CMP Custom Shop

[Sanford]

Interesting, had heard of the possibility but didn't realize it was opening this soon.

Over the years, many Civilian Marksmanship Program firearms purchasers have asked if the CMP would consider offering reliable, reasonably-priced and prompt maintenance, repair and upgrade of USGI-issue rifles. The CMP has responded and the answer is "YES" we will.

Effective October 1, 2013, the CMP Custom Shop will open for business, providing a wide variety of repair, upgrade and custom services for a wide range of U.S. Military rifles, specifically those issued in early eras.

 

[Perplexed]

I have mixed feelings about this: on the one hand it'd be great to get a mixmaster M1 rebarreled with a better USGI barrel, for example; on the other hand, I wonder if we'll start seeing perfectly good mixmaster M1's showing up at gunshows with a "genuine CMP Custom Shop!" glass bedding job. That'd kill the value of the M1 for me unless I happened to have a M1 stock that has not received a bubba job, whether CMP-performed or not; even then, I'd want the price adjusted closer to that of a barreled receiver.

 

[HackerF15E]

I think it'll become obvious in subsequent years which rifles are "CMP Sales" originals, and which have simply been worked over by CMP Custom Shop, and just like now, the value will completely depend on the buyer. I believe there will always be a little additional value to a papered DCM or CMP sales rifle.

I think it's a pretty good idea, personally, although it definitely seems to signal that there's not going to be much of an ongoing future at the CMP for milsurp sales (ergo, GI M-14 and M-16/M4 parts kits).

 

[Sanford]

I have mixed feelings about this...

Yep - there are some potential down sides. I see it mostly as the ability to obtain repair or other services from a smith or armorer with experience working on vintage military rifles - something that's becoming a bit of a rarity in many places.