Breaking – CMP To Receive 86,000 M1 Garands from the Philippines
Rob Reed 04.07.17
Good news for fans of the M1 Garand. The Civilian Marksmanship Program is expected to receive 86,000 of these surplus WWII rifles from the government of the Philippines.
This is according to Gina Johnson, General Manager of the CMP South operations in Alabama.
Johnson provided the information late on Friday, April 7, in response to a discussion at The M1 Garand Enthusiasts Group public Facebook page.
“…(the) CMP will be receiving the rifles once the Phillipines prepares them for shipment. CMP reimburses the Army transportation costs of getting these rifles back as they have with every other shipment sent to us. We do not know when these rifles will be shipped back, but they have been approved…” Johnson said in a post to that group.
These rifles were provided to the Philippines government through the Military Assistance Program, or a similar program, as military aid. This type of program essentially replaced the WWII-era “Lend Lease” program and supplied arms and aid to U.S. allies across the world. Since these rifles were loaned, not purchased outright, they are eligible for return to the U.S. Army and then the CMP.
While there is no report on the condition of these specific rifles, the return of any M1 Garand to the U.S. through distribution by the CMP is good news.
The CMP’s mission to promote firearms safety and marksmanship training, with an emphasis on youth activities, is funded through the sale of firearms to qualified U.S. citizens. For more information on how to qualify to purchase a CMP firearm read the CMP’s Eligibility Requirements.
