Today was finally the day, the day I got my Garand! I was more excited last night and this morning than I was Christmas eve.
It all started with a 4 hour drive, from Midland to Camp Perry. Thankfully, there was no snow, wrecks, or traffice jams. Mapquest did me wrong again, though. Instead of saying 'Drive in the main gates of Camp Perry' all it did was to give me 'Lawrence Ave', and as you would guess it, the roads are not labeled. So I drove an extra 10 miles, before simply turning around and driving in the main gate. Guard gave me no trouble getting in, but wasn't the friendliest. Then again, I probably woudn't be either if I had to sit in a little hut all day directing traffic.
I was quite suprised at how small the store was. After I got over that, I was suprised at hw many guns they had, compared to similiar sized gun shops. My main objective was to find a decent Springfield WWII vintage Greek or Dane rack grade for me, and simply a good Greek rack for my friend. It was simple for him. Walk in, and siting in the rack is a newly stocked Greek H&R. MW of 3 and TE of 3. Well, one gun down, one to go. And much easier said than done.
After searching around for a while, I found a Dane 6 digit rack grade, promisingly labeled MW 3 and TE 3. Thinking I had my perfect gun, I walked up to the front counter. I decided to have it gauged in front of me, just n case. Good Choice. TE was 3, but the muzzle gauge dropped right down to the shoulder. Didn't even gauge, on a 3 gauge. The guy told me it wsas possible it was still a good shooter, but if I were him, I'd keep looking. So I did.
After taking about 15 different guns up to the counter to be gauged, he informed me that I could take the gauge with me down the aisle. That saved me a lot of time. I had already been picking and choosing for bout an hour and a half. My friend was getting tired of carrying his gun, and my brother was getting tired of carrying my cutrrent choice. Walking down the aisle with MW gauge, I was dismayed to find that out of about 40 Rack grade Danes and Greeks, only about 5 would register on the MW gauge. I finally started looking at the US Rack grades. Many more of these were gauging, lost of 2 and 3's on the MW. The problem was that the ones with reasonable TE were high SN Springfields, either late 45 production or 50's. So my search continued.
After about another half-hour, I just finally went back to the Greek rack grade H&R. I decided if I couldn't get a WWII vintage US rack grade, I was going to save $100 and get the H&R. So I go up to the counter.
The nice guy there noticed I was a little sad, so he asked what I was looking for. I told him I really wanted a Springfield WWII Rack, with simply a shootable barrel. Well, he headed to the back, and came out with two rack grades, both of WWII vintage. One had a beautiful stock, 1943 reciever, and a MW 2 and TE 3. The other was another 43 reciever, original barrel, with a MW of 1.5 and TE of 4, and not any corrosion at all. Maybe a hint of frostyness, but even better than most of the service grades I seen.
I then became happy, and got the one with the original barrel. I didn't really want to spend the extra money, but decided that that's what I really wanted, and many years from now I wouldn't even remember the extra $50.
Bottom line is, I am real impressed by the guys at CMP. They put up with me for two and a half hours, which is quite an accomplishment. In the end, all I had to do was ask nicely, and I got exactly what I wanted (well, I really wanted a 6 digit SN, but that's OK). They are there to satisfy you, not to make money. When I get more money, I am definitely going back for more. Maybe an 03, maybe one of the target .22's. Eventually, both, and whatever else happens to be floating around at that time.
It all started with a 4 hour drive, from Midland to Camp Perry. Thankfully, there was no snow, wrecks, or traffice jams. Mapquest did me wrong again, though. Instead of saying 'Drive in the main gates of Camp Perry' all it did was to give me 'Lawrence Ave', and as you would guess it, the roads are not labeled. So I drove an extra 10 miles, before simply turning around and driving in the main gate. Guard gave me no trouble getting in, but wasn't the friendliest. Then again, I probably woudn't be either if I had to sit in a little hut all day directing traffic.
I was quite suprised at how small the store was. After I got over that, I was suprised at hw many guns they had, compared to similiar sized gun shops. My main objective was to find a decent Springfield WWII vintage Greek or Dane rack grade for me, and simply a good Greek rack for my friend. It was simple for him. Walk in, and siting in the rack is a newly stocked Greek H&R. MW of 3 and TE of 3. Well, one gun down, one to go. And much easier said than done.
After searching around for a while, I found a Dane 6 digit rack grade, promisingly labeled MW 3 and TE 3. Thinking I had my perfect gun, I walked up to the front counter. I decided to have it gauged in front of me, just n case. Good Choice. TE was 3, but the muzzle gauge dropped right down to the shoulder. Didn't even gauge, on a 3 gauge. The guy told me it wsas possible it was still a good shooter, but if I were him, I'd keep looking. So I did.
After taking about 15 different guns up to the counter to be gauged, he informed me that I could take the gauge with me down the aisle. That saved me a lot of time. I had already been picking and choosing for bout an hour and a half. My friend was getting tired of carrying his gun, and my brother was getting tired of carrying my cutrrent choice. Walking down the aisle with MW gauge, I was dismayed to find that out of about 40 Rack grade Danes and Greeks, only about 5 would register on the MW gauge. I finally started looking at the US Rack grades. Many more of these were gauging, lost of 2 and 3's on the MW. The problem was that the ones with reasonable TE were high SN Springfields, either late 45 production or 50's. So my search continued.
After about another half-hour, I just finally went back to the Greek rack grade H&R. I decided if I couldn't get a WWII vintage US rack grade, I was going to save $100 and get the H&R. So I go up to the counter.
The nice guy there noticed I was a little sad, so he asked what I was looking for. I told him I really wanted a Springfield WWII Rack, with simply a shootable barrel. Well, he headed to the back, and came out with two rack grades, both of WWII vintage. One had a beautiful stock, 1943 reciever, and a MW 2 and TE 3. The other was another 43 reciever, original barrel, with a MW of 1.5 and TE of 4, and not any corrosion at all. Maybe a hint of frostyness, but even better than most of the service grades I seen.
I then became happy, and got the one with the original barrel. I didn't really want to spend the extra money, but decided that that's what I really wanted, and many years from now I wouldn't even remember the extra $50.
Bottom line is, I am real impressed by the guys at CMP. They put up with me for two and a half hours, which is quite an accomplishment. In the end, all I had to do was ask nicely, and I got exactly what I wanted (well, I really wanted a 6 digit SN, but that's OK). They are there to satisfy you, not to make money. When I get more money, I am definitely going back for more. Maybe an 03, maybe one of the target .22's. Eventually, both, and whatever else happens to be floating around at that time.