"CMP is okay but you have to buy a membership and all that other crap."
If you are implying that you must join the CMP that is wrong. If you are implying that you must be a member of an affiliated club, then that is correct. Regardless, I am not sure how that translates into "all that other crap". When I went to the CMP North store, the guys there were as helpful as any gun shop I have ever been in. They showed me how to check the M1s, how to gauge them, and even gave some good pointers on other things.
I have had my CMP-acquired M1 Garand for about three weeks now and it is a beautiful rifle that shoots better than I can. The muzzle and bore tested to very tight specs on the two that I bought. These were two Springfield rifles with 5.8 million serial numbers (around 1955? I think). I don't know how well a well used Korean M1 would test out. Would be nice to own a Carbne though. The CMPs carbines are rough, really rough, imo.