The Garand Collectors Association

From the GCA office Blog….

NOW’S THE TIME TO JOIN GCA!! : Click Here

2013 RENEWAL SEASON IS HERE!!!! : Click Here

Remember you can Renew or Join on line via our online store with your Master of Visa Credit Card.
To do so, if you don’t have an account in the GCA store, first create one. Click Here
Then go to “Membership” area of the store, and select New or Renew.

If you want to renew or join the old fashion way, (by Postal Mail or Fax):
Download the PDF of the 2012-2013 membership Renewal Form here.
For new members , download the PDF of the GCA Membership Application here.

This is the time of year, through the Fall you should follow the GCA Office Blog, to keep up to date with hints and status of the membership rush.
The fine folks , hard at work in the GCA membership office, with new membership application and renewals up to their ears,  use the GCA Office Blog to keep the members up to date about the rush.

Updated the Camp Perry page with the latest article about shooting at Camp Perry, and the GCA reimbursement forms.
Click Here

Updated: Results posted on the CMP Website.

Click on the link to view the posted results.

http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_eventAward.cgi?matchID=7546&eventID=1&awardID=1

Brad Campbell, California (L) shoots in the GCA Match at Phoenix, Arizona.
Scoring is Jake Spawn, Goodyear, Arizona (R).
Photo by Jim Spawn

CMP sales booth at GCA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
Photo by Jim Spawn

2011 Garand Match winners.
L-R:
GCA’s Steve Rutledge, Chairman of the CMP Board of Directors Judith Legerski, Michael Miller, High Senior, Robert Rathburn, Garand Match Winner, and Orest Michaels, COO of CMP.
Photo by Jim Spawn

Winner of the GCA Rifle Raffle.
L-R:
GCA Directors Jim Adell, Steve Rutledge, winner Mark D’ Aversa, and Tony Pucci.
Photo by Jim Spawn

GCA Founder Daniel Richard “Dick” Deane passed away on Monday, September 19th, after a long battle with cancer.

His family held a memorial service on Monday, September 26th at 5:00 PM at the First Christian Church in Richmond, KY.  A celebration of his life was held in the Fellowship Hall following the service.

The information for the 2011 GCA convention has been updated.

Please read the 2011 GCA Convention page.

The registration form for the convention is now available for download on that page as well.

http://www.thegca.org/2011-gca-convention

Renew online in the GCA Store…

http://www.thegca.org/store/membership_renewals.html

Or download the forms to mail or fax in…

http://www.thegca.org/membership

It’s time to renew your GCA Membership!!  Here are some tips to speed up the process for everyone.

As you all know, GCA Memberships expire on September 1. Renewal forms are distributed with the Summer edition of the GCA Journal each year, so if you’ve received your Summer ’11 GCA Journal, you should have received a renewal form. Or, you may renew your membership online at our website, www.thegca.org, under The GCA Store tab. Either way, you will receive a paid invoice (receipt) with your new membership card at the bottom via first class mail. If you renew online, you will also receive an email confirmation when the transaction successfully processes.

With close to 15,000 members now, renewal season has become quite a task. This is part of the reason renewal notices are sent out early – to help spread out the incoming renewals and improve the overall work flow. Here are some steps you can follow to help make things go more quickly for everyone!

1) If you are mailing in your renewal with a check, money order or credit card payment, be sure to submit a completed and signed official GCA renewal form with your payment. You should have received one with your Summer GCA Journal or you can always print one from our website listed above.

2) Credit Card payments must include the CVV (Card Verification Value) code. That is the 3 digit code from the back of your credit card next to the signature line. We cannot run your credit card without this code! If the billing address is different from the mailing address, the billing address must be included as well to avoid your card being declined. We can only accept Visa and Mastercard.

3) Be sure to complete and sign your renewal form even if you are paying by check. Checks are separated from envelopes early on during processing and cannot be used as a reference. If you do not fill out your renewal form you will go to the back of the line until the rush subsides and someone has time to correspond with you.

4) Please do not tape your envelopes closed. Every envelope is opened by hand, one at a time. Remember….we have thousands of these envelopes to open. If we have to “fight” with tape we will most likely just go on to the next envelope and come back to yours when we have more time.
5) Please remember that we have a small team in our office. It will take some time to get through all of the renewals, plus process new memberships and orders coming in simultaneously. Please be patient….it might take a few weeks to get to your new membership card back. But rest assured that we won’t let you miss a single issue of the GCA Journal!!

We look forward to processing your GCA Membership renewal and as always….Thank you for your continued support of the GCA!!

For more information, click here.

The Summer 2011 Journal is being put together now and will have some really terrific articles:

- A 5-digit Featured Rifle with a 9-40 barrel and double spring

- Part 1 of the development of a selective-fire Garand and the M14

- Recently discovered photographic proof of factory annealing at SA

- More rare Garand gages to hunt for

- Tips on getting ready for Perry and what to expect there

- An M1 that tells its own story

- An explanation of NATO marked parts

The 2011 form is now posted for download…

Visit our Camp Perry Page for all the details.

Camp Perry Page

Just Arrived, new printing of  ” The Best of The GCA Journal Book 1 ” .

So now both Book 1 and 2 are in stock!

Both can be ordered quickly and easily online, click here!

For 2011 the GCA will again sponsor members shooting their M1  rifles at the National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry (Port Clinton)  Ohio.

It is the goal of the GCA Board of Directors to have more people who  already have some kind of a zero for their M1 rifles to shoot them as  members of the GCA teams in the CMP team matches at Camp Perry  this year.

Jim Adell has put together an article regarding the 2011 event.

To Download a PDF of the article : Click here

There are three new categories of plaques to be awarded to people shooting the M1 Garand Rifle at the CMP National Matches at Camp Perry Ohio.

For the last four years there have been plaques awarded to the firing members and coaches of the high scoring team where all members fired the M1 Garand rifle in the National Trophy Infantry Team match.  See pages 17 and 18 in the current (Winter 2010) issue of the Garand Collectors Association Journal for a fine picture of the plaques won by the GCA Indiana Team.  The three prior years the plaques were won by the GCA Blind Hogs teams.

By unanimous decision the GCA Board of Directors has voted to fund plaques for people shooting the M1 Garand Rifle in the CMP National Rifle Matches as follows:

1. The high Team in the National Trophy Team Match where all members fire the M1 Garand (eight plaques).

2. The high person shooting a M1 Garand in the National Trophy Individual Rifle Match. (one plaque)

3. The high person shooting a M1 Garand in the Presidents Hundred Individual Rifle Match. (one plaque)

The Civilian Marksmanship Program has approved this proposal and it should be implemented for the 2011 National Matches.

Members and Members to be…

The GCA is happy to offer the newly created  GCA online Store.

www.thegca.org/store

Present GCA Members may immediately create an account in the store. Click here to Create an account. If you have your GCA Membership number handy, please fill it in while creating your account. (Not required, but helps our staff speed up processing of any orders made.)

Once existing GCA members have created their Store account, they can renew their membership via the GCA online Store.

Looking to join the GCA and want to do it online? Click here to Create an account. Then proceed to the “Membership” area of the Store, and new members can purchase “New Membership”. Your New Membership package (with your GCA Membership Card , which has your GCA Membership number) will be mailed via USPS, so make sure your shipping address is correct. Once you have your GCA Membership number, please remember to return to the Store and update your registration information in your account by adding your GCA Membership number (it helps our staff).

GCA Members, with their GCA online Store account can also purchase:

“Publications”:

You’ll find a list of the available back issues for the GCA Journal.

” The Best of the GCA Journal Book 2″ .

Sorry, Book 1 is  sold out at the time of this update. Book 1 to be reprinted and back in the store.

Book 3 yet to come in 2011 and will be in the Store.

“Apparel”,  the brand new GCA dress shirts are listed.

More items will be listed as they become available.

For items, back issue, and such, we will no longer be generating order forms for download / mailing / faxing  of orders.
You can create an account in the GCA online store, place and order and pay either by Credit Card or by Check.
To pay by check, after you have submitted your order through the online store, simply print out your order and mail it to the GCA with a check or money order for the amount due.

Still can Join or Renew the old fashion way:

While people looking to join or members looking to use the convenience of the online store must  create an account in the online store to do so,  the GCA still offers the conventional methods of joining and renewing.

If one prefers to mail or fax in membership applications and or renewals, those methods are still available, and welcome to continue to do so.  Just visit http://www.thegca.org/membership on the website to download the applicable form.

Please read here for more info….

2011 GCA Convention

Updated: 9/24/11 (add time for farewell breakfast)

The 2011 GCA Convention will be held in conjunction with the CMP Western Games at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.

Ben Avery range is a great facility and you can learn more about it at the link listed below.

To enter the CMP Western Games, see “Useful Links” below.

Because of CMP Western Games scheduling limitations, this convention will run Thursday evening thru Saturday (Oct. 13-15) versus our normal weekend routine. After viewing what is being offered this year, we believe you will agree this is an opportunity that cannot be missed. We are thankful for the close relationship with the CMP that we all continue to enjoy.

You can pick up your packet and check in starting October 13 at 3:00 pm at the host hotel, Hampton Inn (2550 W Charlotte Dr.). GCA staff will be set up in the lobby 3:00 – 9:00 pm.

At 6:00 pm, the Welcome Reception begins at TGI Fridays in the shopping center adjacent to the Hampton Inn. GCA is providing appetizers. Beverages and meals are up to the individual.

Friday, Oct. 14, at Ben Avery range – the following activities will be organized and sponsored by the CMP specifically and only for GCA members who have registered to attend the convention:

6:30 – 8:30 am Convention check-in at Ben Avery range (at the CMP trailer). Competitors in the special GCA member Garand match will also need to check in with CMP staff. Rifles to be fired in competition must be inspected by CMP armorers. The CMP will have a limited number of loaner rifles available. Please note on your entry form if you would like to enter the match but need a rifle.

7:00 am M1 rifle maintenance clinic; followed by shooting clinic.

8:30 am(est.) After completion of the clinics, John C. Garand match for GCA members begins. Awards ceremony will be held on the range at completion of match. Hornady 30-06 Match Service ammo will be provided by CMP. Non-shooting GCA volunteers are needed to assist CMP with running the match. If you can help out, please indicate this on your registration form.

9:00 am -12:00 pm Convention check-in available again at Hampton Inn.

12:00 pm** Special CMP sale for GCA members who are registered attendees. Sale attendees will be randomly divided into groups of approximately 50. After one group finishes, CMP will replenish stock for the next group. This means each group will get to see M1 rifles for sale not offered to the previous group(s). The sale is anticipated to conclude by 5:00 pm.

5:30 pm BBQ banquet at Ben Avery Range.

Saturday, Oct. 15, 7am – 9am will have a Farewell/Talkback Breakfast at Embassy Suites, 2577 W Greenway Rd. Attendees will be able to fire in the afternoon relay of the Western Games match following the farewell breakfast.

Headquarters Hotel:

Hampton Inn and Suites – Phoenix North/Happy Valley
2550 W Charlotte Dr.
Phoenix AZ 85085
623-516-9300

GCA room rate $72 (Make it a suite for $82.) Call for reservations.

GCA Special Online Reservation Link (click on the link below):
http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/groups/personalized/P/PHXHPHX-GAR-20111012/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

Right next door is the Homewood Suites, with full kitchens, for $109 per night. 623- 580-1800

Special GCA rate expires September 13. If you have not already done so, make your reservations today!

Convention registration forms were inserted in the Fall issue of the GCA Journal. The form can also be downloaded by Clicking Here. (PDF file)

**The GCA member sales event will be open to registered convention attendees only. The CMP will bring rifles, ammunition of various calibers, newly manufactured barrels, newly manufactured stocks, bayonets, slings, hard cases and the standard assortment of CMP apparel. Rifles may be purchased on site and either taken home immediately or they may be shipped from CMP South in Anniston 2-3 weeks later. Those taking rifles home immediately will pay Arizona state taxes as well. Those having them “tagged” to be shipped must make payment immediately as well and note that this is different from the previous CMP procedure.
CMP requests that all GCA members even considering a rifle purchase complete a sales purchase order so that a background check may be performed prior to the event. To find the necessary forms, log onto: http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/orderinginfo.htm. To view rifle information, log onto the “Rifle Sales” link at http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/rifles.htm. If you prefer to speak with a member of the CMP sales staff, phone the CMP South store at 256-835-8455 and CMP staff will be happy to assist you. Since there will be a very narrow window of time for sales, preparing your forms in advance will greatly speed up the purchasing process. Mail completed forms to:

CMP South – Sales
ATTN – GCA Event
1401 Commerce Blvd.
Anniston, AL 36207

Useful Links:

Western Games: http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/WesternGames.htm

CMP Eligiblity Requirements: http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/eligibility.htm

Ben Avery Range: http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/ben_avery.shtml

PDFs of the 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 “GCA Teams at Camp Perry” GCA Journal Articles now available for download on the Camp Perry Page..

Click here…

On line Forms now available for submitting your Ad or Letter to the Editor.

In the menu down the left side of the page you’ll find…

For Ads…

“Market Place Submittal – Ad”

For a Letter to the Editor….

“Market Place Submittal – Letter to the Editor”

Visit the Supply Shack to download the update JPG of the data sheet.
Click Here

Earlier this month the newly designed GCA website was lauched for beta on one of the other domains the GCA holds.

As of today the commonly used domain ” thegca.org ” was transferred over to the new hosting and website design.

So as certain items of the internet become updated, the change over will be seen over the next couple of days depending where you are in this country and world.

The Glossary of Terms by  Bob Seijas, has been published as a webpage.

Included is an index of terms at the top.

Just click on the term and be brought to the definiation.

Glossary of Terms Webpage

As we go along Bob Seijas will be providing some new illustrations for the webpage version.

You can still download the latest PDF of the Glossary of terms from the Supply Shack.

The beta is 1st launch on www.thegca.net for review!

Just added for free download.
PDF of the Table of Contents for ” The Best of The GCA Journal Book 2 “.

Click here to find in the Supply Shack.

Minor Updates

This is  handy reference guide for the terms unique to the gun collector hobby.
Compiled by Bob Seijas.

Find it at the Supply Shack

2010 Camp Perry another huge success

Read more…

Renewal Policy, Updated Summer of 2010.

The Fall 2010 issue is shaping up to be a fat one with lots of extra pages.

Some of the great stuff includes:

Eric Nicolaus has discovered exactly how many Gas Traps were made!

Bruce Canfield has solved the mystery of Winchester’s A-marked parts.

Some real surprises about those late SA rifles found at CMP.

The new GCA Grant Committee has made its first award.

Billy Pyle has found another unusual rifle, and it’s a Winchester.

More surprising research on Throat Erosion and Muzzle Wear.

Those serial number overstrikes may not be limited to IHC.

2009 Camp Perry a huge success

Read more…

The 2008 GCA Convention at Hampton, Virgina, was a great success!

See  results and details at GCA Events and in the Winter 2008 issue of The GCA Journal.
Also, stay tuned for details about the 2009 GCA Convention!

” The Best of The GCA Journal Book 2 ” now available!

This is  handy reference guide for the terms unique to the gun collector hobby.
Compiled by Bob Seijas.
Glossary of Collector Terms.