South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

ROK’s Gift to American Firearms Enthusiasts
by James Na
September 25th, 2009.

http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/09/2...asts/#comments

My apologies to Richardson and the readers of this blog for months of silence (I will write an explanation at some point). But here is some good news from South Korea if you are a gun nut like I am:

South Korea’s defence ministry has announced plans to sell up to 86,000 M1 Garand rifles to gun enthusiasts and collectors in the United States. Along with a reported 22,000 M1 carbine rifles, the total value of firearms for sale exceeds $100 million.

Okay, so technically these are not a gift (in fact, we gave them to the Koreans a while back), but they are a gift in the sense that M1 Garand rifles in good condition are drying up fast in the U.S. and a fresh supply is always a gift to gun buyers interested in these historically significant firearms.

More on the details here. Oddly, the ROK military is keeping 640,000 M1 Carbines for the reserves. Now, M1 Carbines are nifty little guns: simple, easy to shoot, has low recoil and very handy. They are, however, a bit underpowered (they chamber an intermediate cartridge that is somewhere between a rifle and handgun in power). Surely, in this day of 6.8mm Rem when there is endless debate about whether the standard 5.56mm NATO cartridge is potent enough, M1 Carbines are a bit backward in addition to being archaic for military service.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

If these are on par with the Blue Sky Imports M1 Garands and M1 Carbines (from Korea) of the mid-'80s, expect complete junk not even suitable for spare parts.

The receivers are salvageable, and perhaps the trigger group imo, so the most they're worth are what a receiver is worth to you.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

Word has it that they will be sold through CMP, if that is the case, they will be graded correctly and even the bottom grades will be fine for me.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

Have you ever seen any of the Blue Sky Imports guns? That's is the grade of US rifles the S. Koreans have.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

I guess I was lucky with my Arlington Ordnance (AKA Blue Sky) M1 Garand. Great barrel, no hassles at all with the weapon.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

I thought they had passed a law preventing the import of "military" rifles.

So is it only allowed if the CMP contractors get the profit?

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

Not an import, they were originally US .mil issue that was sent over there, now they are returning them to us.

CMP has a very good grading process, and from what I am aware of, CMP handles all sales by themselves and do not contract out.

These are originally US made M1s, so foreign manufacture laws (Section 922(r)) should not apply.

IANAL

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

Yes, they are of US origin but there was some law passed during the Clinton years that prevented the RE-IMPORT of US military firearms that had been exported.

Still trying to figure out if this Korean thing, if true, represents a change or just the old "it's not allowed unless we want to do it" thing.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

Knowing the .gov, the latter is probably spot on.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

Skyvike, we can't get M14s back, "once a mg, always an mg". On Garands and carbines (not m2s) they're legal.

These are NOT coming through the CMP, but a private importer. My guess would be Century, but I haven't heard anything yet. They also said something like 80k garands and 30k carbines, valued at...wait for it... a grand a piece.

Koreans are notoriously hard on rifles, I don't think I'd want one for 300.:bawling:

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

They are not going to the CMP. Korea is currently in negotiation with 4 US importers. Probably end up at SOG or Sarco. Regardless, the expected condition is somewhat worse than the old "Blue Sky" imports from the late 80's.

Re: South Korea to Sell 86k M1 Garand's to USA
 

I believe you are correct, but i think it was part of the crime bill,(which has lapsed)