Interesting article in the Garand Collectors Association magazine...

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Perplexed

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In the spring issue of the GCA Journal, there's an article about the US getting back the M1 Garands, and possibly M1 Carbines, that we loaned to the country of Turkey via the Military Assistance Program (MAP). Apparently, we loaned them about 150,000 M1 Garands in the mid to late 1950s, and these firearms are starting to come back to the US for sale via the CMP. At this time, the first return - 8,850 M1's - from the Turkish Navy are now in the CMP warehouse, being uncrated and graded for sale. Interestingly, out of the first 1,500 being readied for sale, some 500 are International Harvester M1's, which is a high proportion considering that IHC made the fewest M1's of the four manufacturers.

Unfortunately, the article adds that these M1's are, by and large, only in fair condition, not as good as the MAP returns from Greece that the CMP has been selling for the past couple of years. The pictures showed a few M1's that had just been uncrated; the rifles definitely will need some TLC. Unfortunately also, the Turks crated them up in stacks laying on their sides, and the CMP inspectors mentioned fresh gouges in the stocks from the op rods and rear sights.

Still, it's heartening to know that the supply of M1's through the CMP will continue for some time yet. Now if we get some returns from the Turkish Air Force, and these turn out to be like the Greek AF returns, we'll be in for some more gorgeous eye candy!
 

WessonOil

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Very interesting news!

At worse, they may need new barrels due to the corrosive ammo and improper cleaning.

After I bought a couple Garands and an 03A3 from the CMP, I quit keeping up with what was going on so much with their rifle offerings.

Do you think they'll take time to replace barrels on these?
 

Perplexed

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I'm sure they'll replace the barrels that are really shot out, or else just offer the stripped receivers if they're running low on or out of spare barrels. Another interesting comment in the article was that they're considering the creation of new grades (in addition to Rack, Field, Service, etc.) to reflect the condition of the Turkish returns. Apparently the Turks didn't have a comprehensive overhaul program like the Greeks did, so some of their returns appear to be in original factory configuration. The CMP has a quantity of these rifles that are fairly beat-up, so that might become "Field Grade Correct." I'm curious how the CMP will price these; my guess is between the Service Grade and the current Correct Grade, but closer to the former.
 

OKC_Jim

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I read the article. It is pretty interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing these rifles. I noticed one of the pictures showed, and the caption for the picture said, that many of the stocks had rack numbers on them. I don't really know why, but I am sort of a sucker for rack numbers.
 

SMS

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Those Greeks were beautiful. I bought an HRA Correct and it was basically a brand new rifle....straight out of the 50's.

Here's hoping there are a few decent ones in the bunch.
 

loudshirt

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I read the article. It is pretty interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing these rifles. I noticed one of the pictures showed, and the caption for the picture said, that many of the stocks had rack numbers on them. I don't really know why, but I am sort of a sucker for rack numbers.

Rack numbers give it a more authentic military feel. At least that is why I like them.
 

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