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CMP M-1 choice: SA vs HRA
- Thread starter Chuck Dye
- Start date
With HRA, you are guaranteed that your receiver is post-WWII. Some say HRA were a notch higher quality, perhaps because of the lack of wartime pressure. Anyway, the overwhelming majority of M1's have been rebuilt at some point in their service lives, so the chances of one being "better" than the other (for shooting purposes) is largely luck of the draw.
I have both a SA and HRA M1, both service grades, that I bought a few years back. Both appeared virtually unfired after rebuild, although of course CMP test fires them. Both were electropencil marked as rebuilt in the mid-60's. I have not noted a difference between the two, except the HRA came with a broken recoil spring.
I have both a SA and HRA M1, both service grades, that I bought a few years back. Both appeared virtually unfired after rebuild, although of course CMP test fires them. Both were electropencil marked as rebuilt in the mid-60's. I have not noted a difference between the two, except the HRA came with a broken recoil spring.
screenerglenn
New member
cmp ?
pardon my ignorance, went to the library at this site and couldn't find it.
pardon my ignorance, went to the library at this site and couldn't find it.
jen_lynn24
New member
Newbie
Hi Everyone. Could Anyone Tell Me How To Post My Rifles For Sale? Jen
Hi Everyone. Could Anyone Tell Me How To Post My Rifles For Sale? Jen
CMP is the Civilian Marksmanship Program, sellers of surplus US military firearms and ammo.
jen_lynn24: Go to the "Buy, Sell and Trade: Rifles and Shotguns" sub forum, read the sticky "Posting Tips and Rules ... READ BEFORE POSTING ON THIS FORUM," open a new thread and type away. A personal request? PLEASE include your location in the thread title. It is also helpful if you post a price in the first few words of the thread so it can be read in the mouseover preview.
jen_lynn24: Go to the "Buy, Sell and Trade: Rifles and Shotguns" sub forum, read the sticky "Posting Tips and Rules ... READ BEFORE POSTING ON THIS FORUM," open a new thread and type away. A personal request? PLEASE include your location in the thread title. It is also helpful if you post a price in the first few words of the thread so it can be read in the mouseover preview.
jen_lynn24
New member
Thanks
Thank You Chuck, Really Appreciate The Help....jen
Thank You Chuck, Really Appreciate The Help....jen
screenerglenn
New member
where
and how can i find a dealer participating in the cmp, i live in south florida, thanks, glenn
and how can i find a dealer participating in the cmp, i live in south florida, thanks, glenn
It's not a dealer thing. You have to jump through some easy hoops to qualify and then you can order direct. You have to complete an approved marksmanship program or activity (Appleseed is fine), join an affiliated club like the Civil War Veterans Assoc. ($20/yr) and fill out some paper work.and how can i find a dealer participating in the cmp, i live in south florida, thanks, glenn
IZinterrogator
New member
If you're buying it for a shooter, I'd go with either as long as they are post-WWII and if possible, post-Korean War. That way you know they have all of the minor designing updates that were made over the years. If you can't specify what timeframe SA you want or get the serial number prior to ordering so you can check the production date, I'd get the HRA.
Some people consider HRAs to be more desirable for reasons mentioned above, plus the fact that many fewer were produced. If they were really that much more collectible, the CMP would rightfully put a premium on them. That fact that they're the same price tells me that there isn't much difference, if any.
With a service grade, it's going to be a mix-master of parts anyway. HRA never made all their own parts (IIRC) so even an as-issued HRA would have a mixture. Virtually all these guns have been through an arsenal rebuild at some point and most have been re-barreled at least once. No attempt was made to match dates or even manufacturers. My point is that only the correct-grade rifles are going to have the correct mix of parts but there is no guarantee that those parts are original to that gun. There was a good article in the latest GCA Journal that described how battlefield pickups were stripped and rebuilt on a daily basis by the armorers in a unit. Again, no attempt was made to separate parts by date or manufacturer. (It was a WAR after all)
Furthermore, as has been documented by Scott Duff and the researchers in the GCA, it's difficult to even establish what is "correct" and what isn't. If you want a pure shooter, a service grade in either HRA or SA is the way to go. If you want a collector's item, you need to a collector grade. I would even wait for the sniper variants in the Greek shipment to hit the pipeline if I wanted something different and special.
For the folks asking about the CMP programs, we just recently covered it in this thread:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312817
With a service grade, it's going to be a mix-master of parts anyway. HRA never made all their own parts (IIRC) so even an as-issued HRA would have a mixture. Virtually all these guns have been through an arsenal rebuild at some point and most have been re-barreled at least once. No attempt was made to match dates or even manufacturers. My point is that only the correct-grade rifles are going to have the correct mix of parts but there is no guarantee that those parts are original to that gun. There was a good article in the latest GCA Journal that described how battlefield pickups were stripped and rebuilt on a daily basis by the armorers in a unit. Again, no attempt was made to separate parts by date or manufacturer. (It was a WAR after all)
Furthermore, as has been documented by Scott Duff and the researchers in the GCA, it's difficult to even establish what is "correct" and what isn't. If you want a pure shooter, a service grade in either HRA or SA is the way to go. If you want a collector's item, you need to a collector grade. I would even wait for the sniper variants in the Greek shipment to hit the pipeline if I wanted something different and special.
For the folks asking about the CMP programs, we just recently covered it in this thread:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312817
3StrikesNC
New member
Surg;
I bought a correct grade SA Garand this past winter/spring. Very happy with it. Good condition all around.
May go back and buy a HRA.
I bought a correct grade SA Garand this past winter/spring. Very happy with it. Good condition all around.
May go back and buy a HRA.