I am thinking of maybe making a day trip up to the CMP store at Port Clinton. I see they are by appointment only right now, is it worth the trip? I thought I might see what they have in service-grade Garands.

I was there in July. They had a good selection of different grades of M1 Garlands and some Springfield rifles as well as ammunition and accessories. Your selection will be much better than what you see online and you get to check them out in person. The guys there are very helpful as well. If you want to buy an M1 Garand this is your best bet!

I was there 2-3 years back helping a buddy that is not a "Garand guy" pick his first Garand.

Sadly, the experience was not what it was back in the "good old days", but we found him a nice rifle and we brought it home and I went through it with him, cleaned it, gauged a number of things, lubed it and he hasn't fired it yet.

It was a 5 hour drive one way for us.

Knowing that the service grades of 2020 are not the service grates of the early 2000's, a trip might be a good idea if you want to see what you are getting. That is not to say that nice rifles aren't still shipping via mail order obviously.

My buddy and I made a pilgrimage out there about 2 years ago. We got up before dawn and drove 3 hours to get there before it opened...which is saying something for two night-shifters. Sadly, I was very underwhelmed by the selection...it was pretty picked over and there were a lot of empty spaces on the racks. There were a few decent service grades for $1100-$1200, some M1Ds for upwards of $3000, and a few absolutely horrible rack grades for between $550 and $900. No fun surprises like 03-a3s or carbines, either. Neither of us ended up buying anything.

Thankfully the story has a happy ending. I ended up ordering a special rack grade through the CMP online store a few months later for $650. I ended up with a rifle built on a 1942 lead-dipped receiver, and I absolutely love it. It's a great shooter (which is what I wanted), and is way nicer and cost far less than anything I saw during our visit to the North Store. I'm glad I didn't let what I saw at the store color my decision making...the CMP still has a lot of good stuff to offer...it just may not be out on the shelves.

I live in Port Clinton. It’s been almost 2 years since I’ve been in there. The selection was so so. Personally, if they allow the rifle matches next year, I would wait and combine a trip up here at that time. Even vendors row at the matches is not what it used to be but the matches themselves are fun. I knew a couple guys that worked and retired from CMP out there, it definately is not what it used to be, things were very picked over when I last was there. Depending on what you are looking for, it could be hit or miss.

Wait....so the prices of the ones in the store are NOT the same as getting one online??

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInWV:
Wait....so the prices of the ones in the store are NOT the same as getting one online??

The prices are the same IIRC. However there were more options when I was there, including rifles that were prepped for matches and ones that were refinished with or without new wood.

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInWV:
Wait....so the prices of the ones in the store are NOT the same as getting one online??

Correct, that was not my experience. When I was there, what they had on the racks did not line up with what I expected from the website. However, their stock was very picked over, so that may have had something to do with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Oaklane:
I live in Port Clinton. It’s been almost 2 years since I’ve been in there. The selection was so so. Personally, if they allow the rifle matches next year, I would wait and combine a trip up here at that time. Even vendors row at the matches is not what it used to be but the matches themselves are fun. I knew a couple guys that worked and retired from CMP out there, it definately is not what it used to be, things were very picked over when I last was there. Depending on what you are looking for, it could be hit or miss.

good advice,


also check over on the CMP forum, sometimes folks post was is in stock and not,

and ditto Commercial row, and the NM's

.22 caliber match ammo is 350 per 5k as of last week.