Best Way To Buy an M-1 Carbine?

Status
Not open for further replies.

D.B. Cooper

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
4,380
I've often lamented not buying a carbine from DCM "back in the day." They have since risen to a price I have refused to pay. (I once owned a Universal copy; It was a POS, so I sold it.) I put it in for the lottery at CMP when they had 50 of them back in 2015, but didn't get drawn. I believe it may be now at any price, or never, at any price.

However, there aren't a lot of those guns in my area. I rarely see them come up for sale. I'm too far away to drive to another town or state to buy a gun. I have been burned so many times on eBay that I hate to consider online auctions.

What are my best options for buying a carbine, probably from out of state?
 
What a lousy time to get what you should’ve had already! But a good choice, nonetheless.

I think I’d just keep an eye on the classifieds of every applicable forum.

If you find one in a pawnshop, go ahead and get some lotto tickets on the way home!
 
In a round about way I look at Armslist for the whole US and just look at premium vendors who ship. If I find what I am looking for I try to do my due diligence on that particular vendor. Their contact info is there so you can call or e-mail w/o paying a Armslist fee.
 
What a lousy time to get what you should’ve had already! But a good choice, nonetheless.

I know right. Truthfully, I had just given up on a carbine because of the price. As I've grown older, I find I can better afford these things. (JINX!)

I still haven't decided to buy one, but, these days, spending $1200 now feels like spending $300 20 years ago. Expensive but not impossible. (Whereas 20 years ago, $1200 was totally impossible.)
 
If you find one in a pawnshop, go ahead and get some lotto tickets on the way home!

I've seen quite a few in pawn shops over the years actually, almost none in gun stores. Never win a penny on a scratch off. The internet has killed finding a cheapish gun though. Used to be that a carbine was a carbine at a pawnshop. Inland or winchester.... no matter. Nowdays people can Google and gunbroker search.

I frequent what is supposed to be the largest independent gun store in America when I travel through the state. They always have a few thousand used guns (although right now they show 200. Lol) ... and they move inventory a lot. I could count the carbines they have had that I've seen in 20 years on one hand.
 
Whatever you have to pay for one now will seem like a bargain in five years. I bought a National Postal Meter several years ago for $700, and people thought that was crazy. I could easily double that if I sold it today.
 
There is a member sale forum on the CMP forum, check everyday, shooter grade carbines come up quite frequently.
http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?s=6369a43b2f20ca658ac095e52d2fce63&f=88


I'd agree with the above as the one best way, but I'd also point out that in over a dozen transactions on Gunbroker, I've never been burned. I deal with known high volume sellers, and I pay with a Postal service money order, making it a federal felony if they try some scam. Just an idea if you're looking. Best Regards Rod
 
There are a lot on Gunbroker auction! I have bough several items there and have a good experience. Read the reviews about the sellers. I would only recommend that you only deal with sellers the have sold repeatedly there with a top rating.
 
Id say the "best" way to buy, would be from a friend or relative, whos willing to sell it at a reasonable price and you have, or can shoot it before you buy.

The CMP or someplace like Fulton, who have gone over them and make sure they work and are functionally OK, would probably be the next best thing, although a good bit more expensive.

Anything you buy in a shop, no matter how well it looks, can easily, and likely will need some help and require some more money to get it right.

I bought all of mine from dealers I knew and understood going in, I might have to "fiddle" a bit to get them right. I really dont mind fiddling, and its fun in its own right, as long as it doesnt get to carried away.

In the past two or three years, Ive bought five Carbines. They all looked good, and seemed to be OK function-wise, but once I started shooting them, they all needed some help.

Within the first 100 rounds, my one Winchester had its charging handle shear off the slide, and had to be replaced. The gun is a Blue Sky import and it appears the slide wasnt a GI part. About $75 at Numrich solved that, and its been fine since.

All five needed the bolts rebuilt and had the recoil springs replaced, which is about a $50 bill for each. Tools to do them will cost you about the same.

All also needed to have the rear sights restaked in their dovetails. A couple also needed the front sights filed to get the zeros correct with the rear sight settings.

That, and replacing the USGI mags with current new Korean mags, brought the functionality of the guns from being about 75% to about 95% plus.


As far as Gun Broker goes, from what Ive seen of late, youre likely to WAY overpay, for something youre likely going to still have to work on. The last three Carbines I was watching on GB that were in a shop I used to deal with, all went for close to $2K, and that didnt include shipping and transfer.
 
Whatever you do, don't go down the route I did as it was the most expensive of all.

I found an older gentleman who gave me an M1 Carbine after I married his daughter. I've actually gotten a couple firearms out of that trade, but I'm not sure who made out better.....
 
best way is going to be to find an old gentleman or widow who is just trying to get rid of some stuff. It will be pure luck if you do, but it is the best way. I've got a bunch of parts to an m1 that I keep, thinking some day I will find a receiver or something I can build on, but it's been 20 years, and I still haven't found anything.....
 
Whatever you do, don't go down the route I did as it was the most expensive of all.

I found an older gentleman who gave me an M1 Carbine after I married his daughter. I've actually gotten a couple firearms out of that trade, but I'm not sure who made out better.....
Hmm, I only got an SKS. I think you made out better than me.
 
I have one I will sell for an outrageous price. Maybe a couple milion? Otherwise, good luck.
 
Whatever you do, don't go down the route I did as it was the most expensive of all.

I found an older gentleman who gave me an M1 Carbine after I married his daughter. I've actually gotten a couple firearms out of that trade, but I'm not sure who made out better.....

Hmmm...dowry paid via M1 Carbine, I'm sure he was laughing behind your back, you leaving with two mouths to feed! :D

Good on your FIL, what a nice token to a SIL! :thumbup:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top