Why the heck are M1 Garands so expensive?

[Doco Overboard]

Wow - great write up. Submit that one to CMP.

Yeah, I got my first one when you could only get one but things have changed but so has the quality of whats coming out of there unless you buy one on auction.
Last weekend there was not one thing on the auction site so in the future they may became even more pricier.
Estore only had 1903 barrels but there was some 1917's available after a long hiatus no carbine or 06 ammo except for maybe some Creedmor stuff.
The 17's caught my eye its been years since any of those were sold outside of the stores.

 

[dist1646]

And what’s the problem with owning a whole rack of M1s?

Exactly. I have the rack, if only someone would donate enough of them to fill it. Only one I have now is an NM build.

 

[T-Man]

And what’s the problem with owning a whole rack of M1s?

Nothing at all! It is the money i don’t have part that prevents my house from looking like a WW2 supply depot.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

M1 rifles and Carbines…as well as the 1903 rifle…are a collectors dream as well as nightmare…numerous makers and variations. I doubt if anyone can gather a complete collection…M1 Carbines in particular.

 

[calicojack]

And what’s the problem with owning a whole rack of M1s?

Hmm - and I only own two. Guess I need to re-think. I sure would like a Winchester expert grade in 308. $1350 including shipping and worth it.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

I used to own about a dozen Garands...sold all before relocating. The best was one I built to match grade specs in .308 outside of bedding the laminated stock. It was a 1940/'41 receiver from a rifle I bought at FW Woolworth at FSK Mall in the '80s...a Blue Sky import. I add the heavy match barrel, match op-rod and outside of a gunsmith who installed the barrel and headspaced it with the bolt...I assembled it all. The first time I shot it...three holes touching at 100 yards over open sights. It was awesome...I felt no need to bed the stock.

 

[RRomig]

My wife bought me a beater 30 years ago for around $300.
Proportionately the price today seems about right. If I didn’t have one already I’d gladly pay the today’s going price.

 

[rseymorejr]

You just waited too long. I paid $165 for mine in 1990

 

[mauser58]

I picked up one for $1000 about six months ago. Bought from a friend that got it from his dad years ago. Its not pretty like the CMP but it is not beat up either.

 

[lazarus]

They’re still cheaper than many other semi autos of WWII and Cold War. Even a new production reputable AR-10 is not that much cheaper.

By way of comparison, IIRC the estimated cost to produce a Garand NEW, even with current manufacturing techniques (as in cheaper than when they were made) with roughly similar quality and some similarities in forging/casting/machining would be roughly $1500-2000 today

 

[lazarus]

To add though, part of the reason is supply and demand. The demand is likely to always be relatively high.

The supply....well think of how many guys own 2, 3, 5, 10. I'd wager there are more guys who own 2 or more than who own 1. If not, then its probably a close thing.

 

[ken792]

By way of comparison, IIRC the estimated cost to produce a Garand NEW, even with current manufacturing techniques (as in cheaper than when they were made) with roughly similar quality and some similarities in forging/casting/machining would be roughly $1500-2000 today

Sounds about right when an M1A starts around $1.3k by using substitutions in manufacturing methods. The JRA M14s were over $2k. Though, the economy of scale would probably drive that down if they were mass produced in the same rate as the original runs of M1.

Modern wood is also soft new growth walnut, not the much better quality old growth walnut that used to be used.

 

[trickg]

My answer to the question of why they have become relatively expensive is simply that there are a finite number of them, they aren't making any more of them, and most of them are in collections.

When my Dad got his, I think he did the CMP/DCM thing, and all he had to pay was postage, or if there was a fee, it was minimal, but he got his at a time when they were MilSup first being released to the public. (He had notations in his ledger reloading for it in 1959.)

Back then it was just a military rifle, and not even particularly old.

Now people collect them, the people who collect them tend to have a bunch of them, and there aren't as many to be had.

I have one, and other than the fact that it's an International Harvester Garand, I'm kinda "eh" about it. I won't ever sell it, but I'm not chomping at the bit to get another one.

 

[Ponder_MD]

I think prices are rising because the supply of useable rifles being returned to the CMP is diminishing.
When they finally run out, reproductions may become financially viable for companies to make. I think there is one company making them right now.

 

[Ponder_MD]

I have one, and other than the fact that it's an International Harvester Garand

Long before I ever owned an M1, I was an IH fan. I used to own a Scout 80 and a Travelall 1010. I'd love to own an IH Garand for that reason.

 

[ken792]

My answer to the question of why they have become relatively expensive is simply that there are a finite number of them, they aren't making any more of them, and most of them are in collections.

When my Dad got his, I think he did the CMP/DCM thing, and all he had to pay was postage, or if there was a fee, it was minimal, but he got his at a time when they were MilSup first being released to the public. (He had notations in his ledger reloading for it in 1959.)

Back then it was just a military rifle, and not even particularly old.

Now people collect them, the people who collect them tend to have a bunch of them, and there aren't as many to be had.

I have one, and other than the fact that it's an International Harvester Garand, I'm kinda "eh" about it. I won't ever sell it, but I'm not chomping at the bit to get another one.

Here’s a Guns Magazine article on Fidel Castro’s gun running in 1959, written before he won and when Americans thought of him as simply a freedom fighter. DCM M1 prices were actually jacked up to something quite expensive at the time, especially if open market was going for a little less. A little more at $180 could get a Browning G-series FAL, first imported in 1959, which was a top of the line service arm.

https://gunsmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/G0359.pdf

 

[JasonD67]

I guess the same reason SKS's are selling for $750+...people are willing to pay the price.

 

[trickg]

Long before I ever owned an M1, I was an IH fan. I used to own a Scout 80 and a Travelall 1010. I'd love to own an IH Garand for that reason.

Apparently IH Garands are more collectible/valuable, although this one dates to either late 1940s or early 50s - I'll have to check - I don't think mine ever saw combat. Maybe Korea.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

The majority of IHC Garands were built post-Korean War. They had many production issues that took much time to sort out and IHC never did keep on schedule. Early IHC receivers were actually supplied by Springfield Armory to get production going because of problems.

IHC Garands were rarely seen in the US for civilians for many years when other makes were much more common. It was thought that many went south of the border in military aid packages. There was a point where IHC M1s were made available to police departments. It wasn't until re-importation of Garands and Carbines that IHC examples started showing up in numbers.

 

[Doco Overboard]

I think if any Garands are the most collectible it would be the earliest ones or ones equipped with the earliest parts.
Or the match conditioned rifles.
The last GCa indicated or speculated what have you, there were a bunch of IHC’s that accompanied a recent batch from Turkey.
Although I think at the same time people feature the IHC’s naturally because of the tractor association or the two methods for heel stamping, LMR or even Marlin barrels.
IHC parts have letter markings on them that can be found.
Makes sense to me ,out of all the ones I own I do not have any of them.
Or letter marked parts that I’m aware of.