Guns: Getting the Garand, Part 3 - The Unboxing

I just received an M1 Garand from the CMP, and I thought it'd be fun to document the experience in a series of posts. Here's what to expect when the CMP package finally gets to your door...

The CMP beat its own projections and delivered my M1 Garand last week - total time from order received to shipment was about 17 calendar days. The rifle came via FedEx Priority Overnight in a nice Plano hard case.

And there she is. Like many of the current "Service Grade" Garands, my M1 has a surplus barrel and action, but a new production stock. Though the repro stock has little or no collectible value, it makes for a fine shooter. As a side benefit, the rifle arrived clean as a whistle - no cosmoline removal required.

Each CMP Garand comes with a certificate of authenticity and a tag showing the muzzle and throat erosion. Going from what I've read on the Errornet, 1+ and 2+ is about standard for a service grade, with some being better and some being worse. In any event, it's well within U.S. military standards, and should be able to hold 4-5 MOA with surplus ammo - we shall see.

The Garand comes with an excellent manual, better than most commercial rifles. I especially liked the "M1 Thumb" section.

Disassembling the Garand is a chore, especially one that has a new production stock. I had to use a screwdriver to pull the trigger guard back, and replacing all the fiddly follower and action bits makes one appreciate modern manufacturing techniques. In any event, I got it done, so it's Mulliga: 1, 1930s technology: 0.

Next time, the M1 Garand gets the full Shangrila Towers range report and review treatment as I put the old warhorse through its paces.