$165 M1 Garand...

[ken792]

...back in 1989

I paid a couple times that today for this DCM M1. Prior to the creation of the CMP in 1996, the Army administered the DCM directly. I believe it was only one rifle per person per lifetime, and it was luck of the draw. Some people received very nice rifles like correct and original WWII M1s in pristine condition or untouched rebuilds from the 60s, but others received worn M1s that today might be considered rack or field grades.

This one I'd say is towards the latter end. There's nothing remarkable about the rifle itself and it's a little beat. The receiver is April 1943 with a little pitting on the side, but nothing under the wood line. The stock is an HRA that's dry with some dents from having been piled with other rifles. All of the other parts seem to be late WWII or postwar. The barrel is 1951 dated and looks to be a pristine bore with a 0.5ME and 2TE. The muzzle is a little peened, but I think the crown is fine. However, the paperwork and provenance is cool. Some people like DCM guns because the paperwork shows that they were never given or loaned to foreign countries.

 

[AlanInSilverSpring]

That is cool. History and provenance is everything.

That's the difference between a $250 vintage baseball bat and a $15K bat that was used by Babe Ruth in a pro game

 

[ken792]

From what I've seen, DCM paperwork helps with nice examples like a correct and original or an untouched 60s rebuild, but not so much with a random parts gun.

 

[Mightydog]

Got me started drooling at the $165 price.....until I realized that was 28 years ago. Prices have gone up a little since then. A really good buy my friend.

 

[vfr750f]

I still have my once in a lifetime M1 acquired in 1988 for $165. I still remember when the postman delivered it - that was exiting. I received a 6 million serial number Springfield rebuilt at Letterkenny in 65 (where it lost its original barrel). At the time, I was a junior competing with the MD state highpower team. We had M14s, which made the M1 seem far less interesting. The adults on the team strongly advised me to purchase an M1 from the DCM, even though I had little interest at the time. I've since acquired a great interest and respect for the M1.

 

[molonlabe]

Mine was bought at that time. Pristine, condition shot 3inch groups at 200 yards with a tight striped stock. I think mine was 174 I have to pull the paperwork. Ahh, the good old days. I also lived in California before the Communist took over.

 

[Jimbob2.0]

I cant believe they say "safe to fire". You would never see that anymore, you might see inspected with a disclaimer..........but not a positive assertion of the guns condition, safety and serviceability.

 

[Furious George]

I still remember getting my "one per lifetime" Garand from the DCM.

While the purchase price was only $165 you really had to want it. There were a lot of other requirements that culled out the less than committed.

To be eligible to purchase you had to fire 120 rounds in highpower rifle competition. That was more than one event because the requirement was "proof of ongoing participation."

You also had to be a member of a DCM affiliated club. A real club, not a fake internet club like the GCA or other such nonsense.

You had to fill out a long background check form and be fingerprinted. I was the only one in the local PD PAYING to have my fingerprints taken.

There were no exceptions to the requirements. Even if you had won the CMH you still had jump through all of the hoops.

You had to be patient. It took me 14 months to get the rifle.

Found the slip in my mail box when I got home on a Friday and was waiting at the door for the post office to open on Saturday. It was somewhat fitting that it was the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor - Dec. 7, 1991. Less than 30 minutes after they unlocked the door I had it home and unpacked. Pristine 60's rebuild. A true "balls on" battle rifle.

Yeah, I've still got that one.

 

[SKIP]

I performed security inspections at many Army installations so I had contacts at Rock Island and Anniston.
I received my notice to send a money order to Rock Island. Called a friend and he knew folks who processed the forms. He found mine after looking through piles of forms and placed mine on top. Later called Anniston and had mine in about 30 days. My seven year old sign for it from the Postman.

 

[Fox123]

I'll give ya double what you paid for it....

 

[ken792]

I still have my once in a lifetime M1 acquired in 1988 for $165. I still remember when the postman delivered it - that was exiting. I received a 6 million serial number Springfield rebuilt at Letterkenny in 65 (where it lost its original barrel). At the time, I was a junior competing with the MD state highpower team. We had M14s, which made the M1 seem far less interesting. The adults on the team strongly advised me to purchase an M1 from the DCM, even though I had little interest at the time. I've since acquired a great interest and respect for the M1.

Very nice. My first M1 is actually a Letterkenny rebuild I got from the CMP in 2012. It looked to have been untouched since rebuild, but I've put a little more wear on it since.

I cant believe they say "safe to fire". You would never see that anymore, you might see inspected with a disclaimer..........but not a positive assertion of the guns condition, safety and serviceability.

I looked up what Condition B meant and it doesn't refer to the physical condition of the rifle itself, but simply that the item is of limited usefulness and not ideally issued anymore. That made a lot more sense.

 

[mbtech]

M1 from DCM

I too got my M1 from the DCM back in April 1993, and had to jump thru all the hoops. I lucked out and received a complete IHC with a TE of 1.5 and a ME of 0.7

 

[SKIP]

I don't recall having a selection by manufacture when the of DCM offered M1s. It was the luck of the draw.I do recall speaking to the CO at Ft. Mc Nair that CMP shipped M1s if it passed the test of firing an 8 round enblock clip and a ping at the end.
If passed it was shipped to the end user.

 

[BuildnBurn]

My dad and I both received M1's from the DCM in 1987 at ~$165 each, 13 months after we submitted the paperwork. Both Springfield's were in remarkable shape,mine was made in June of 45 and Dad's was April of 45 . Back then it was one per life time.
I have a buddy that the DCM sent a HRA that looked like it had been used to dig out a tank

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

I've never received an M1 from the DCM or CMP. I did buy one very cheaply from FW Woolworth in the 1980's when they were being imported back from Korea. I used the pre-war receiver (180k serial number range) and built a match rifle from it in 7.62. The rifle is ridiculously accurate and I don't think I'm a very good rifle shooter.

The M1 is the most magnificent rifle ever designed and built. God bless John C. Garand.

 

[K-43]

I purchased a DCM rifle back in the '80s. You had to actually shoot a match or familiarization clinic back then. Luck of the draw, I got a Winchester.
I also purchased a Korean 7.62 NATO return rifle in a store back then.
Having DCM paperwork doesn't mean it wasn't a lend/lease rifle. The batches in the 2000's were mostly returns from Denmark and Greece. People went all crazy for the rifles rebarreled by the Danes with Danish barrels. The Greeks had reparkerized many to a dark blackish finish. I got a 1903 made in 1918 that was a Greek return. It looked almost brand new except the stock is a little dinged, but not bad.

 

[ken792]

Did the foreign MAP rifles ever return while the DCM was in existence? I thought they only came back under the CMP.

 

[K-43]

Did the foreign MAP rifles ever return while the DCM was in existence? I thought they only came back under the CMP.

Sorry, I didn't distinguish between DCM and CMP. I know CMP had many return rifles. I don't know if DCM did or only had old US stockpiled rifles.

In that case, DCM papers may mean it was never a foreign rifle, but then, it doesn't matter that much in a shooter and, as I stated, I have a Greek return 1903 that is near mint, has no overhaul marks. The Danish barrels were the cat's meow in the mid 2000s.

Trying to get all correct and make a faux factory fresh from something that's been depot rebuilt at least once, usually more times, is an amateur collector's hobby. Purists either laugh or cry at such antics.

i just shoot mine. They are what they are historically: a Depot overhauled Winchester with some SA parts and a foreign return that the Koreans had put a chromed 7.62 barrel and steel mag insert on. More value in leaving that as that. I look at it along the same lines as trying to make a BM59 into a correct M1 again.

 

[bigdv]

Very cool! I wonder what my 400 dollar AR will be worth in 30 years? Only time will tell.........

 

[airsporter]

I got my DCM Springfield M1 Garand in the late 80's. As you say, $165 - but took like 9 mos. after sending verification of Hi-Power competition. Rifle was in great shape but not a Walnut stock .