Carbine conundrum

The CMP has made its much-awaited carbine sales announcement. If you're not one of my gun nuts, you've probably NOT been awaiting it, and you're most likely safe to skip this post.

In good news, it looks like they'll be offering just one "grade," or "quality" of carbine - Service Grade. Nothing crazy early period, and nothing pristine.

In more annoying news, they're releasing different manufacturers at staggered times. They'll be releasing the Inlands first, then nothing else until September at the earliest. No pricing information is currently available.

So. Here we are. As we know, Abby already has a carbine. But it's not GI - it's a Plainfield. Here's an image:

As you can tell, since it's not a collector, I've felt free to mess it up a little. I enjoy it and it shoots very well.

So now we have a dilemma. I've got my paperwork in order, and unless CMP does something totally abnormal with the pricing, I've got the bucks tucked away to get an Inland when they're released.

But I really want a Saginaw or Rock-ola. Or - a submanufacturer that I didn't know existed - Saginaw S'G' (Grand Rapids). That would be most cool. However, we can see the writing on the wall from the placement of these manufacturers at the end of the list (in fact, the Grand Rapids model is listed right before the ones they're going to AUCTION). Which tells us there won't be many, and they'll cost a kidney.

Hmmmm...I'm not sure about this. Let's look at the options.

1- Buy an Inland and say the hell with holding out for a rare builder.
2- Don't buy an Inland, and take my chances with the rich guys who live and breath this stuff, hoping I'll be in a place in the fall (geograhically, financially, etc) where I can get an application and check to CMP on a second's notice.
3- Buy an Inland and start squirreling money for another.
4- Pass on the whole carbine deal and focus on another "list gun."

I'm leaning toward option 1. It's a piece of history, and I'd like to have one of the GI carbines just to have it.

Hmmm...much thought is required. I go now to contemplate.