The CMP sells surplus military surplus arms to support its purpose of promoting civilian marksmanship. I think, and hope they have made millions in the past decade selling carbines, M1s, 1903s, P17s and Krags. So far they can't touch M14s because there is a full-auto capability. It's easy to permanently disable.
I like M14s and have shot a lot of them, both military and civilian rifles. It's an improved Garand that shoots .308 ammo. Never killed a deer with one but shot them in matches and while teaching Squad Designated Marksman Schools for the Army. The only one I ever owned was stolen while it was at the house of the guy who co-owned it with me. It was a Springfield Armory National Match in an Eagle case. Leather sling. Serial Number 056616. I miss it.
Update: January match at Panola is going to feature .30 caliber. Nice time to shoot the old iron. Probably going to break out the Garand, though I could shoot the 1903A3 or the Swiss. Or the Swede. Choices, choices...
3 comments:
My opinion is to lay low for a few years. Please don't bring this petition to the next administration. I think the CMP is under the radar of the Obama/Biden/Pelosi anti-2nd amendment rights people that will run the government. If we draw attention to the CMP, then they will shut it down. After all there are many drive-by gang shootings and drive-by bayonetings with 60 year old WWII surplus wooden stock rifles (sarcasm)
Sorry, Blackfork, but this info is a bit dated. Along about '94, Clinton directed the Army dispose of or destroy the M14's in storage, for the sole purpose of preventing their (eventual) sale through the DCM. He issued an executive order directing the Army to stop transferring surplus rifles and ammo to DCM, also that 1911's be destroyed. In mid-to-late 95, if I recall correctly, Clinton managed to shut down the DCM permanently. In '96 Congress gave him the finger by resurrecting the DCM as a private corporation (CMP). Unfortunately, the compromises required to do that precluded CMP's charter from allowing them to sell 1911's, but by that point most of them had been destroyed anyway - the company that was bandsawing M1's and M14's and running 1911's through a crusher had been running 3 shifts for a couple of years by that point.
Clinton managed to get 750,000 m14 rifles sold to foreign countries (a dollar apiece) or (mostly) destroyed. The remaining rifles were primarily used by the USN for shipboard security and line-throwing.
Last year most of the Navy's rifles were returned to Crane, refurbished, and re-issued as designated marksman rifles. Rumor has it that there may be an attempt to repurchase the rifles dumped on foreign governments. The Army wants every one it can get its' hands on. They certainly aren't destroying any serviceable rifles.
Unfortunately, the CMP's days are numbered. The rifles and carbines they are selling now are lend-lease returns from foreign governments, US stocks having been exhausted a few years ago. Once the lend-leasers are gone (or some president or another - not mentioning Ony names here - bans their re-import) that will be that.
Not much is spoken about he disposition of the ~40,000 M14s given freely to Lithuania. And the same to Estonia.
Perhaps an email/letter to both embassies defense attaché/section would get a return explanation?
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