Very First M-1 to win the Very First National John C. Garand Match

[fnra#3]

We will be offering this fine piece of John C. Garand Match History at Live Auction at our Annual Fund Raising Banquet this year at the Auburn Cord Dusenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana on May the 4th 2012
Anyone interested in this amazing piece of History can contact me personally at 1-260-610-4862 or e-mail the committee at fnra3@yahoo.com the serial number of the rifle is 5376706 and it was used by a gentlemen by the name of Charlie Goettermoller to win the First John C. Garand Match at Camp Perry Ohio on August 8th, 1998
The rifle was from the "RACK" at Bellmont High Schools Rifle Club and was just a simple CMP purchase.
We have the paperwork from the CMP congratulating him on his winning the First Winner of the John C. Garand Match with a score of 281-03x
If you are interested in this amazing piece of John C. Garand History please do not hesitate to contact us as the bids are steadily growing.
Thanks for your time,
Jon Bechtold
Secretary FNRA#3

[cplnorton]

Haha, small world. I know Charlie and have probably shot that rifle before. I live 20 minutes from him.

[BulldogMack]

Could it really be worth that much? Honest question.

[cplnorton]

No I really doubt it. The condition of the M1's at Bellmont high school are in pretty bad shape 10 years ago when I seen them. I couldn't imagine what they are like now.

I would maybe put a 10% premium over a normal service grade, but the last time I talked with Charlie (several years ago) he told me they all really needed rebarreled. So I doubt it's even in service grade condition anymore.

I think they are just trying to excite people to make stupid bids.

[fnra#3]

It is not bout the shootability of the rifle, it is about the HISTORY of the rifle.
It was the first rifle to win the vey first John C. Garand match.
How many of those rifles do you own?

[cplnorton]

Yeah I don't really see it personally. And I've bought several M1 rifles off Charlie over the years, including some he has used in competitions. So I have owned a few of them and no I didn't put any extra value on them. I've also owned Navy trophy rifles which I would value much higher than this one.

To each his own but I don't see it being worth that much. Especially the condition of those rifles. I would imagine it's in rack grade conditon now, with a shotgun barrel.

[BulldogMack]

OK I agree also , unless part of your life revolves around the CMP and all I dont see any money there. Not like Mr Garand shot or signed it there. Just the first one to win the CMP comp. , im sure it will get bids and all , theres die hard CMP people out there.

[Johnny in Texas]

It should be on display at CMP maybe?

[cplnorton]

You know I was thinking about this last night and something came to my mind. Those Bellmont High School Garands were loaned to them from the cmp for matches and such, they weren't bought. In fact I asked Charlie about purchasing some of them at his house about 4 years ago and he told me he wasn't able to sell them as they belonged to the cmp. If that is the case, would these rifles have been legal to sell?

Also Charlie had a ton of M1's he built up for competition. Private purchase rifles. How would you know for sure that is the one he used in the first competition? Did the cmp keep track of the serial number of the rifle used to win the competition? If they didn't, how do you know it's the one Charlie used?

Charlie is a very, very honest man. And I would believe anything the man told me without question. But thinking about the last conversation I had with him on those Garands, something doesn't seem right to me.

I wonder if I still have his number laying around somewhere. I might give him a call on this if I can find it.

[BulldogMack]

Do if you can , id ike to folow this story up.