I am in the process of putting together the paperwork for an M1 order from CMP. I think that I want a Service Grade rifle, but I wanted to ask for other opinions and particularly experiences with CMP rifles. What ever I get will be checked out by Gus Fisher and I will likely have a Match Trigger job done. I am also thinking about buying one of the CMP stocks and having the original bedded (if loose).
I would appreciate any advice. I know that many members of the forum have CMP rifles.
lots of good information here
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1294.0
O0
Very pleased with our family's DCM (CMP used to be DCM) Garands- all fully shootable condition, many parts new or refurbished. 4 MOA accuracy typical of mine; for sure I'm the limiting factor. Most of the recent CMP Garands I've seen show heavier use than mine. They're pieces of American and Danish, Italian or Greek history, and many look like it.
How to guarantee that you get a good shooter? Best way is inspect rifles with a wear gage in the Ohio or Alabama stores. They'll loan you a gage if you ask. If it's impractical to visit the stores, your best bet might be to opt for the slightly more expensive model, in the hope that it will be more likely to have a quality barrel.
I don't know how much it would help out, but you might include a note with your mail order stating that target shooting or competition are your interest for this rifle, and to select, if possible, a low-wear barrel.
These a service grades. Sent a note asking for shooters over historic. I ended up with lookers and shooters.
They are H&Rs post WW2, figured they would be less worn than a WW2 era.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/100_1474-2.jpg)
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/100_1476-1.jpg)
For a shooter, the Service grade is supposed to be in the best condition with Field Grade next (but lower in the quality of it's condition) and Rack Grade the lowest or poorest condition.
I've bought Field and Rack Grades and they shoot fine. None of them were real pretty but that's not the reason for buying an M1.
As stated above, the best way to pick one is to go to the "store" and measure the muzzle wear and throat erosion yourself and pick for that over general appearance.
If you buy the Service Grade you should be getting a real good rifle. Have Gus check it out (he comes to just about everyone of the Richmond Gun Shows) will give you more piece of mind.
Are you going to the mini-Appleseeds at Black Creek, near Mechanicsville, or are you too far from Richmond to make the trip worth it? Just curious.
I've refinished the stocks on every M1 I've bought. Stripped, lightly sanded, coated with several coats of boiled linseed oil or tung oil (it will be tung oil in the future due to some issues with boiled linseed oil that were fixed merely by putting a couple coats of tung oil over top of the boiled linseed oil). I've not refinished any of the metal parts but the rifles don't look too bad.
The one service grade I've seen was an H&R bought by my brother. It had replaced stock (Boyd's I was told) that didn't fit right for beans. The trigger guard would not close again after we got it open (began to get tight about 1.5" from the trigger housing) and we had to "work" on the stock to get the trigger guard to lock up without taking a chance on bending it. There was actually more rust on that Service Grade H&R than on all the Field and Rack Grade rifles we've bought put together. Not serious (pits) rust, but disappointing for what is supposed to be a better "grade" of rifle. It came off with some fine steel wool and 3n1 oil and some elbow grease.
Order some ammo from the CMP, too. For starters get the ammo already in 8 round clips in bandoliers. Then on the next orders you can buy the same stuff in 20 round boxes and put it back into the empty clips. Oh, the Greek surplus 30.06 is boxer primed (reloadable), so don't throw it away. The clips can be used over and over. Iv'e heard of some folks using theirs in matches for several years.
Good luck.
Order an H&R Service grade and see what it looks like when it arrives. The several that I have seen have all been in very good condition and excellent shooters. If the stocks were loose it wouldn't be a service grade. After you get it if you want a new stock order it then. There is no break in the shipping charges by ordering at the same time.
The last 5 CMP H&R's I have seen all looked like they were fresh from an arsenal rebuild with new barrels.
New barrels? That's odd. Mine all have the original barrels. The H&R's I mean.
I replaced barrel is not a bad thing it's just I figured many of the really nice H&Rs never got used hard enough to need a new barrel.
Quote from: Old Dog on December 11, 2008, 10:36:49 AM
New barrels? That's odd. Mine all have the original barrels. The H&R's I mean.
I replaced barrel is not a bad thing it's just I figured many of the really nice H&Rs never got used hard enough to need a new barrel.
I must confess I didn't check the barrel dates on those rifles. I saw the shiny new chamber end and crisp muzzle, saw that the receiver finish and barrel finish did not match and figured they were rebarrelled. Next time I see them I'll have to check the barrel dates.
anyone know where I can find an IH that isn't pitted all to heck? I'd settle for a rack or field grade. The 2 IH's I have found looked like they were used as fence posts for a few years.
Seems like I read somewhere that a great many of the IH M1's ended up south of the border (Mexico's southern border that is) for several years. Disinterested handling/care along with the climate takes its toll.