It appears from the photos that the wood on those rifles is not GI, but rather CMP reproduction (has the CMP Cartouche). That's not necessarily a bad thing...it's very nice walnut furniture, but it's not original GI if that matters to you.

IMO the big value add to this program is the ability to select a .308 since that's what you're after. I bought a "Special Rack" grade rifle in .30-06 a few years ago that had most of this stuff done to it and also included a new production criterion barrel and it was only $650. I don't necessarily see the .30-06 option being worth the extra money in this case, but the .308 guns are less common and demand a premium, and this seems like a good way to make sure you get a nice one.

Part of the fun for me with the CMP is the excitement of sending in your app and waiting to see what you get. Here's my pair..."special rack" in the back, service grade in the front. I've since oiled the stocks up and put national match sights on the special rack. They're both good shooters, and both came with CMP wood.

The CMP stocks tend to be very nice. They are a bit on the rough side and really are thirsty for some boiled linseed oil. A fine sanding and several light layers of BLO results in a very nice finished product. If you are really after authentic looking there are various stains/finishes that will give you that dark reddish tint. I left mine with the original walnut stain and they look great.

^ yup. Since that picture was taken I've oiled up both of those stocks and they came out very nice.

I can see the excitement of waiting to see what you get from the CMP lottery; but I have the impression, rightly or wrongly, that the quality on offer has declined over the years. Since i am not really a collector and just want one really nice one for shooting, I am delighted I have the “Custom Shop” option. I will get a call from an armorer, and I guess he will give me some options.
In years past I thought about getting an M1 from The Garand Guy, but he seems not so active these days; and the offering from CMP seems to be closer to what I would want.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
I can see the excitement of waiting to see what you get from the CMP lottery; but I have the impression, rightly or wrongly, that the quality on offer has declined over the years.

Yes and no. CMP has always accurately graded their rifles. They're totally transparent about what to expect. And the grading standards have remained the same.

It's just that the rifles from 20ish years ago, that were coming from places like Greece and Denmark, were very well taken care of. So most of the rifles you got well exceeded the minimum standards for that grade.

Whereas nowadays, most of the rifles are from places like Turkey and the Philippines where they saw a lot more wear and use, and where they weren't taken care of as well. So they tend to fall more towards the bottom end of the scale for that grade.

You're still getting a rifle that qualifies as a Field Grade or Service Grade or whatever. But gone are the days of expecting a Service Grade with at least some wear and then being delighted to receive a rifle that's in nearly new condition.

quote:

Since i am not really a collector and just want one really nice one for shooting, I am delighted I have the “Custom Shop” option.

Yep. That's what things like the Expert Grade, CMP Special, and Custom Shop rifles are for: Those who prioritize cosmetic condition and shooting performance over historical/collectible value.