Sources for M1 Garands

[Mousepad]

Hello, first time poster here, I'm usually on the AK-47 boards. Question for those who know more than I:

Where would be the best places to look for buying an M1 Garand?

I'd like to get my father one as a gift for his birthday coming up, but haven't had much success with it. I've checked here, shotgun news, gunbroker.com, gunsamerica.com but everything I see is either a mint-condition, "select" grade for lota money (that you wouldn't really wanna shoot anyway) or a cheapo mix 'n' match with disclaimers on it. The local newspaper here is of no help, and local gun shops either sell only hunting-type rifles, or are in the same boat as the online auctions.

I'm seriously considering getting a C&R (for other things), but that wouldn't arrive in time for this, anyway. And the CMP program seems like an involved process just for getting one rifle.

What I really want is just a good USGI shooter, preferably vintage. Are there any other places I should be looking at? And if this topic has been discussed, please just point me to it, thanks,

-Mousepad

[Richard Simmons]

If you're not going the CMP route and you don't want one of the Century Garands on the new receivers then the auctions or a gunshow are about your only options. Your not gonna find anything worth shooting under $500-600 outside the CMP unless you get a little lucky. Just my .02

[Faulkner]

The main difficulty for most people to qualify for CMP purchases is the firearms proficiency. You have to meet the CMP eligibilty criteria by participating in a sanctioned activity.

If you are a current member of the military, or honorably discharged from the military, or current a LEO, this is considered acceptable criteria.

The rest of the requirements are a piece of cake.

[Schuetzenman]

CMP is not such a bad route but it will take time. You can buy at 6 rifles each year from them between the Service Grades and the Danish M1 Garands. Maybe more I haven't been paying close attention to them for about a year now. A Century M1 Garand is the easiest instant gratification way to a sort of Garand rifle.

All Garands will be a mixmaster of different makers and dates of parts. The military armorers didn't give a rats ass about keeping all the parts togehter. If they were all original parts to the rifle expect to pay a bloody fortune for the rifle.

Scott Duff sometimes has some service grade rifles but they'll be about $150 more than from CMP. http://www.scott-duff.com/

[lhuff]

In addition to the stuff Faulkner said about meeting the shooting requiremet, being a currently qualified instructor (pistol or rifle) works.