It can take some time but an M1 Garand can be had from www.thecmp.org for between 650 and 1100.
I feel your pain though. Welcome!
Welcome! Where are you originally from?
Where are you from?
MURICA!!!
That is exactly what I am doing! Trying to get into a affiliated club right now
Hey guys, was naturalized last August and started looking into guns since then. Honestly quite an awful time to be entering this hobby, guns are stupidly overpriced, ammo costs its own weight in gold, and milsurp are gone. But hey, at least I'm a gun owning American now aren't I? Although I do live in the smack middle of gun hating Bethesda.
Honestly, the easiest thing to do is get your FFL-03 (Collector of Curios and Relics License). That and a membership with The Garand Collector's Association will cover all the bases for requirements. Shoot me a PM if you want links or any other info.