First off, the CMP still sells M1s (Service Grade) for $625.
Yes US Service rifles prices are up, and they will go up further. Its supply and demand. The supply is down on USGI as issued guns as so many have been modified, or sporterized if you will.
Just like old cars, the older they get, the more that end up in the junk yards. Its the same with everything.
You add to that dwindling supply a increased demand, prices are going up.
The demand is there and its going to increase. One of the fastest growing sports in shooting is the CMP GSM games. This sport is getting rather popular. Go to their web site and check the numbers of competitors in the CMP Games at the Nationals. Then to make the games more available to everyone who cant make it to Perry, you have the Eastern Games, Western Games, Oklahoma City Games and had Matches at Cody WY.
To add the CMP run games the CMP created a program where they train existing firearm instructors to create CMP GSM Master Instructors through out the country to put on clinics and matches throughout the country.
These vintage rifle matches are increasing in popularity.
Then to increase the games further, they created the Vintage sniper matches (using sniper rifles used to the end of the Korean War, 1954 or older).
I like this as one can find cheap "booger'ed Springfield's" and convert them into M1903a4 or M1941s. Several suppliers (Gun Parts Corp, Sarco, J&G, etc) do have supplies of parts and even actions that can be used to build these rifles. The original scopes prices for Vintage Snipers have sky rocketed also but several companies are making replica scopes that are authorized by CMP rules.
Yes vintage service rifle prices are going up, and will continue to go up, demand is going up. I just don't see prices coming down.
Still CMP GSM Games popularity is growing. It's still a sport one can get into relatively cheap. It doesn't take the huge expenditure of funds High Power, or Precision Rifle shooting does, those sports people show up with $2000 guns, $2000 range finders and $1500 scopes. Something the average shooter cant afford.
In one of the first CMP GSM matches I ran, the winner of the match went to Cabela's the night before the match, paid $99 for a mosin, bought some cheap surplus ammo and his first rounds out of that rifle was the 5 sighters before the slow fire prone stage.
Another thing about the CMP GSM games (excluding the vintage sniper which if fired at 300-600 yards) clubs only need 100 or 200 yards to conduct the matches.
In short, yes prices are coming up, they will go up further. But its a sport one can get into relatively cheaply compared to other rifle competitions.
Its a sport for juniors, women, young and old. Its about fundamentals more the equipment. Because of that the sport is growing, with the growth comes demand, and demand caused prices to go up.
It wont get any better. But if one searches, he can buy or put a vintage military rifle together cheaper then he can a rifle for the other rifle shooting venues out there.
To go cheaper, the CMP has added a Modern Military Rifle Category where one can use AKs, SKS" ARs, FAL's etc. Check the rules though, this category also had guidelines to keep the rifles from being tricked out, making the games fair to all.
