CMP service grade M1 Garand

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  • Zoltan

    Member
    Sep 8, 2015
    23
    Is there any legal reason I could buy four M1 Garands, keep the best of the them, and then sell the others?
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,234
    Carroll County
    Is there any legal reason I could buy four M1 Garands, keep the best of the them, and then sell the others?

    It's a good idea.

    The CMP doesn't want you to buy them just to flip them, though many people do, and the CMP can't stop them.

    But you're not talking about flipping them. Since the CMP thing is luck of the draw, it makes sense to buy several, keep the one you like best, then pass on the others, even at a reasonable markup. The buyer has the chance to see what he's getting, unlike buying from the CMP, and he doesn't have to jump the hoops and wait. That's worth a reasonable markup in my book.

    That's the theory. But in actual practice, in my experience, it's hard to actually sell them. I once bought 4 Garands in a short period, in addition to two I already had. Over time, I did manage to sell two of them, pretty much at cost... and I know I should sell one or two more, but it's hard to sell guns.

    So I'm warning you, if you do buy four, you may end up keeping all four.
     

    WarPig68

    Member
    May 9, 2012
    69
    Pasadena
    Every time I’ve seen someone selling the $750 rifle for $1450 at a show, they seem to brandish the CMP Letter as if it makes a difference in what it is they are selling. I’ve seen the same from buyers. I’m curious, why do people seem to think that a CMP Letter (which is basically a Microsoft word sales receipt that anyone could make) makes a rifle increase or decrease in value based on it being or not being with the rifle?
     

    Allen65

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 29, 2013
    7,063
    Anne Arundel County
    Every time I’ve seen someone selling the $750 rifle for $1450 at a show, they seem to brandish the CMP Letter as if it makes a difference in what it is they are selling. I’ve seen the same from buyers. I’m curious, why do people seem to think that a CMP Letter (which is basically a Microsoft word sales receipt that anyone could make) makes a rifle increase or decrease in value based on it being or not being with the rifle?

    Why are Winchesters, with their out-of-spec receiver bridges, worth more than a completely in spec Springfield? Because buyers perceive them as rarer and more desirable. Same with guns with a CMP history; purely buyer perception.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Every time I’ve seen someone selling the $750 rifle for $1450 at a show, they seem to brandish the CMP Letter as if it makes a difference in what it is they are selling. I’ve seen the same from buyers. I’m curious, why do people seem to think that a CMP Letter (which is basically a Microsoft word sales receipt that anyone could make) makes a rifle increase or decrease in value based on it being or not being with the rifle?

    I don't know, its like 25.00 dollars or something like that to get a replacement, not 500.00 or more.
    Theirs more than likely a lot of rifles that have actually been downgraded by parts swapping trying to correct them.
     

    Trepang

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 10, 2015
    3,310
    Southern Illinois
    Yesterday a CMP Special - Rack grade Garand sold on Gun Broker for $1600 + $45 S&H + FFL Fees

    A Special - Rack grade Garand can be ordered today from CMP TODAY for $650, free S&H, and no FFL fee
     
    Last edited:

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    Every time I’ve seen someone selling the $750 rifle for $1450 at a show, they seem to brandish the CMP Letter as if it makes a difference in what it is they are selling. I’ve seen the same from buyers. I’m curious, why do people seem to think that a CMP Letter (which is basically a Microsoft word sales receipt that anyone could make) makes a rifle increase or decrease in value based on it being or not being with the rifle?

    Part of it is that many people consider the CMP letter to be a "guarantee" of quality. Usually, the CMP letter lists things throat and muzzle erosion along with other specifications that give the owner/buyer a sense of how much life is left in the gun/barrel. It'll also give folks a sense of safety on a mix-master M1 as it means the gun was professionally re-arsenaled/rebuilt vs coming out of some Fudd's workshop. Does it make it $700 more valuable? Not in my opinion, but the people buying Service Grade M1s from shows are not collectors in the same vein as most of us in this subforum. They don't know how CMP qualifications work, they don't have a 03FFL, and they don't have realistic ideas of pricing. They're usually either older guys who are mad that their WWII veteran father sold his service rifle when he downsized to a senior living facility and wanted to have it themselves, or they're younger guys who have watched a bunch of WWII movies and played a bunch of WWII games and want the "machine that goes *ping*) for themselves but haven't fully looked into the world of the C&R license.

    Yesterday a CMP Special - Rack grade Garand sold on Gun Broker for $1600 + $45 S&H + FFL Fees

    A Special - Rack grade Garand can be ordered today from CMP TODAY for $650, free S&H, and no FFL fee

    You are correct. That said, this one may have had some rare cartouche or receiver that would make a pokemon-collector of M1s (Gotta catch 'em ALL) pay through the nose for an example. OR, again, like above, some people simply don't understand just how easy it is to jump through the CMP hoops to get one that way.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    It used to be just the hang tag only that has the armorers/inspectors name and the muzzle and throat specs. Maybe that's changed lately and they put it on the cert, I'm not sure.
    There also used to be a white packing slip for the type of rifle, any accessories and a Read This First.
    The web page used to indicate something like the manufacturer selected only guaranteed the receiver was made by that manufacturer other parts could be of any make surplus-from stores etc.
     

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