Value of CMP Collector Grade today?

[Art]

Honestly, where I live, good "shooter grade" M1s with a few dings are all around $1,000.00. If I just wanted a pretty gun to shoot I'd buy a CMP Special Grade, looks great, shoots good, and costs a bit over $1,000.00 Our son has one and is very happy with it.

Collectability is another thing entirely. If you want an all correct pretty rifle be prepared to pay, because you aren't just buying a gun to shoot; you are, in fact, buying a gun a lot of people, like Mr. Hayes, will never shoot.

[Robert Scott]

One of the most desireable features of a "collector grade" is an original, correctly marked cartouched stock. I've seen supposedly collector grades sold on GB and other sites that were refinished, overhauled and marked with an arsenal stamp. The cartouched stock can be more valuable than the rest of the rifle. I know that Large Wheel GHS stocks were selling for over a thousand dollars in Southern California, and that was 20 years ago....

[Art]

One of the most desireable features of a "collector grade" is an original, correctly marked cartouched stock. I've seen supposedly collector grades sold on GB and other sites that were refinished, overhauled and marked with an arsenal stamp. The cartouched stock can be more valuable than the rest of the rifle. I know that Large Wheel GHS stocks were selling for over a thousand dollars in Southern California, and that was 20 years ago....

This is so true. It is also something you really have to be careful about. Over the years I've seen "fraud kits," that is reproduction kits of the dies used to do the cartouches for sale on several sites. Dummied up stocks are out there and they can be hard to detect. There is an outfit called Bardall's that advertises these dies as "stock refinishing" items.

[Hal O'Peridol]

DeWayne, if you are back in the area, or coming soon, PM me. I have something that might fit what you are looking for.

[nf1e]

Expect to pay in excess of 3K for a true papered correct collector grade, not some of the so called " corrected" that folks put together in their basements with parts from all over. Funny today how some try to pull the wool over buyer's eyes by saying something is correct when indeed it is not. A rifle is not really correct unless it is as it came from the factory with all of the original parts still installed. A rifle can not really be made correct if it was not to start with.

[togor]

5 yrs or so ago, I sold 4 M1's for a friend,

all were restorations to as they would have left the factory in each year,
all were done well, he searched long and hard for the correct stuff with matching finishes,
not a single piece was refinished

the Winchester brought $2500, the Springfield's (1945/1944/1943) brought $2000 each,

2 owners down the road the "restoration" tag is dropped.

Garands are a bad bet for collectors.

For one thing there are a kabillion of them out there, for another, the restorations and outright humps.

CMP rifles with certificate/data sheet are a bit better. The CMP correct grade means "they only effed with it maybe a little."

I have a HRA Greek return correct from about '08. It was a swap as the first one they sent me had a misindexed barrel from the factory which meant the op rod couldn't not drag on the ferrule.

The one they sent in swap was all original but loaded with dimples from bullet tips. Did choose to steam them out which as we know does a number on the original finish.

Then there was the CMP's hot water cleaning technique. Gotta say some of the decisions made in Anniston were head-scratchers.