As a form of homage to dear, departed dad (USMC - Saipan & Tarawa…) - I’ve been thinking of getting a Garand in the not-to-distant future, but know next to nothing about them (other than dad saying he wouldn’t have made it through the Big One without his Garand and, later on, his BAR:)
I am NOT looking for a collector’s safe queen. As a matter of fact, in the worst case scenario - it would be a defense rifle if the AR system crapped the sheets for some reason.
So - I’m looking for a good, solid “turn key” Garand that isn’t a rattle trap, but also isn’t glass-bedded and all of that. Source? Orion? Fulton Armory? Springfield?? Others??? .308 vs. 30-06??? I have heard than some of the more modern 30-06 ammo can accelerate wear on the old gals, whereas that isn’t so much the case in the ones that have been converted to .308. True???
And I know (I KNOW, really!!!) that most folks don’t think much of the (sic) “Tanker” Garands from a functionality point of view - but I seem to recall that one of the major sources (Fulton???) does one in .308 that actually WORKS? Feedback or info???
Also - for those of you who shoot Garands - what kind of service life are we talking about on major parts & whatnot (maybe using the AR platform as a known yardstick for some of us on this list:)? And - how does the Garand fair with parts interchangeablity? Is most stuff drop in, or require fitting?
Have you heard of the Civilian Marksmanship Program, or CMP? If you are in a recognized shooting club or military member you can buy a surplus rifle from them. If you want to fix one up you could get rack or field grade, but my service grade was acceptable to me to shoot without swapping out a bunch of parts and taking away any historical value. I would shoot it in some matches if I got to one, but I wouldn’t plan on hitting all x-rings. Service grade rifles are $595.
Stick with CMP , they consistantly have the best deals for the dollar. CMP prices generally run 20-30 % below commercial prices --store & gun show M1’s are often scalped CMP guns anyway.
Take a close look at the CMP eligibiilty requirements , there are a lot of shortcuts for LEO’s , vet’s , and current or retired military people.
There are a lot of urban legends about how tough the requirements are , "you need to shoot in an NRA match , yady , yada. It’s all obsolete bullshit. For example any CCW counts as firearms/shooting activity.
Click on the link that Plato posted and start working on the documents. It is well worth it.
For price, value, and customer service, the CMP is the best (http://www.thecmp.org/m1garand.htm). The best bang for the buck is their Service Grade rifles. Getting qualified with the CMP also lets you buy surplus M2 ammunition, also for the best price you will find. The M1 will eat the surplus all day long. With the exception of Hornady’s Garand-specific ammunition (expensive) modern .30-06 is loaded too hot for the M1; however, you can use modern ammo if you install and tune an adjustable gas plug (not expensive and easy to do). Cheapest and easiest is to buy CMP surplus ammo.
If you want an absolutely reliable M1, stay with the original configuration. It has withstood the test of time. If you absolutely have to have a shortened M1, look into Tim Shufflin’s Mini-G (http://www.shuffsparkerizing.com/Conversion_Tanker_Sniper.php).
Parts interchangeability is a Garand strength. Everything is drop-in, although if you switch bolts, you should definitely check the headspace (easy to do with relatively inexpensive gages). As with all machine parts, some wear out over time, but they are easily found and easily replaced. When problems are encountered, they are often fixed with a new spring (such as the operating rod spring or clip latch spring).
Another vote for the CMP! If you live near one of the two stores they have you can get an even better deal and hand pick a rifle, instead of ordering it and having the ship it to your house…yep you don’t need an FFL with theCMP.