not really sure why they would say that about the receiver on a special grade...maybe Daekken can chime in on that.
the service grades sold out about a week and a half ago. you might still have good luck with a field grade, but even then you're not guaranteed a WWII receiver as you've seen from what the guys here got. someone said the field grades are only coming with new boyds stocks? not sure how true that is either.
i'm sure they'll be another run on springfields/H&R's at some point, but they're getting close to done with all of them for the time being due to lack of stock. if you care at all about having a Winchester and paying $200 more for it in any configuration, I'd scoop up a field grade while you still can. I highly doubt those will be going up for sale again any time soon, if ever.
unfortunately we're witnessing the death rattles of the CMP garand rifle program for the time being. if we get anymore from overseas in a few years, they'll start it all over again
Here was my experience, for what it's worth.
1.) Plain field grade order sent December 2016, DBU/e-store etc. in Jan 2017. I sent a sticky that literally said:
"I would really appreciate a WW2 serial number and USGI wood."
2.) It went on back order
3.) While waiting I also ordered a Field Grade special
4.) The field grade special came with a brand new criterion barrel, and was completely reparked, it came with new CMP wood and a sling, in March, about three weeks after I ordered it. Springfield,
August 1943 serial number. As the description on the website said, it had some pitting. Particularly on the heel along the wood line, and near the handguards. It's reparked, and the pitting is minor. Folks on the CMP forums tended to have less pitting than I did.
5.) On the regular field grade, in March 2017 I received an email from customer service saying they had service grades ready to go that weren't for sale yet, and wanted to know if I wanted to upgrade for $100.
I asked specifically about the wood--I wanted USGI. They replied that the
field grades would all come with USGI wood, but some could be really beat up.
6.) I also asked about service grade wood--they said that the majority would come with new CMP wood, but they would add a sticky for me for USGI wood, but it was not a guarantee. I accepted the upgrade.
7.) I received my service grade late March/early April.
June 1944 serial, USGI wood.
8.) The rear sight on my special would not work. I posted a thread about in this section of the forums. The windage knob would also move the elevation knob. CMP replied they thought it was a bad parkerization job. They sent an envelope, I sent the sights back, and they mailed me functional ones that have been fine since.
Additional notes:
1.) Would assume FG specials would have lots of WW2 serials since those would have been more likely to have seen hard use, but that's just a guess. My special was August '43 as noted above.
2.) Everything I have read about stickies says that the guys filling the orders get a stack of orders to box/ship, and a bunch of rifles. When they get yours if they can accommodate it, mostemployees will try. They won't hold your order and wait for something to match it. If they have 5 rifles on hand and one meets your request, they might grab that one over the others. Simplicity is better, I would say. Just write something like the MajSpud special--"USGI wood, WW2 receiver please". It can't hurt, but accept that it's not a guarantee. Some guy on the CMP forum was REALLY upset that he ordered 3-4 rifles and all had new wood. He posted some rant and contacted customer service and raged out. People jumped all over him, as they should have. The sticky is only a request.
3.) I am extremely pleased with my rifles. Even though the rear sight on my special needed to be replaced, the CMP was very courteous and got it done ASAP. At this point, I consider my service grade to be my favorite firearm out of anything I own (I love my special, too, but with the repark/barrel/new wood, it's not quite the same in terms of affection--but I use it in matches and still cherish it).
