying to figure out how a $625 gun in 2013 cmp is now worth $1650+

[TJT]

Sounds over priced to me, however, if it is an early model with the early ampersand (looks like a 3 with a slash in the lower leg instead of the later&) it is one of only about 10,000 produced and they command a SLIGHT premium over the later models. Also, EARLY HRA's may contain some WWII parts from SA or Winchester. You, unfortunately, won't be able to learn enough quickly enough to be able to make a true educated decision. It takes YEARS, not a few weeks to study and really learn these rifles and all their little nuances. I've been studying, collecting and shooting the M1 rifle for just shy of 40 years and I'm still learning. I'm just sayin'......
Jon
Just looked at the pics. Definately a nice rifle but personally, I'd draw the line at $1600 max. It's not an early model and the later ones, like this one, come up regularly in nice shape.
Also, for some mysterious reason, a LOT of guys put a premium on CMP paper work which in reality, doesn't mean squat except that you know the receiver hasn't been cut and welded.

[battering ram]

thanks for the advice....ive bid on it several times and from looking at previously sold auctions on GB it looked like most sold for $1200-1400 range...i had bid up to $1625 on it as i thought the condition was much nicer than the others ive seen that sold...all it takes is 2 people who MUST have it and the price goes over board....ill wait, read, learn...i cant justify $1700+ for a semi auto anything....

[TJT]

BR,
You're a smart man. Remember, "Good things come to those who wait". Just be patient, learn all you can, and again, be patient.
Jon

[battering ram]

not as much smart as i went to $1664.......gun sold for $1689.......im just not the biggest idiot....i was 2nd in line to the winner

i went back and looked at it again with 15 mins remaining.....if the stock was just a bit nicer i might have given it 1 more bid......its a beautiful gun........i went through all the other GB auctions coming through...nothing nearly as nice for $1700 or less....everyone wants $2k+ for theirs and of course they have 0 bids.....there was a decent one for $700something..but the barrel was almost wore out and seller admitted it was Field grade...had the barrel been nicer and gun been CMP service grade i would have bid, but then again it wouldnt have been $700something would it?

i will keep an eye on GB every week...read my books....and hope for some new CMP news.....it would be nice to drive a couple hours and pick my own $650 service grade off the racks...

spending $1,700-$2000+ on a rifle that id use as a shooter when the original owner paid $650 just 4 years ago is just too much for me...

I still feel a loss on not winning this beautiful gun.

[TJT]

Service grades are $700+ now. GB doesn't always have the best prices. Check the for sale threads on several M1 related forums and you may find what you want at a much lower price.
Don't let what the previous owner paid for something be part of the equation. Priced a model T Ford lately? They sold brand new for $500. I got an M1 from the old DCM for $94.50. If I were to sell it do you think I'd think, "well I only paid 9450 for it so I guess $150 would be a good profit?" It's called market value, or supply and demand. Real estate and M1 rifles have something in common--neither is being made any more.

[lapriester]

You are lucky you stopped bidding when you did. You overbid by about $200 on that rifle. No HRA SG rifle is worth the selling price. Unless you know what constitutes a correct rifle and what is a reasonable price for one you are ripe for the picking. There were simply not enough pictures there to make an honest decision let alone bid that high. Getting in a bidding war for a rifle with so little info posted is foolish and will always cost you too much. BTW, I don't believe the op rod pictured was correct for that rifle. BTW, I don't know what the expectations of the OP are for a "nicer stock" but simply getting a correct stock on a SG is a huge plus and that one was correct. That furniture is over 6 decades old. Expecting something nicer than that excellent stock is an unreasonable expectation. Though a nice rifle it wasn't a close to $1700 rifle by any means.

[battering ram]

and i knew i was over bidding by $200 and im a novice!!!.....i had no issues with over bidding by $100 just to get it......i noticed the winning bidder had just bought a bunch of WW2 M1 ammo cans in 2 separate auctions...so he was most likely very focused on that gun....


as far as pricing from CMP.......i get it that its worth much more than he paid....he probably got a bargain to buy a service grade gun and a correct grade rifle showed up in the mail........i sold a Colt Anaconda for $1,550 that i paid $440 for in the early 1990's......so i get it that things go up...but to go up in 4 years $1,000 is over the top...but i guess it was under priced to start

i find it odd to see SO MANY m1 garands with 0 bids....everyone gives 1-2 pics, most crap pics and wants $1500-$2500

i felt this auction had the best pics of any...my guess is thats why both of his guns sold for such a nice price....as a novice i look for the guns people are bidding on, then figure out why....if a gun like this one comes back up for under $1500 ill still be around to grab it...but otherwise ill wait for the cmp to restock their shelves and make a nice day of it driving there to pick mine out....after hearing they will want $1,000 for those .45's maybe the next batch of M1's will be crazy priced too

ive looked into one of the M1d's they have.....dont really get why they are so expensive when it costs thousands to finish them and make them correct....if it included the scope, etc i could see it

[RDS]

Not an early HRA but a late HRA. Early HRA with WWII parts are in the 4,6 million range. Nice rifle but more than I would pay with out a hands on inspection.

[battering ram]

Look at this one somewhat seriously.....got my book, read it all...need to verify #'s yet....ive changed my looking to CMP Correct grade which i believe will be $1500-$2000 range from what ive seen selling...im looking for a post was 54-55 w/o import marks....im looking for a minty gun basically..id prefer that than the WW2 gun..

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/644477204

im most likely going to grab this one as i can find nothing wrong with it.....if the price doesnt get tooo crazy its mine....the one below is a strong contender also and a backup as it also looks great....i think having it be graded Cmp Correct will always help its value...i can see it in the GB sold auctions...the ones with CMP always sell for more and seem to actually sell!!...i see these were $1,050 in 2010....even with all these new possible CMP guns coming in do you think any will be of this quality? my guess is they will all be parts guns that have been arsenal redone at least once...so if i want a 1955 correct grade GB may be my best option

[battering ram]

here's another one im considering...see if im learning? it has a national match op rod...otherwise from whats shown looks correct to a novice like me..

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/643236737

seller wont dissemble and give me #'s....wont give me barrel wear #'s either...guess this is why such a beautiful gun has no bids....he says to trust him

[lapriester]

here's another one im considering...see if im learning? it has a national match op rod...otherwise from whats shown looks correct to a novice like me..

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/643236737

seller wont dissemble and give me #'s....wont give me barrel wear #'s either...guess this is why such a beautiful gun has no bids....he says to trust him

What makes you believe it's a NM op rod? Just because it's a 77 series op rod doesn't make it NM. All that is is an incorrect 77 series replacement op rod. That receiver also looks like is has been refinshed along with having a replaced front sight. Probably refinished when the op rod was replaced at rebuild.

[lapriester]

It's really not hard to see you are a novice. Based on your posts you are obviously willing to pay about any price to get an M1 in your hands. I have one bit of advice for you. Believing all you read in these auction descriptions is going to cost you a lot of money.

This is the only rifle you linked worth what you seem to be willing to pay but still not worth $2000 or even $1800 IMHO. http://www.gunbroker.com/item/644477204.

I actually have either an HRA or SA correct M1 you might be interested in but I'm away from home for the next two weeks minimum and don't have access to pics to send you. I've been wanting to slim down the herd and I'll wager I can beat the prices you are probably going to see those rifles sell for. We're talking much less than $1800-$2000. Not trying to talk you out of considering mine but, you keep talking "a shooter" yet you are looking at buying a correct rifle for correct rifle, and above, prices. Wasting a pristine, correct rifle as a "shooter" is really a poor route to go and a terrible waste of a collector grade rifle better used as an investment. Great shooters can be had for 3/4 or less than what you seem willing to pay.

Write me a PM with your email address and when I get home you can take a look at what I have. But, if you are bound to have a rifle no matter what the cost immediately then go for it on Gunbroker.

[m14brian]

I am looking to buy a M1 Garand

Wait and see what lapriester has before you buy anything.
m14brian

[battering ram]

It's really not hard to see you are a novice. Based on your posts you are obviously willing to pay about any price to get an M1 in your hands. I have one bit of advice for you. Believing all you read in these auction descriptions is going to cost you a lot of money.

This is the only rifle you linked worth what you seem to be willing to pay but still not worth $2000 or even $1800 IMHO. http://www.gunbroker.com/item/644477204.

I actually have either an HRA or SA correct M1 you might be interested in but I'm away from home for the next two weeks minimum and don't have access to pics to send you. I've been wanting to slim down the herd and I'll wager I can beat the prices you are probably going to see those rifles sell for. We're talking much less than $1800-$2000. Not trying to talk you out of considering mine but, you keep talking "a shooter" yet you are looking at buying a correct rifle for correct rifle, and above, prices. Wasting a pristine, correct rifle as a "shooter" is really a poor route to go and a terrible waste of a collector grade rifle better used as an investment. Great shooters can be had for 3/4 or less than what you seem willing to pay.

Write me a PM with your email address and when I get home you can take a look at what I have. But, if you are bound to have a rifle no matter what the cost immediately then go for it on Gunbroker.

I collect NFA guns, so im used to spending $6-35k on a special gun....i bought a NIB $35k gun and shot it...im not bragging...just giving you my history and what i like...i like minty/nice guns...i plan to shoot it and enjoy it...and if it lowers the value a few hundred or in 20 years i cant sell it for as much of a profit im ok...i dont want to over pay either...

ive been lurking on M1 Garands for a while...im a novice, but ive read a bit, researched a bit, kept an eye on past GB sold auctions (what i consider a accurate gauge of the market)...i see tons of M1 garands that have crazy asking prices with 3 pictures and 0 info.....from past sold auctions CORRECT SA M1 garands sell for $1800-$2000ish.....i think this one is particular nice..if im going to get a shooter grade then i would wait for the CMP to get them back in stock....but im torn as i like minty guns......id be proud to shoot this gun and enjoy it with my family...i baby my stuff, so i have no doubt condition would look just as nice in 20 years as most of my guns are 20-25 years old and shot a few times a year and still look minty.....

i am going for this gun unless anyone can knock it?....im not positive its 100% original, but in the M1 Garand world guns that are proven to be flawless/original/new seem to sell for $4k+....so ill take a shot at it and if its not 100% original its probably close....

if i do not win this auction i will be glad to look at your m1!!....i thought id win the last one, so we will see...ill send you a PM with my email

i appreciate all advice..im here asking for it as i dont want to buy a $2k gun that is not what i think it is

thanks!