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CMP customers have many reasons why they purchase MI Garands. Some customers are competitors who hope to find the perfect match grade rifle, others are collectors in search of the perfect restoration project, but the one thing most of our customers have in common is a desire to own a piece of history.
In 2004, CMP began a customer feedback web page on our website which has since received thousands of responses. Many of the responses are similar, usually a costumer leaving a brief comment about the rifle they recently purchased, and we truly appreciate the feedback. But occasionally, someone will share a truly touching story about their CMP M1 and we would like to share a few of those stories with you. For these customers, their CMP M1 Garand is truly more than just a rifle.
February 08, 2006 4:07 PM
To all at CMP:
Hello,
Thank you all so very much! We received our rifle Friday and spent the whole weekend cleaning, inspecting, familiarizing ourselves with it, refinished the stock etc.
But there is something I need to tell you. Words can not express it but I will try anyway. Please bear with me as it is a bit of a story.
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| During the Western CMP Games, the CMP displayed rifles for competitors to inspect. The next Western CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches will take place at Camp Pendleton on 4-12 November 2006. |
We are not rich people. We can not afford some of the really nice firearms we see so many people with. Thus, we of course would have liked to purchase one of the higher grade rifles. As usual I got hit with some bills at the wrong time. So when it came time to go to the match we were a bit sad. However, at the western games you guys did something unique and special in my mind. You brought rifles with you and let us actually pick. This was more important to us than you can imagine. So I taught my son what to look for i.e. metal, mechanics barrel etc. Don't worry about the cosmetics of the wood I instructed. Of course we didn't make it to the tables early so we were at the back of the line or the mob I should say. Thus, I was a bit worried the good picks would be gone. Everyone was very polite though and soon my son found one. At first it didn't look so hot. He picked it up then put it down - several times. However, he just seemed to keep gravitating toward it. Yes, as corny as it sounds it was like it was calling. Then I also looked at it. The stock and hand guards were a bit of an eye sore but the metal and mechanics were actually nice. So I asked an armorer to gauge it. It was really tight but this was a rack grade rifle? He was busy so he said, “oh that can't be right there must be rust, packed hard grease or some obstruction or something,” and quickly moved on to the next guy who had questions. Ok, we put it down. Moments pass and others pick it up and put it down. My son though just kept staring at it. “Ok, wait a minute kid. Let me go find that guy with the bore light so we can be sure,” I said.
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| CMP Armorer, Lynne Meredith, assists customers with inspecting the rifles on display.
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More time passes and I can't find him as more people continue to pick up the rifle. Finally I said, "Son just hold it until I can get back with a bore light". Well he did. He just stood there holding it. Probably to him it must have seemed like forever. I finally made it back to the tables. When I looked through the barrel with the light it was clean except for a small spot of rust about half way down. "Ok son," I said, "take this rifle over to the armorer again, only this time with this light and ask him what he thinks." The armorer looked at it and said, “Hmmmmmm.” Then he gauges the muzzle and then gauges the throat and said, "Woe - really tight." He then looks down the barrel with the light and as he slowly pulls the rifle away from his eye with this gentle, but big grin on his face. My son smiles back at him and there is this surreal moment, a pause where the two of them just look at each other right in the face smiling with no words, just silence. Then, still looking right at my boy and still smiling, he said, "Wow, this should be a good shooter. That little bit of rust should brush right out."
Yes indeed, it was unusually good for a rack grade rifle. Why then was it rack? Was it because of the stock or the rust spot in the center of the barrel? Or was it because of the previously pitted portions of the receiver that was covered by the stock which we discovered when we took it apart? Was it fate? We are not sure. All I can tell you is this, after the entire weekend of refurbishing the stock and metal etc. this rifle is now a really beautiful sight. The small rust in the center did brush out with only minor pitting. My gunsmith said, “All looks good, it does measure tight and we did a good job of refinishing.” My boy is so proud and of course, so am I. We will test fire it soon and we are assured by our gunsmith and our local CMP guys here that it will probably be more than just fine.
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| Everett and Dylan Cleland pose for a picture during the Western CMP Games in Camp Pendleton, CA. Picture courtesy of Nelson Green. |
I can not thank all of you there at CMP enough. We now own a piece of history. If only this rifle could talk what stories would it tell? I know the stories that my father’s .30 Carbine, which my mother still has, would tell from his days at Iwo Jima in the Army Aircorp. I tell my son of how he and others had to go in while the island was "still hot" to help get the air strip set up and the communications tower up and of how he saw what the Marines went through. I tell him about the night snipers that would sneak down from their caves and take shots at my father while he was on the airstrip and of how his .30 Carbine would return fire with the full fury of the U.S. spirit. I also tell my son how all the U.S Marines felt when they saw that first wounded B-29 land, and they knew what all it was all for. We don't know the stories this particular rifle, a mighty U.S. .30 caliber M1 Garand, could tell. But I know this it now has a "new home" back in America where it is still serving its country. How? It is teaching a mere boy many things such as, safety, respect, discipline, and that with great power comes great responsibility. It is true living history, and yes, it is also teaching him how to have a lot of fun too. If you could only see the smile on this little boys face.
All this because "you" took the time to put all those rifles in a truck, load and unload crates, and put on a match. You set them out on a table, cataloged and wrote down our name, and the drove and drove and drove all the way back.
But know this; you personally delivered much, much more than just a rifle. Oh yes!.........
A whole lot more!
Sincerely,
Everett and son Dylan Cleland
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