M1 Garand value

[irishfan]

How exactly do you judge the value of a M1 Garand rifle? For example, if I know the year and maker then that gives me some information but how do you know a $700 Garand vs a $900 Garand?

Thanks

 

[DragonGunner]

Check out the CMP website....they have different grades an prices from Rack Grade on up to Field Grade to Service Grade....with the price range of each. They give a description of what to expect from each grade. The stock condition, park on the metal, the TE an ME of the barrel all add into the overall value.

http://www.thecmp.org/sales.htm

 

[TRWXXA]

While prices can vary occarding to the manufacturer, a $700 is going to be a moderately used "mixmaster". There are extremely few "all original" M1s out there. Almost all have been assembled from parts pulled out of bins at the armorers'. Nothing wrong with that, as it's just part of the life cycle of a military weapon. Expect the rifle to have parts from different manufacurers, and different dates on it. The wood may be well-worn USGI, or current reproduction.

A $900-$1000 Garand will either be a like-new shooter, with a new (current production or milsurp) barrel and new finish, or a "correct grade" rifle having all parts of the same manufreproduction dates. It'll probably have reproduction wood.

Collector rifles are north of $1200. Expect one of those to have all parts of the same manufacturer, including the wood.

Be suspicious of any rifle advertised as "all original". There are very few M1s around that have not been re-armored. True all-original rifles command thousands of dollars, especially if they're manufactured during WWII. Those had better have some kind of certificate of authenticity from a recognized expert on M1s.

 

[mrortega]

While prices can vary occarding to the manufacturer, a $700 is going to be a moderately used "mixmaster". There are extremely few "all original" M1s out there. Almost all have been assembled from parts pulled out of bins at the armorers'. Nothing wrong with that, as it's just part of the life cycle of a military weapon. Expect the rifle to have parts from different manufacurers, and different dates on it. The wood may be well-worn USGI, or current reproduction.

A $900-$1000 Garand will either be a like-new shooter, with a new (current production or milsurp) barrel and new finish, or a "correct grade" rifle having all parts of the same manufreproduction dates. It'll probably have reproduction wood.

Collector rifles are north of $1200. Expect one of those to have all parts of the same manufacturer, including the wood.

Be suspicious of any rifle advertised as "all original". There are very few M1s around that have not been re-armored. True all-original rifles command thousands of dollars, especially if they're manufactured during WWII. Those had better have some kind of certificate of authenticity from a recognized expert on M1s.

I have a Collector grade HRC that I bought at the North store at Camp Perry a couple years ago for $1,150 (I think.) It was issued and used in the US. Within a month they went to $1,250 and were all Greek returns (but still all original.) I'd love to see it worth $2k now.

 

[retyree98]

Another thing to look for, if the rear sight is adjusted all the way to the side, the barrel was bent when the gun was restamped when it was brought back from overseas and someone tried to sight it in. This devalues the gun also...so many things add or detract from the values, it is really hard to know what the guns are worth.

 

[hosborn]

See what they goes for on gunbroker.
You can lookup past sales.

 

[irishfan]

I appreciate all the infor guys. I have a nice looking one that has been refinished along the way. I just did not know what they are actually valued at as I see them listed for a broad price range usually but never really knew why.

 

[CandRFan]

I appreciate all the infor guys. I have a nice looking one that has been refinished along the way. I just did not know what they are actually valued at as I see them listed for a broad price range usually but never really knew why.

Well...post some pics...describe some cartouches and stampings...and I'm sure at least one of us will be more than happy to break down your Garand for you. That's a quarter of the fun of milsurp collecting!

 

[steif]

pics and stuff...

Yes, I bought a blue sky import from korea long ago, the rifle wasn't worth much, the barrel was shot out, So I got it chopped by springfield to a tanker and put new wood on it, and saved the stock. Well, I dug the stock out to sell last year and found out it was a early wartime stock with visible cartouche, and got $850 for just the stock!! I had no idea it was anything other than a $50 wood stock. the whole rifle was an early wartime, and even refinished and import marked would have been worth $1500 or so.
Since Scott Duff came out with the Garand book, prices have shot up for good rifles and parts as well.
I look at any garand in a rack, 99.5% are standard CMP or mixmasters, but every once in a while you find a real gem.

 

[dsells13]

So if the rifle (or just reciever) was made during WWII, how much does its value go up? I would like one, but I'm not down for paying a lot more for a different serial number...

 

[DragonGunner]

So if the rifle (or just reciever) was made during WWII, how much does its value go up? I would like one, but I'm not down for paying a lot more for a different serial number...

Same price. Winchester Garands (WRA), were all made during WWII an usually cost about 200.00 more, but thats more due to the name.

 

[TRWXXA]

Same price. Winchester Garands (WRA), were all made during WWII an usually cost about 200.00 more, but thats more due to the name.

I'd agree. International Harvester (IHC) made Garands in the post war years, and they command a little bit higher prices too. It's mostly about the numbers built by a particular manufacturer.

Many folks mistakenly believe that if they get a WWII year serial number they're getting a rifle with a battle history. I'll bet far more rifles were left overseas than made it back. There are incidents of brand new rifles, and other military hardware (like Jeeps and trucks) being dumped in the ocean, because it was not cost effective to ship them back to the US. You can imagine that they thought even less about used rifles.

So unless you can positively link a rifle to the GI that carried it back from overseas, don't pay a premium for a war years serial number. If you buy from the CMP, a WWII dated M1 can cost you the same as a post war one.

 

[mrortega]

When I first seriously planned on getting an M1 all four manufacturer's guns were available. I think SAs were going for $500, H&Rs for $525, Winnys for $575 and IHCs for $600. All were Service Grade mix masters. Just a short while later the IHCs disappeared and the Winnys got real scarice. Later I paid a whole bunch more for an IHC on the CMP's auction because I found out they were only made in Evansville and I had to have one.

 

[Thumper]

Look for numbers and letters matching along with cartouches.mix matched are low dollar.

 

[STEEL CORE]

My father now 82 years old bought a SA made M-1 rifle (stamped 10-41) low serial number from a detroit Pawn shop for $55 in 1953. He took it home, gut the ears off the front sight, and cut the rear sight round aperature to a "Y" type configuration for deer hunting,. that I could live with, but he also took all the metal parts and buffed them shiny of there parkerization color, and sprayed shellac on the stock to shine it up too. So now if I wanted to put it back to its original shape, I would need a correct slot (- or x) type FSB, a rear sight round aperature, a stock and reparkerizing. Not likly, but I take it to the Indy 500 to have a so called expert loook at it and tell me what I got and I get the same reply..........."not worth much like that Sir, hey you wanna sell it"?!?

No I don't want to sell it, will pass it down to my son, his Grandpa took many a Michigan Buck with it.

Still would like to know about how much its worth for insurance purposes, but since its too heavy to wander the 1500 with ( I know what you WWII./KOREA vets are thinking, try carrying one 24/7) and i see sellers/dealers selling them, just havn't met one who knows much about them IMHO. It stays in the Gunsafe with a few bandoliers of black tip for SHTF purposes.

 

[irishfan]

Well...post some pics...describe some cartouches and stampings...and I'm sure at least one of us will be more than happy to break down your Garand for you. That's a quarter of the fun of milsurp collecting!

Here ya go! I know the reciever is a Springfield Armory from 1944 and the bolt does not match the numbers. However, it has been refinished and looks pretty nice and is not scratched up on the stock or metal.

 

[irishfan]

Anyone have any info now after seeing the pictures to?

Thanks

 

[Fordtough25]

Anyone have any info now after seeing the pictures to?

Thanks

Sadly I do not, it's a good looking rifle though, My Springfield is from may of 1945 and pretty much all original besides the CMP putting a new stock on it. Great guns and history.

 

[phatgemi]

How exactly do you judge the value of a M1 Garand rifle? For example, if I know the year and maker then that gives me some information but how do you know a $700 Garand vs a $900 Garand?

Thanks

Around here the market works like this: If I was selling it would be $700 but if I was buying it would be $900 or more. Call it market fluctuations!

 

[billyboyr6]

Sounds like most are worht about.........

Mmmmmm 1 grand.

Ha ha ha. Lol