M1 Carbine - What to Look for?

I want to buy an M1 Carbine and have been told not to buy new production. I see a lot of M1 carbines for sale on sites like gunbroker.com but I have no idea what to look for...manufacturer, certain serial numbers, how can you tell what kind of condition it's in, etc. I'm looking for a shooter that's in good shape, not a collectors item and nothing that has been beat to death. Questions: What do I look for and where do I look for it? Thanks!

I was gonna say "get one from CMP" but I just took a look over there and they're out except for the ones they hold auctions for.

Sucks......

There are quite a few CMP carbines on Gunbroker and most of them are pricey. If you can find a Service Grade(make them give you the certificate) Inland, Underwood you will most likely get the best rifle for the price. A lot of those pricey carbines don't seem to be selling right now. Just be patient and you will get one at a decent price.
Mike

Brutus wrote:I was gonna say "get one from CMP" but I just took a look over there and they're out except for the ones they hold auctions for.

Sucks......

I've been checking with them for years, no luck. However, it did give me an opportunity to buy a Garand and 2 Kimbers.

My first US Carbine was a Winchester and it cost me $20 + $7 shipping. Had to ship it by Railway Express. Got it from the DCM and they did not even supply a 20 round magazine for it. Had to buy one for $.50 from a surplus dealer. They did sell ammo for it. 800 round Lake City spam cans for $24.00, in the clips and bandoleers.

Doug

mikey67 wrote:There are quite a few CMP carbines on Gunbroker and most of them are pricey. If you can find a Service Grade(make them give you the certificate) Inland, Underwood you will most likely get the best rifle for the price. A lot of those pricey carbines don't seem to be selling right now. Just be patient and you will get one at a decent price.
Mike

Thanks for the advice mikey67! What's a fair price for one of these carbines?

Doug Bowser wrote:My first US Carbine was a Winchester and it cost me $20 + $7 shipping. Had to ship it by Railway Express. Got it from the DCM and they did not even supply a 20 round magazine for it. Had to buy one for $.50 from a surplus dealer. They did sell ammo for it. 800 round Lake City spam cans for $24.00, in the clips and bandoleers.

Doug

Want to sell it, I'll double your money!

Most of them sold from CMP in the 400-700 range IIRC. IMO a field or service grade Inland should sell for 600 +/-. I have not been following them close recently so hopefully some of the other members have a better idea of the going price.

I have bought 2 in the past few months at gunshows. An Inland for $600 and an Underwood for $625. Passed up a bunch of them priced at $700 plus. Many have import marks on the barrel (CMP rifles did not) which general subtracts $50 - $100 from the value. That said, the two mentioned above do have the marks, but VERY small and on the underside of the barrel. I pass on the ones with "blue Sky" in huge letters on the side of the barrel.

I'd go $700 for a nice one without mark. You can literally spend years researching these things.

Here's a good place to start:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/174873/us-m1-carbine-wartime-production-6th-edition-book-by-craig-riesch

this ones okay also:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/634336/m1-carbine-owners-guide-book-by-larry-l-ruth-with-scott-a-duff

You commonly see rifles by Plainfield and Universal. These were primarily early '60's production using varying amounts of USGI parts. They are not really considered collectable, and typically sell for $300 - $500.

SOG has M-1s from Isreal. Their advertised as having "nice bores, good to very good metal, no rust, and no pitting".
Underwood, Quality Products, Inland, National Postal Meter, and Saginaw. Your choice, $695.00
Winchesters are available for $845.00

Instead of wishing I'd bought a boat load years ago, I'm buying what I want now. I don't want to look back in five, ten, or fifteen years and think "Gee, I wish I'd bought more Mosin Nagants before they went up to two hundred bucks each". Look at the M-44s. The last three I bought I paid $69.95 plus tax and now, just four years later they're selling for $150+. Better get 'em now.
I'm telling you, these are the good old days right now. Don't miss out.

Doug Bowser wrote:My first US Carbine was a Winchester and it cost me $20 + $7 shipping. Had to ship it by Railway Express. Got it from the DCM and they did not even supply a 20 round magazine for it. Had to buy one for $.50 from a surplus dealer. They did sell ammo for it. 800 round Lake City spam cans for $24.00, in the clips and bandoleers.

Doug

Dang Old Timer, is that the best you could do?

I got one just a few years ago for FREE!

(It didn't come from CMP though)

I and a Good Buddy Collect and sell M1 Carbines and I must ask Where are You getting the $700 prices from??..We sell the Inland's, Underwoods, Postal-meters, and others for $400-$500 and all are True GI M1's and not imports, but I do have some blue Sky's and other than the stamp, what's wrong with them??..All are Arsenal re-fineshed with GI M1 parts and even some have M2 parts...I have bought and sold a lot of Blue sky import Carbines to people that don't care about the Import stamp, but just want a little piece of History...I do agree that the import stamp takes a little away, but as far as having a Great M1, You can't go wrong....I took a Postal meter M1 that had the import stamp and re barreled it and I got just as much as I would of if I would of left it alone.. We look for the receivers and other parts regardless of an Import stamp or not and tear the ones We get apart and match up parts to the correct model such as inland, etc:
If this guy is looking for a Clean Carbine and doesn't want to pay and Arm and a leg to some dealers, Buy a Blue Sky... I even bought a Paratrooper ( Real Deal one) last Year for $450 from a Man that had drove to the Gun show from Meridian...He knew what He had and I asked what He wanted and I gave Him exactly what He wanted...The stock on the gun was worth More than the gun itself and it was all Inland!!..

Read my post. I didn't say anything was wrong with Blue Sky except the large import mark which reduces value. I said that I pass on them, made no recomendations as to what someone else may want to do.

If you guys have USGI carbines for sale for $500 or less we need to get together. I need another "fix" really bad.

One important thing about selecting a carbine, is the bore. The twist is 1 in 16" and if there is any significant wear on the throat of the barrel, it won't shoot very accurately. I would not buy a carbine through the internet. Buy a bore mirror that will fit inside the action of the Carbine and allow visual inspection of the throat. If it is worn, reject buying it. The bores of most carbines look sharp and shiney from the muzzle. This is not always true of the throat in these rifles. The USGI Carbine ammo was mfg with non-corrosive priming, even in WW2. This was done to make the cleaning of the gas system on the barrel easier. It has a small gas piston and if it has any rust on it, it ceases to function. The non-corrosive priming is the reason most bores are bright and shiney when viewed from the muzzle.

The last Carbine I bought was an Israeli imported Inland. It had a really sharp throat and I once shot a score of 89-4X at 200 yards in the offhand position.

By the way, the Blue Sky Import stamps on the barrels are sometimes so deep as to dent the inside of the barrel. Not a good thing.

Have fun and be picky about the bores in any carbines you want to buy,

Doug

shoeshooter wrote:Read my post. I didn't say anything was wrong with Blue Sky except the large import mark which reduces value. I said that I pass on them, made no recomendations as to what someone else may want to do.

If you guys have USGI carbines for sale for $500 or less we need to get together. I need another "fix" really bad.

I didn't take Your comment as being down on Imports, but You clarified that with Your last post...Imports aren't bad, just a little cheaper in price!!!...Carbines have taken a dramatic up swing in price just like the M1 Garand's have...We sell M1 carbines at every Jackson Gun Show ( Not Ernie Bean because He is a cheat) for an average of $450. Some cleaner all matching carbines may fetch $600 or so, but the average is $450...With the market in complete carbines and parts drying up, prices may soon get a lot higher. You would be surprised How many are still out there and How many owners would sell them for little of nothing...Ammunition and the availability of parts is a Big concern on Many owners minds although You can still get plenty of ammo, it too is starting to dry up..We always set up second table back from the front door and always on the right side of the entrance... Sold 2 at the last show and bought 4 more from other dealers and walk-in's...We should have plenty in March at the Shriners show and in May at the next Jackson Gun Show ( you know " The Original Jackson Gun Show")...I'll send You a PM when it get's closer to the show..

Doug Bowser wrote: One important thing about selecting a carbine, is the bore. The twist is 1 in 16" and if there is any significant wear on the throat of the barrel, it won't shoot very accurately. I would not buy a carbine through the internet. Buy a bore mirror that will fit inside the action of the Carbine and allow visual inspection of the throat. If it is worn, reject buying it. The bores of most carbines look sharp and shiney from the muzzle. This is not always true of the throat in these rifles. The USGI Carbine ammo was mfg with non-corrosive primming, even in WW2. This was done to make the cleaning of the gas system on the barrel easier. It has a small gas piston and if it has any rust on it, it ceases to function. The non-corrosive priming is the reason most bores are bright and shiney when viewed from the muzzle.

The last Carbine I bought was an Israeli imported Inland. It had a really sharp throat and I once shot a score of 89-4X at 200 yards in the offhand position.

By the way, the Blue Sky Import stamps on the barrels are sometimes so deep as to dent the inside of the barrel. Not a good thing.

Have fun and be picky about the bores in any carbines you want to buy,

Doug

I always check that and there is a quick and easy way to check the gas piston, Just open the bolt and put your finger over the chamber while blowing into the end of the barrel ( unloaded ) and release the pressure with your index finger on the chamber end by using a tapping motion.. If the piston is free, You should hear a clicking from the upper end of the barrel..I know that some of You already know that, but I was putting this out there for the benefit of First time Carbine buyers..

cruzn wrote:I and a Good Buddy Collect and sell M1 Carbines and I must ask Where are You getting the $700 prices from??..We sell the Inland's, Underwoods, Postal-meters, and others for $400-$500 and all are True GI M1's and not imports, but I do have some blue Sky's and other than the stamp, what's wrong with them??..All are Arsenal re-fineshed with GI M1 parts and even some have M2 parts...I have bought and sold a lot of Blue sky import Carbines to people that don't care about the Import stamp, but just want a little piece of History...I do agree that the import stamp takes a little away, but as far as having a Great M1, You can't go wrong....I took a Postal meter M1 that had the import stamp and re barreled it and I got just as much as I would of if I would of left it alone.. We look for the receivers and other parts regardless of an Import stamp or not and tear the ones We get apart and match up parts to the correct model such as inland, etc:
If this guy is looking for a Clean Carbine and doesn't want to pay and Arm and a leg to some dealers, Buy a Blue Sky... I even bought a Paratrooper ( Real Deal one) last Year for $450 from a Man that had drove to the Gun show from Meridian...He knew what He had and I asked what He wanted and I gave Him exactly what He wanted...The stock on the gun was worth More than the gun itself and it was all Inland!!..

are you the one on Craigslist wanting to buy military equiptment/weapons???

dhollis51 wrote:

cruzn wrote:I and a Good Buddy Collect and sell M1 Carbines and I must ask Where are You getting the $700 prices from??..We sell the Inland's, Underwoods, Postal-meters, and others for $400-$500 and all are True GI M1's and not imports, but I do have some blue Sky's and other than the stamp, what's wrong with them??..All are Arsenal re-fineshed with GI M1 parts and even some have M2 parts...I have bought and sold a lot of Blue sky import Carbines to people that don't care about the Import stamp, but just want a little piece of History...I do agree that the import stamp takes a little away, but as far as having a Great M1, You can't go wrong....I took a Postal meter M1 that had the import stamp and re barreled it and I got just as much as I would of if I would of left it alone.. We look for the receivers and other parts regardless of an Import stamp or not and tear the ones We get apart and match up parts to the correct model such as inland, etc:
If this guy is looking for a Clean Carbine and doesn't want to pay and Arm and a leg to some dealers, Buy a Blue Sky... I even bought a Paratrooper ( Real Deal one) last Year for $450 from a Man that had drove to the Gun show from Meridian...He knew what He had and I asked what He wanted and I gave Him exactly what He wanted...The stock on the gun was worth More than the gun itself and it was all Inland!!..

are you the one on Craigslist wanting to buy military equiptment/weapons???

No, That's not Me!!...But I don't think Craig's list will allow that ad to stay on there...

cruzn wrote:

dhollis51 wrote:

cruzn wrote:I and a Good Buddy Collect and sell M1 Carbines and I must ask Where are You getting the $700 prices from??..We sell the Inland's, Underwoods, Postal-meters, and others for $400-$500 and all are True GI M1's and not imports, but I do have some blue Sky's and other than the stamp, what's wrong with them??..All are Arsenal re-fineshed with GI M1 parts and even some have M2 parts...I have bought and sold a lot of Blue sky import Carbines to people that don't care about the Import stamp, but just want a little piece of History...I do agree that the import stamp takes a little away, but as far as having a Great M1, You can't go wrong....I took a Postal meter M1 that had the import stamp and re barreled it and I got just as much as I would of if I would of left it alone.. We look for the receivers and other parts regardless of an Import stamp or not and tear the ones We get apart and match up parts to the correct model such as inland, etc:
If this guy is looking for a Clean Carbine and doesn't want to pay and Arm and a leg to some dealers, Buy a Blue Sky... I even bought a Paratrooper ( Real Deal one) last Year for $450 from a Man that had drove to the Gun show from Meridian...He knew what He had and I asked what He wanted and I gave Him exactly what He wanted...The stock on the gun was worth More than the gun itself and it was all Inland!!..

are you the one on Craigslist wanting to buy military equiptment/weapons???

No, That's not Me!!...But I don't think Craig's list will allow that ad to stay on there...

It doesn't say weapons just WWI/WWII collections.

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