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M-1 Carbine re-make

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loose noose

loose noose

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Below is my newly revised M-1 .30 caliber carbine, which happens to be an Iver Johnson. Why did I go to all the trouble to re-make such a cheap rifle. Well because it is extremely dependable, and above all is fun to shoot.

DSCN1466.jpg ]
 
Here is the other photo of the carbine I'm still trying to get used to this "confuser" Sorry they came out so dark, that is a really nice walnut stock got from Numerich. . DSCN1467.jpg
 
I have three M1 Carbines, two US military and an early Universal that is in a walnut stock. I paid $300 for the Universal.
Collectors have fits these days when someone does anything to a surplus gun other then whipe it down with a dry paper towel. If your rifle had been a US military model someone would be saying how you destroyed the value. You did a great job on your carbine.
 
Carbines are pretty special weapons having their own charisma due to their amazing war production, battle service and just plain fun shooter. I have collected many over the last fifty years and still enjoy them immensely. Do what you want with yours and shoot the beans out of it.
 
I only paid $397.00 otd including a new box of Remington ammo, from a little gun shop up in Prescott, Az. (shop owner said he bought it at an estate sale, along with a bunch of other firearms) I really couldn't find anything else even close to $800.00 - $1000 anywhere around here. I do enjoy the dickens out of shooting that little gem, and it will shoot any of my reloads without a hitch, soft nose, hollow points, you name it. I did polish the feed ramp a little, and checked the length of the bolt return spring, which checked out right at 10.25" and appeared to be fairly new. All total I've got about $600.00 invested in it for add ons from Numerich, Keep On Shooting, and one other place I can't recall off hand. That little carbine is definitely not a safe queen, as it goes with me to the range nearly every trip.
 
Collectors have fits these days when someone does anything to a surplus gun other then whipe it down with a dry paper towel.
Click to expand...
Good grief! Don't use a paper towel! The paper contains microscopic silicate and other mineral crystals which can scratch finishes. A lint-free cotton cloth is usually ok.


These are military weapons designed for the trenches of Europe and the jungles of the south Pacific. No need to harm one with careless wiping practices!
 
Funny all this should come up now. I was going through my grand dad's things and ran across a 1963 dated ad for Melvin Johnson's modifications of the carbine. No relation to Iver Johnson of course. Mel modified the carbine for a cartridge of his own creation, the 5.7mm Johnson. Its a handy little round but it never seems to have caught on.

2ykktw1.jpg
 
@ loose noose

I say you done good.

I firmly believe the M1 carbine is a GREAT CQB / social tool for the modern times.

Its "user friendly" and not banned in any jurisdiction I know of.

It can be fired accurately by even a child or VERY old person.

With modern ammunition [ ball will suffice ] it has great "social" use potential.

I have an original,and a Kahr,both do what they should = shoot as well as I could hope for.
 
Actually it's a necked down .30 Carbine. It's a nice little round, not sure why it didn't take off. They made a few in Israel for import but never took off.
 
That has to be the worst folding stock design ever. Mr Johnson jumped the shark with that one.
 
gopguy said:
Funny all this should come up now. I was going through my grand dad's things and ran across a 1963 dated ad for Melvin Johnson's modifications of the carbine. No relation to Iver Johnson of course. Mel modified the carbine for a cartridge of his own creation, the 5.7mm Johnson. Its a handy little round but it never seems to have caught on.

2ykktw1.jpg
Click to expand...
HA! Could you imagine the PC nightmare today if a company brought out a gun advertised for shooting sharks??
 
I carried a M1 Carbine during my 1st tour in Korea, and a modified M2 in Vietnam, and loved them. I recently picked up a 1943 M1 Carbine, and love it. I shoots very well, and is quickly becoming my back up home protection gun. I put a go bag together, and the little carbine is part of it.

carbine%20comp.jpg
 
wd4ngb said:
I carried a M1 Carbine during my 1st tour in Korea, and a modified M2 in Vietnam, and loved them. I recently picked up a 1943 M1 Carbine, and love it. I shoots very well, and is quickly becoming my back up home protection gun. I put a go bag together, and the little carbine is part of it.
Click to expand...

I have often taken my M1 carbine out shooting and paused to wonder about the men that might have carried it in battle. If you were up for it I would be really interested in hearing your impressions of your M1/M2 when you carried them in Korea/Vietnam? What attributes of them did you like? Light and manuverable? During Korea were the alternatives a Garand or a bolt gun? Did you have a choice of weapons or did you just get what you were given? I noticed your Airborn patch.
 
My experience, I have seen 5.7mm Spitfire ammo and carbines in 5.7mm Spitfire in real life over the decades, but never the folding stock carbine as shown in the 1963 ad. The 5.7 ammo and standard carbines rebarreled for it have niche fans. Ballistically the round is interesting and coulda been a contender. It's now an interesting footnote.

The postwar Iver Johnson M1 carbines (as shown in the OP) were made for the commercial market and some versions were offered in 5.7mm Spitfire. http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_ij02.html
 
I carried a M1 Carbine during my 1st tour in Korea, and a modified M2 in Vietnam, and loved them.
Click to expand...
My dad carried a carbine in Korea and he had nothing but disdain for them. I think there's a story he wouldn't tell and my deduction was that he probably experienced one of the stories you hear about having to put multiple rounds into an enemy soldier before he went down.
 
my dad was a ww2 mp, his unit (210 mp co) landed at omaha beach on morning of 6/6/44. he was armed with a carbine. he told me that by the time he got off the beach he had no ammo left but no memory of shooting his piece. he finally returned to normandy a few years before he died and sat down where he dug his first foxhole. a french schoolgirl saw this 75 yo man sitting in the sand by a path with tears in his eyes and gave him some flowers. dad said it was the best thank you he ever received.

i hope pres trump allows korean-held carbines to return to the u.s. through the cmp, i would love one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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F-I-L's M1 carbine

My late F-I-L carried an M2 carbine through his deployments to Korea '51-'53. He had nothing but high regard for it and never complained about it's killing potential. After his Army days, he bought a surplus M1 for $17.50 plus $2.50 shipping delivered to his door. I have it now.
 

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Most of the problems with the M1 Carbine were from poorly trained GIs on it, and the Government having the peep sights long range 300 yards, and the adjustable sights where they would go past 300 yards. The guns would shoot that far, but the bullet was dropping at a rate that would not penetrate much, if anything. If range is kept in the 250 yards or less, it is a very effective weapon. The modified M2 was my weapon of choice in Nam most times.
 
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