[Guide] How to Buy a Gun from the CMP

Surplus guns are cool, but boy, have they gotten expensive on the used market.

But you may have heard about the Civilian Marksmanship Program, a government organization through which you can purchase sought-after surplus military firearms, like M1911s and M1 Garands.

While the CMP offers an avenue to get a reasonably-priced surplus gun from a reputable source, it isn’t as easy as just putting one in your online shopping cart and clicking checkout.

So, how do you buy a gun through the CMP? Don’t worry, we are going to go over the entire process and requirements needed to get the ball rolling on your next CMP purchase!

What is the CMP?

The Civilian Marksmanship Program, or CMP, was started in 1903 by the United States Congress under the War Department Appropriations Act in order to encourage and provide opportunities for civilians to learn marksmanship and practice their skills with military-style firearms.

While the CMP initially focused on marksmanship training for adults, it has since shifted its primary focus to youth programs and the safe, responsible use of firearms.

These days, the CMP primarily deals with training classes, competitions, and the topic of this article, the sales of surplus firearms.

What You Need to Buy From the CMP

• Proof of US citizenship
• Proof of age
• Membership in a CMP-affiliated organization
• Marksmanship or other firearms-related activity
• Legal eligibility to purchase a firearm
• Must meet state or local requirements
• Completed order form

All eligibility requirements can also be viewed on the CMP website here.

1. Proof of US citizenship

You will need a digital copy of your US birth certificate, a passport, proof of naturalization, or any official government document that shows you were born in the US.

It is worth noting that if you choose to use your military ID to prove citizenship, you are required to be an E5 or above.

2. Proof of Age

Typically, your proof of citizenship listed above will also provide proof of age. If you are using a document to prove citizenship that doesn’t include your age, then you can upload a copy of a state ID or driver’s license.

3. Membership in CMP-Affiliated Organization

Being part of a CMP-affiliated club or organization is the first of two odd requirements when buying through the CMP. This requirement cannot be waived at all.

So how do I join a CMP-affiliated club? The first option is to find a local club using this search tool.

But the easiest option is to join the Garand Collector’s Association, or GCA, online. The GCA is a $35 yearly fee and meets the requirements. You can sign up for a one-year plan, place your order, and be done with it.

You will need to provide an emailed receipt, a letter from your club, or a document showing that you are a current member of the club and have a valid expiration date.

The CMP also has special affiliates that can satisfy this purchase requirement. These include:

• Congressionally chartered veterans’ organizations such as the VFW, AL, DAV, MCL, etc.
• US Military services (active or reserves)
• National Guard, including retirees
• Professional law enforcement organizations and associations such as the FOP, NAPO, NSA, etc.

4. Marksmanship or Other Firearms-Related Activity

The second odd requirement is having proof that you are involved in firearms-related activity, showing that you can safely handle firearms and follow range procedures.

Note: Proof of marksmanship activity is not required for individuals over the age of 60.

Per the CMP, proof of marksmanship activity can be provided with documentation of the following:

• Current or past military service.
• Current or past law enforcement service.
• CMP or NRA Classification card.
• Participation in a rifle, pistol, air gun, or shotgun competition (provide a copy of match results).
• Completion of a marksmanship clinic that included live fire training (provide a copy of the certificate of completion or a statement from the instructor).
• Distinguished, Instructor, or Coach status.
• Concealed Carry License.
• Firearms Owner Identification Cards that included live fire training. – FFL or C&R license. (Note: An expired C&R license is acceptable to show proof of marksmanship.)
• Hunting License
• Completion of a Hunter Safety Course that included live fire training.
• Certification from a range, club official, or law enforcement officer witnessing shooting activity. Complete the CMP Marksmanship Form to certify your range firing and the required marksmanship-related activity for an individual to purchase from the CMP.

The easiest of these requirements is having your concealed carry license, hunting license, or having a local gun range officer sign off on the CMP Marksmanship Form that is linked above.

5. Legal Eligibility to Purchase a Firearm

This one is straightforward. The CMP will run a standard NICS background check when you buy a gun from them, so you must be able to purchase a gun legally.

6. Special State and Local Requirements

One of my favorite things about the CMP is that most CMP surplus rifles can be shipped directly to your doorstep without the need for an FFL!

However, this awesome feature is sometimes restricted by certain states or localities that require you to have a certificate, license, permit, or Firearms Owner ID (FOID) card in order to possess or receive a rifle.

If this applies to you, you must upload a copy of your certificate, license, permit, or card when purchasing.

These restrictions include:

• Residents in Washington State, CA, FL, IL, HI, NY, DE, NJ, RI, VT, and Washington DC must be 21 years or older to purchase a rifle.
• Residents of New York - Requires a permit to purchase any semi-auto rifle. This can be added to their firearms permit, but it must be on the permit. At this time, there are no exceptions. If a person does not already have a firearm permit, it may take a year or more for the person to obtain one.
• Residents of NY and OR must have the rifles shipped to a state-licensed dealer. You must provide a copy of the dealer’s license with your order form.
• Residents of NJ must have the rifles shipped to a state-licensed dealer. You must provide a copy of the dealer’s license with your order form. Residents must also provide their NJ FOID card.
• Rifle shipments to CA must be made to a state-licensed dealer or may be made to individual homes, providing that a CA Certificate of Eligibility and a Curio and Relic License are provided.
• Rifle shipments to CT – As a result of CT Bill 1160 and Bill 13-220, which revised CT Bill 1160, all CT customers purchasing rifles to be delivered in CT must have the rifle shipped to a CT licensed dealer or must provide us with a copy of their current Type 3 (C&R) FFL license. We can ship directly to a customer’s home if they possess a C&R license.
• Rifle shipments to IL can only ship to the address on your FOID card.
• Rifle shipments to WA must be made to a licensed FFL. As of February 2, 2023, firearms can no longer be shipped to a C&R holder. The customer needs to provide the I-1639 training certificate.
• Rifle shipments to Washington DC – Customer will need to register the serial number with the police department once provided, and send us a copy of the PD 219 form before it can ship. 

7. Complete Your Order Form

Once all of the eligibility documents are gathered, it is time to buy your rifle or handgun from the CMP.

Thankfully, the CMP has recently switched to an online form rather than the old-school mail-in. Here are quick links to the order forms for the most popular CMP guns.

• M1 Garand and M1917 Enfield Order Form
• Surplus 1911 Order Form

Other rifle sales information can be found here.

Other Things to Know

The CMP also has an auction site for certain types of rifles and high-grade examples that are not sold outright. Buyers must meet the same eligibility requirements to buy from auction.

You can also buy CMP guns in person at one of the three CMP store locations. These stores are located in Anniston, Alabama, Talladega, Alabama, and Port Clinton, Ohio. If you are nearby, this is an awesome option since you are able to inspect and hand-pick your own gun in addition to having any questions answered by the experts there.

As of 2025, customers can purchase a maximum of 12 surplus rifles of any type per year.

You will receive one free rifle case per calendar year with the purchase of your first M1 Garand.

All CMP 1911 pistols ship with a hard-sided Flambeau pistol case.

Meet the Experts

Authoring this article is Pew Pew Tactical Editor, Wyatt Sloan. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor and also has experience with competition shooting and hunting. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms, including a CMP Garand, and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales.

Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.

Final Thoughts

While the whole process may seem a bit daunting, it really isn’t that bad.

A few photocopies of some documents and a small fee to join a club are all you need to save yourself hundreds of dollars or more on your next cool surplus purchase.

Keep in mind that the CMP has a limited supply of surplus rifles, so make sure you don’t wait too long. Buy one, you won’t regret it!

Have you bought from the CMP before or thought about it? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to check out our full review of the M1 Garand to see why they are so awesome!