# Civilian Marksmanship Program: Firearms from the Gov't.



## Bill Mattocks (Apr 2, 2009)

I know this has been mentioned before, a year or so ago (see, I can so use the search function), but I thought it would bear repeating for perhaps some of the newer members.

If you are a US citizen, legally permitted to own firearms, and belong to one of the many organizations listed, you can purchase surplus firearms and sometimes ammunition directly from the US government, and have them shipped to your house.

Most of the firearms are M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, and occasionally M1917 Enfields and so on, but they do sometimes have 22 caliber target rifles (Kimber and Mossberg) and air rifles and etc.  They do not sell automatic weapons, sorry.  No pistols either.

http://www.thecmp.org/

The prices are OK.  Sometimes a deal, sometimes not so much - but with current shortages in gun shops, they might be a better deal at the moment than they usually are.

It used be more of a chore to get your M1 Garand or whatever from the CMP than it is now.  You used to have to join the NRA and shoot in a 'for score' hi-power match, get your local police chief to OK the purchase, get fingerprinted at the local PD, and you could only buy one rifle per lifetime (then they changed it to one per year, now it is unlimited, I think).

I believe that if and when new gun control regulations come down on us from the federal government, one of the first things they'll do is shut down the CMP.  So if you ever had a desire to own the actual rifle that won WWII, now might be your time.  These are not replicas or modern weapons - these are actual issued rifles from WWII that have been kept in storage, then cleaned up, test-fired, and made ready for use.


----------



## Grenadier (Apr 2, 2009)

The DCM / CMP M1 Garand rifles are actually in pretty good condition.  Some are going to need a good bit of tender loving care / fluff 'n buff, but in the end, each one I've seen has been a really nice shooter.  Right now, I think they're still selling the surplus rifles that were originally given to the Danish folks.  

Nothing like the ol' PING sound of the 8 shot stripper clip flying out...


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Apr 2, 2009)

Grenadier said:


> The DCM / CMP M1 Garand rifles are actually in pretty good condition.  Some are going to need a good bit of tender loving care / fluff 'n buff, but in the end, each one I've seen has been a really nice shooter.  Right now, I think they're still selling the surplus rifles that were originally given to the Danish folks.
> 
> Nothing like the ol' PING sound of the 8 shot stripper clip flying out...



According to Shotgun News and other magazines I read, there are some companies out there who specialize in a complete overhaul of newly-acquired CMP Garands and Carbines at a reasonable price.

I helped my dad get one a number of years ago; he treasured it. It was just a wall-hanger for him, but it was a remembrance of the time he spent in the Marines.  I need to get myself one now.


----------



## cdunn (Apr 2, 2009)

I learned to shoot on one of those DCM / CMP Mossberg .22s. It was a fine gun, and we abused the crap out of them at the club.


----------



## Deaf Smith (Apr 2, 2009)

A friend of mine has the, I guess, whole set from the CMP.

M1 Garand
M1 Carbine
03 Springfield (NOT 03A3 but the orgional 03!)
1917 Enfield.

I've shot them all (we went out to the range and I showed him how to take them all appart.) They were all in quite good condition and the Carbine shot very well, 10 shots strait into the size of a quater (and dead on) at 25 yards off hand (yes I was doing the shooting.)

They are all good guns!

Deaf


----------



## sgtmac_46 (Apr 3, 2009)

Take advantage of this program while it still exists.


----------

