Need Garand collector/expert
Last weekend on my way to the hunting lease, I stopped in to the very large pawn shop in the city where Fort Hood (TX) is located. Normally I don't find anything I can't live without but this time I came across what looked like a real gem.
On the rack was a 97% condition M-1 Garand (Springfield) in which the action and barrel looked like the gun had never been shot. It had faint inspector marks on the left side and the serial number( according to Canfields book) dates the receiver to March 1944. It even had an original 99% condition leather sling with a 1944 date on it. The only thing wrong with it was it had a June 1952 barrel stamp which tells me it had been back to the arsenal at least once for a re-do.
Final negotiated price was $1,199 which seems a little high, but what a nice piece. I am not sure if the condition of the sling or the gun impressed me the most.
They are holding it for me to give me a little time to do my homework on the gun and I now have to decide to either fish or cut bait.
The prices I am seeing for these things are anywhere from $800 to $8,000 depending on condition and rarity.
What is your opinion on what I should do?
On the rack was a 97% condition M-1 Garand (Springfield) in which the action and barrel looked like the gun had never been shot. It had faint inspector marks on the left side and the serial number( according to Canfields book) dates the receiver to March 1944. It even had an original 99% condition leather sling with a 1944 date on it. The only thing wrong with it was it had a June 1952 barrel stamp which tells me it had been back to the arsenal at least once for a re-do.
Final negotiated price was $1,199 which seems a little high, but what a nice piece. I am not sure if the condition of the sling or the gun impressed me the most.
They are holding it for me to give me a little time to do my homework on the gun and I now have to decide to either fish or cut bait.
The prices I am seeing for these things are anywhere from $800 to $8,000 depending on condition and rarity.
What is your opinion on what I should do?
0
-
AMEN to everything Mark said, he really knows his stuff! The rifle in question is NOT worth the money that he is asking. I would go as high as 900.00 for it, if the drawing numbers that Mark spoke of are correct.
Keep us posted......
Charlie
"It's the stuff dreams are made of Angel"NRA Certified Firearms InstructorMember: GOA, RKBA, NJSPBA, NJ area rep for the 2ndAMPD. njretcop@copmail.com0 -
The only suggestion I can add is to look for a couple of letters and a date electro-penciled on the receiver (visible after the action is removed from the stock); this would indicate an arsenal rebuilt rifle, which I suspect this is.
Arsenal rebuilds sell in the $500-700 range, and are available from the Civilian Marksmanship Program for $520 (www.odcmp.com).
Neal0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
2 comments