Sep 15 2007
Bubba’ized M1 Garand.
Marko has a post up showing a Sporterized M1 Garand that was for sale at an online auction site. While it’s one of the nicer “bubba’d” Milsurps I’ve seen I cannot help but inwardly cringe when I think of the original rifle being treated so poorly.
Original auction and detailed pics are located here (it sold for $500 and change, what’s a Milsurp M1 go for South of the line?).
I prefer my M1 retain it’s classic look thanks.
What do you think? Piece of history or sporting rifle?
I’d love to have a Garand, myself.
The piece of history version, that is.
Personally, my preference in sporter rifles runs to clean lines, sharp checkering, and satin finished wood. You can keep the white line spacers, high gloss finish, Monte Carlo comb and cheekpiece, thank you very much. Even in a rifle that came that way from the factory, they just look…gaudy.
I own an 8mm German Mauser inherited from my old man that I still hunt with. Unfortunately, it was (tastefully) Bubba-ized before Dad got it, but I’d have loved to have it in the original condition.
Jesus Mary and Moses, what was the guy thinking. Sorry, but some rifles are history and should not be “Bubba-ized” ever.
This rates about as high on the “What the hell-o-meter” as the
guy that painted a Dilorean (Red no less).
My only hope is that the previous owner burns his trailer down
in a meth cooking accident.
“Bubba-ized”, it’s wrong, just wrong.
AD: I love my Garand. I got a classic case of buck fever when I bought that rifle, $350 (CDN) it cost me, I was so taken with the rifle that I entirely failed to give it a proper once over and just handed the money over.
The rifle was toast. Badly pitted and corroded barrel, worn and mismatched parts, a dead lady bug in the receiver and battered furniture.
I saw it for what it could be and not what it was. What it turned out to be was an education on the platform, as I rebarreled it, refinished the parts and replaced the furniture with a Boyds Walnut stock.
It is now the rifle I saw that day, it’s one that’s staying in my collection period.
Michael: I agree. Mangling history is not my cup of tea. I like the old milsurps as they were, historical and classic. As AD pointed out, there are plenty of modern sporter rifles that I can use my money to buy without butchering a classic.
Piet: Hehe… too true.