CMP Service Rifle Gun for Matches?

[rgoodjr]

I want to start shooting CMP matches. I do not know a lot about the service rifles.

From what I have read most of the service rifles are either in 30-06 or 223/5.56

I am leaning toward M1 Garand or M14.

Are the CMP service grade rifles good for competition or would that lower the collectors vaule?

What would you choose for CMP Rifle matches?

I would like to keep the cost around 1,000

 

[Sanford]

I think if I were buying one today, strictly for competition, and at your price target, I'd lean toward the CMP Special (Garand) in .308 ... it's essentially a new rifle built around a vintage USGI receiver; they sell for $995 + $29.95 S&H. You can get the same rifle chambered in .30-06, but most of the recent matches have seen .308's scoring higher.

You can find descriptions of the various grades available from CMP here: http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/m1garand.htm

Or you can go pure commercial with an M1A from one of several manufacturers (Springfield, Fulton, LRB, James River, etc.) some of whom also produce custom Garands as well, but they'll all be generally above your cost threshold.

None of the above will probably be as "collectible" as an original rack grade or service grade Garand, and you can certainly compete with those as well, and you're not going to reduce the value by shooting them (within reason, of course) so you'll sort of need to decide which is more important to you.