I have been very pleased with my Service grade. I can use irons and hit a coke can reliably at 100 yards. Fist size groups, basically.

[This message has been edited by MouthBQ98 (edited 10/24/2012 3:20p).]

I'd go with a Service Grade.

One thing you need to decide is what serial number range you would prefer to have. Your service grades in H&R are typically going to be nicer than your service grades in Springfield or WRA simply because of their age and less likelyhood that they were drug through the trenches.

Log and PP will surely chime in shortly - they are the board experts.

WRA's are sold out in all grades

I would go with the $625 service grade. By definition, the service grades have less muzzle wear (< three I believe) which should translate into a better shooter than the field grades. As to age (serial number), that really is not a factor in that it only tells you the age of the receiver. All of the rifles have been rebuilt over the years using a mix of parts. I have a 6 digit service grade (June 1942) but that is the only original piece on the rile. The stock will most likely be a new CMP one, not a USGI original.

edit to add: Buy from the CMP, it is a known product with great customer service and they ship to your door (or office in my case). As to scope, many shooters will mount a Burris scope to aid the old eyes. Their are numerous CMP threads devoted to the scopes etc.

[This message has been edited by ItsA&InotA&M (edited 10/24/2012 4:47p).]

Service Grade. The only th

Service Grade. The only thIng you are going to get with the more expensive versions is a fancier wood stock and the parts should all match the receiver era and not be a mixmaster. The Special Service will have a new production barrel and the Special will have an original barrel. The regular Service Grade may even come with USGI wood.

[This message has been edited by Log (edited 10/24/2012 5:29p).]

I hear stories of folks driving to CMP and picking up an M-1 in person. What paperwork needs to be submitted so you can do that? Do they let you pick one out of the rack?

Aggiefan54
You need to have all the normal paperwork that you need anyway. Not sure if it has to be submitted in advance the first time, or if you can bring it with you. And yes you basically get your pick of rifles in the store that day. It might save you some money if you find an acceptable field grade instead of mail ordering a service grade. Or you might find something rare, but those chances are pretty slim. The reason I was considering driving was the wait. When I ordered mine it was a decent wait and going to the store I could have came home that day with my gun. Decided not to, and the feeling of signing for my gun at the FedEx store - seeing the employees look when he found out what the package was - and walking out to my car with it and 2 cans of ammo made it almost worth the wait.

OP, it kind of depends on what is important to you. A well worn soldier of a rifle that shoots well, or a real looker that shoots well but has a like new barrel or even a new commercial barrel.

You cant go wrong with a Service Grade for the money. If you dont get a USGI stock you will be able to sell your new stock and buy a nice USGI one pretty easily.

I would not buy a FG M1D unless you went to the store to hand pick one. The D will be a better investment if you get a SG rifle and take care of it...but that is out of your budget. I have two SG D's and love shooting them, but dont forget it will cost you upwards of $1500 each for the correct scope and accesories to outfit them.

quote:

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Springfield may or may not be post WWII

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Odds are the only thing that will be WWII is the receiver. Barrel, bolt, oprod, trigger group, etc. will probably have been replaced at some point. If one of those parts does happen to be WWII era, it most likely isn't original to the rifle.

People stick sticky notes on their application with "requests", but there are mixed reviews on whether it works. If you want a WWII era receiver, put a sticky note with "WWII Serial Number " on the application. If the person that is packing boxes that day knows what the WWII SN range is, and there is one on the shipping rack, they may honor your request. Or not.

[This message has been edited by Log (edited 10/25/2012 3:21p).]

On the sticky note...the ladies that pull the rifles from a list of serials may or may not know what a WW2 serial number is for Springfield Armory, so ask for "a serial number below 3.2 million." You have a better chance that way.

If you order a Field Grade you are ALMOST guaranteed to get a WW2 rifle (sticky anyway) and a good number are shipping with original, or very good condition barrels. The FG's are real diamonds in the rough right now and many are only FG's due to ugly wood or a real mix of parts (which is almost normal anyway.) Either way, whatever you get you will be able to turn right around and sell it for what you have in it on the CMP Forum if you dont like it...since people can see what they are buying instead of luck of draw.

There are several very good deals on D's over there right now.

Forgot to mention, only SA and WRA were produced in WW2.

Of my 15 M1's, only three are Post War (all SA's). The wartime guns are much more interesting, but the post war guns are amazing for how well they are machined and finished. Works of art compared to the guns built when the world depended on getting as many out the door as quickly as possible.

Buy Duff's Red and Blue books...they will make the hobby a lot easier for you. Also keep an eye on the CMP forum sales threads...you can pick up a great rifle there that is what you want if you dont want to risk mail order. This economy is forcing people to sell things, and many times at a real discount.

You should know, if you think you are only going to buy one anyway...you really have no idea what you are about to do to yourself.

We have not even talked about ammo...wait until you wake in the middle of the night and cant go back to sleep thinking about needing to find some AP M2 Ball...

I go by Brazos over there...PM me if you have more questions.

Wait until you try to suggest northeastern Alabama as a vacation spot to The Rib...

[This message has been edited by Puryear Playboy (edited 10/25/2012 5:02p).]

Watch the Estore, hey will post a serial number there when it ships.

Have you ordered ammo yet?

I have been using the Garand Gear gas plug in my M1D that I hunt with and I am very impressed with it. Check it out. Makes the ammo issue a non-issue.

You might also consider order a sling , repro 1907, from Jim Thompson on the CMP forum...I picked up four and then a few more from him. Very well made and after a soak in Neatsfoot oil, they look great.

grrrr...DP

[This message has been edited by Puryear Playboy (edited 12/14/2012 8:53a).]

What are some "must have accessories"?

I put the gas plug number 1 'cause it gives me ammo options.

What else?

1. Gas plug
2. Sling
3. extra clips

Puryear - Have you used the Schuster gas plug and if so, how does it compare to the garand gear plug? I like the idea of no adjustments but wondering how well it works on the wide variety of ammo loads the M1 can shoot.

Married - get a bayonet. It's not functional for hunting, but it is a part of the M1 history.

I could never figure out how to properly use a garand sling. I have a leather reproduction one, but I sort of improvised with it.

I have found the bayonet to be very useful for hunting! Twice so far and once with my Winchester 1897 on pigs...so, yep get a bayo. I collect the 16" m1905's, they look great on the rifles.

There are tutorials online on how to use the leather sling (the web one is designed to work similarly)...it's sort of counterintuitive, but once ou get it they are a real aid to shooting.

I trust the testing done on the GG plug. I'd take one every time over a Shuster. The greatest problem with the adjustable is that you have to retune it for very load you shoot. With the GG plug you don't.

Web sling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRPfj-6bRZM

Leather M1907

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTsUaujfiB8