M14 Forum

ppcshooter1

I'm thinking of making a road trip to Anniston this weekend and getting a M1. Was surprised to see the Service Grades are gone and all they have left are the Service Grade Specials which are out of my budget so it looks like I will end up getting a Field Grade. I don't know a whole lot about Garands. Is there anything special I should be looking for?

Marty

liftrat22

I'm guessing that you're looking for a shooter (vs. a collector rifle or receiver). In that case, barrel condition would be my first concern with the FGs. I'd ask the armorers at the store for advice. You should also be able to borrow their guages if you don't have your own. I'd still be prepared to have it rebarreled eventually.
After barrel condition, I'd look at stock fit and condition, and rear sight operation; you want the receiver serrations to be sharp, and the sight to have definite clicks when you rotate the elevation knob. You might also run into another customer who'd be willing to help. To my eternal envy, several people from this site and others seem to visit the North & South stores fairly often. Good luck.

BrokenVet

Throat and Muzzle erosion are already measured it is on the tag. TE & ME. You should be able to pick a good Field Grade.

steve12

I'm sure you will see service grades back in the stores sometime after Jan. 1st when they introduce the new price increases.

Johnnycat

I've wanted to go to the South Store for some time, just never made the trip. At one point I made up a folder with all the prerequisites to order a rifle. Is it easier in person than mail-order?

ppcshooter1

Price increases? Have you heard about any? Johnnycat, why don't you meet me there? We can crawl through Grand nirvana together. I'm sure you'll have an easier time than you would mail ordering one.

Marty

Welding Rod

Also look down the sights and look closely at the front sight to see if it is leaning... indicating the barrel was clocked sloppily.

Also check the operating rod for slop in its reciever track. Grab the handle and try to wiggle it up and down, and try to pull and push it horizontally, perpindicular to the line of the bore.

With to bolt closed check the movement of the op rod in it first 3/8" or so of travel. If it is sticky in this area it may be rubbing on the stock.

Here is one I learned the hard way... pull the bolt back smartly and see if it sticks fully rearward. Evidently some recievers were had their serial numbers stamped in too aggressively, forming a bump inside the heel of the reciever. This bump can hold the bolt back when the gun is hand cycled, requiring a push to the back of the op rod handle to get it to go forward to its normal rear lock position.

Word is price increases are coming, most likely at/after the 1st of the year.

bd111

Happy shopping. FWIW, last I saw on the stores from people who go a lot suggested that CMP is kinda "on" to us about pawing through the FG's for hidden treasure and the FG's they're putting into the racks aren't as good as the ones they're shipping by mail/web order to purchasers who send a sticky asking for a serial number range, like we did years ago. That keeps CMP's public image up.

Nobody knows when/if CMP will have SG's again.

ppcshooter1

Just got home. I was somewhat disappointed. Found several with ME ratings of 1 or 2 and TE ratings of 2-4. None of the had rifling in the last 4-8 inches. Even the Service Grade Specials for $895 had crappy barrels. Maybe I'm naive in my unfamiliarity with M1s but I expect a $495 rifle to have a decent and a $895 one to have a good one.

Marty

jbrooks

Yea,

My impressions of the South Store for several months now has been negative. But you gotta go at least once to see for yourself. You never know if/when a good lot will come in.

I live a couple hours from Anniston, and used to volunteer there. The quality of the rifles has really dropped in the past year.

I haven't bought any M1 for a few years from the Store.

JWB

ppcshooter1

What was more disappointing than the rifles was the lack of help from the armorers. I told them I didn't know a lot about M1s and two could have cared less. One came out and explained the grading system and that was it.

Having listened to what others said about the grading system, it makes me wonder if CMP is promoting lower grade weapons to a higher grade to get more money for them.

Marty

bd111

It's a shame. I tried to alert you to what we SUSPECT they're doing with the FG's. I know where a good-shooting "corrected" 5.8 SA with CMP papers is. Asking $995. You'd need to get it shipped to your FFL. PM if you want to.

ppcshooter1

I kept your warning in mind. I went mainly cause I've never been there before. It was a nice day for a road trip. My new girlfriend went with me and we got to spend some time together.

Marty

Eagle 1

Here is a technical question: How does a muzzle have a "1 or 2" and no rifling at the end of a barrel? I would suggest if that was the case you might actually measure the beast yourself with a borrowed gauge. Those two observations are mutually exclusive. Think about it.

Eagle 1

ppcshooter1

I agree and said that to another shopper. He pulled out a ME gauge and it didn't even reach 1. I think the gauge is the size of the grooves not the lands.

Marty