M1 vs .223 For Christmas

[SWACQ]

Get the best conditioned M1 Garand you can afford & is available, no matter what the manufacturer ... and it will shoot and shoot and shoot ... and provide you w/ decades of satisfaction.

I was wondering the same thing as Gatordev. Right now the service grade SA and HRA is at $595. That seems like a really good price to me. Not sure the WRA is worth an extra $200 for the same grade. I should add if I bought one it would be to shoot, not as a collector item or investment.

CMP prices on the bayonets seems pretty reasonable too. As a side question, more trivia than anything else, but does anybody know if the "Union Fork and Hoe" company that made bayonetes was the same as the Union Cutlery company that made the original Ka-Bar? Doubt it is the same, but curious about that nonetheless.

 

[A4sForever]

... As a side question, more trivia than anything else, but does anybody know if the "Union Fork and Hoe" company that made bayonetes was the same as the Union Cutlery company that made the original Ka-Bar?...

Not the same: Ka-Bar's history goes back to the Tidioute Cutlery Company, which was founded in Pennsylvania in 1898.

Out of the failure of that company, the Union Razor Company was formed in 1902. The name was changed again in 1909 to Union Cutlery Company then moved to Olean, New York in 1910. The Ka-Bar® trademark was introduced in the 1920's and around 1942 the company submited a Ka-Bar branded knife to the U. S. Marine Corps.

The Ka-Bar knife became so well known and so important to the company, that in 1952 the company name was changed to Ka-Bar® Cutlery, Inc.

 

[Rocketman]

So since I seem to be hemorrhaging money for gun stuff lately anyway, I'm thinking of jumping on the bandwagon here. I'll have to wait until CMP opens after the holidays to ask them some paperwork questions, but based off what their website says right now, what's "the" way to go? HRA, SA or the Winchester (I'm thinking Service grade here if that isn't obvious)? I know the short answer is to do some research, and I will (my buying OCD won't allow me NOT too), but what say you here?

I'm more of a shooter than a collector. As a shooter my order of preference would be exactly as you have them listed. HRA Garands are known as some of the nicer ones as are the later Springfields. Winchester's are usually a bit rougher as they were made in the early "dark" days of WWII when they were pushing weapons out the door as fast as possible. Collectors might buy a Winchester first for this reason. Plus it's just cool that it says Winchester. IMHO not an extra $200.00 cool though.

A4's is correct in that Garands are not really collectable just because they were made by a certain manufacturer. A true collector is interested in much more than just a name.

 

[Gatordev]

I was wondering the same thing as Gatordev. Right now the service grade SA and HRA is at $595. That seems like a really good price to me. Not sure the WRA is worth an extra $200 for the same grade. I should add if I bought one it would be to shoot, not as a collector item or investment.

This is exactly what I was getting at. Basically was the extra $200 "worth it" for a shooting rifle. Sounds like we have our answer.

I'm more of a shooter than a collector. As a shooter my order of preference would be exactly as you have them listed. HRA Garands are known as some of the nicer ones as are the later Springfields. Winchester's are usually a bit rougher as they were made in the early "dark" days of WWII when they were pushing weapons out the door as fast as possible. Collectors might buy a Winchester first for this reason. Plus it's just cool that it says Winchester. IMHO not an extra $200.00 cool though.

A4's is correct in that Garands are not really collectable just because they were made by a certain manufacturer. A true collector is interested in much more than just a name.

If you have the disposable income, then I get the collectible angle, much like cars, but otherwise... How could you get a piece of history that makes a loud noise and NOT want to shoot it? Rhetorical question, of course.

Thanks for info, guys. Very helpful, as usual, for someone who is trying to soak up knowledge.

 

[foleyswole85]

just wanted to tell you all that I got an adjustable gas plug from midwayUSA and it really improved my M1's action. It allows you to tune the rifle to whatever loads you want so you're not limited to a certain type. Also takes some of the unnecessary pressure off the action so it doesn't wear and tear as bad. Not a bad deal at around $40.