Trade M1 Carbine for Garand?

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Andy-Y

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
75
Location
South east Michigan
For the last 16 years I've had an M1 carbine decorating the inside of my gun cabinet. Recently I've decided to see if I can trade it for a shooter grade M1 Garand. I never really felt right modifying the carbine for accuracy or anything and as far as I know it's all "original" (I realize these guns were designed to be pieced together). I plan on hunting for Michigan whitetails (with 5 round en bloc clips) and target shooting with it. Hopefully it is the rifle that will get me into reloading :)

What do you guys think? She a Standard products receiver with an Underwood barrel (which is original I believe). Matching wear on all components. Here's a pic.
pict1571.jpg
 
If you're looking to use either the carbine or rifle for whitetail, the Garand is the way to go.
However, I strongly prefer the M1 carbine over the Garand as I also use mine for HD (and feel the M1 carbine is a better candidate for this role).

Both are great firearms and very little can be said against either.

Perhaps you could see if finances will allow you to straight out purchase the Garand.
 
Any weapon you can reach is a good candidate for home defense IMHO
. Now...the pistol is on the night stand...the shotty is behind the couch...but the ol' M1 is always near at hand.

M1Garand2.jpg
 
Why not hang on to that carbine...the prices are constantly going up as the availability decreases. Next invest in a CMP Garand through the CMP program and have the best of two worlds. CMP information is available online. :)
 
If you're looking to use either the carbine or rifle for whitetail, the Garand is the way to go.
However, I strongly prefer the M1 carbine over the Garand as I also use mine for HD (and feel the M1 carbine is a better candidate for this role).

Both are great firearms and very little can be said against either.

Perhaps you could see if finances will allow you to straight out purchase the Garand.
Click to expand...
This sums up my thoughts exactly. Additionally, you may want to consider a lighter, easier to scope bolt gun for a hunting rifle. Something as inexpensive as the Marlin XS-7 (or XL-7 if you want to go with an '06 or other long action cartridge) makes for a remarkably good deer rifle and is very economical. Either way, i'd not give up a good M1 Carbine unless I had a second (and that is still doubtful).

:)
 
DO NOT SELL THE CARBINE! You'll regret it. The CMP currently has thousands of Garands. Keep the Carbine and save up for a Garand. ;)
 
Agreed with the other posts. Keep the carbine - it appears that you have a nice looking one, plus the CMP is all out of carbines and is saying no more expected (wonder if that will push up prices again in the carbine market over the next months).
 
I got the CMP email today noting the end of the Carbines available for sale, with no expectations of more to come. That should be enough information to make a decision.
 
Why not reload for the carbine? It'll be cheaper to reload, easier to reload, and your reloads will be pretty much guaranteed to cycle the carbine better than the garand, at least without an adjustable gas block.
 
O.K., ya got me!

OK after checking out the CMP website and seeing "Field Grade" rifles for $495 I am definitely going to keep my carbine. Mine doesn't have any import marks or anything, and seems to be a great collectors item.

Here is a quick question though, mine has the adjustable rear site but shoots about a foot or so high at 100 yards. The CMP carbine FAQ says that the front site was left high so it could be filed down to zero the rifle. Would I be making a mistake to have a new front site installed so I could have an accurate rifle?
 
Andy, look at a Service Grade if you can swing the extra cash. Some Field Grades are great (I am pleased with mine) but some are as rough as the descriptions; but, it is a very rare day when you hear about a Service Grade that is as rough as described.


Here is a quick question though, mine has the adjustable rear site but shoots about a foot or so high at 100 yards. The CMP carbine FAQ says that the front site was left high so it could be filed down to zero the rifle. Would I be making a mistake to have a new front site installed so I could have an accurate rifle?
Click to expand...

Am I missing something? Why don't you just adjust your rear sight?
 
Am I missing something? Why don't you just adjust your rear sight?
Click to expand...

The rear sight is a ramp style site meaning the only elevation adjustment is moving from 100 yards to 200 etc. Basically it is fine windage adjustment and course elevation. The fine elevation zeroing was supposed to be done by filing the front sight.
 
Get a new front sight for your carbine that you won't care about messing up, and file it down, if you like, to get it more accurate. If you screw up, no loss, you still have your original front sight. Found this link to changing out your front sight, with a video someone made about it at the bottom of the thread:

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?164179-M1-Carbine-front-sight-question

I noticed that your carbine doesn't have a bayonet lug - I think those are more rare than those with lugs. Maybe?

I got an HRA Service Grade from the CMP, and it's gorgeous. Very nice looking, but more importantly the throat/muzzle gauge very low and it shoots REALLY nice. For $595, I highly recommend the service grade - the extra $100 seems to get you a whole lot more quality of a rifle. If you're hunting, this seems like a good move.

The SA service grades are also getting high marks. The M1 Garands that CMP is sending out right now seem to be very nice, grab one while you can! Their turnaround time right now is VERY fast too.
 
As far as the sights being "off" I would first make sure that the stock is properly secured to the action. Next try some reputable ammo in it (Federal, Winchester, et al), that way you know it isn't simply non-standard ammo causing the problem (don't know if you have already tried this). Then, barring the above working, I would go ahead and diligently file the original front sight making sure to test the sight while you file (file it at the range). With proper care I don't think you'l find it to be any trouble at all.

I noticed that your carbine doesn't have a bayonet lug - I think those are more rare than those with lugs. Maybe?
Click to expand...
Yes, they are a bit more rare and garner a slight premium compared to their lugged cousins.

:)
 
If it shoots high, filing the existing front sight will make it shoot higher...
Click to expand...

Exactly. I was thinking of getting a sight from Fulton Armory http://www.fulton-armory.com/
and having it installed (or buying the tool to do it myself). Although I want a "shooter" I just don't want to "bubba customize" it. Half the reason it's in such good shape was because I was too worried about doing something stupid to such an old gun.

But I've come to think of it as an unused tool. I'm not big on safe queens and if I somehow diminish the value of the rifle as a collector's item by making it serviceable, well, I guess that's something I'll have to live with :rolleyes:
 
On topic, I hope, but can someone give me a primer on M1 Garands and purchasing them through the CMP? FFL required, I suppose? Payment? Quality and choices?

Thank you,

gd
 
If it shoots high, filing the existing front sight will make it shoot higher...
Click to expand...
Oops, Art is right...should have read more closely. That means that the ammo is not likely to be the culprit either (as it is more likely to be "dumbed-down").

Oh one other thing to check is a walking rear sight. A while back mine became unstaked and it was heck to figure out what was happening (was still reasonably accurate, but would shoot to a different POI every group). This is easily fixed with a couple of taps from an automatic center punch (or most anything else with due diligence).

:)
 
On topic, I hope, but can someone give me a primer on M1 Garands and purchasing them through the CMP? FFL required, I suppose? Payment? Quality and choices?
Click to expand...

Here's the actual CMP website so you can look at the info yourself. www.odcmp.com

I also wrote a series of articles on purchasing Garands from the CMP. Here's some links:

How to purchase a M-1 Garand from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP)

A look at the best CMP M-1 Garand choices available

I also wrote some articles on "Tips and Tricks" for the Garand. You'll see them on my Michigan Firearms Examiner profile if you click on the other articles.
 
Last year I was considering trading one of my Garands for a 1903A3.
Never did but they make a great pair in the safe. I still think about it sometimes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

R
  • Locked
CMP m1 Garand
2
Replies
43
Views
2K
P-32
P
B
  • Locked
M1 Garand vs. M1 Carbine
2 3
Replies
69
Views
13K
Neo-Luddite
Neo-Luddite
R
  • Locked
A little info on m1 garand and m1 carbine
Replies
6
Views
1K
Swampy
S
T
  • Locked
Mini M1 Garand
Replies
9
Views
893
DMK
DMK
C
  • Locked
problem with m1 garand
Replies
4
Views
519
jem375
J
Back
Top