Auto Ordinance M-1 .30Carbine

AK103K said:

Decent GI guns around here on average, run around $1000. When you actually see them. Ive bought and traded for five in the past year, across a number of shops, and the lowest was $800, and the highest was $1200.

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I wouldnt mind finding a decent commercial gun, especially in the $500 range, but you hear so much negative about them, Im not sure Id do it. Not that you see many anyway. You dont see the GI guns around here all that often. The copies, even less.

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If you can find one, the 1st Gen Universals are pretty good. Serial numbers under 36000 are 100% GI parts compatible, with any under 100k having only the trigger housing inletting at the stock different. The trigger housings are aluminum, I swapped out mine for a GI unit with only minor hand fitting necessary. All Universal receivers are forged. The internal small parts will be either GI or castings.
Mine (4 digit sn) as been 100% reliable, accurate, and is a looker too!

NIGHTLORD40K said:

If you can find one, the 1st Gen Universals are pretty good. Serial numbers under 36000 are 100% GI parts compatible, with any under 100k having only the trigger housing inletting at the stock different. The trigger housings are aluminum, I swapped out mine for a GI unit with only minor hand fitting necessary. All Universal receivers are forged. The internal small parts will be either GI or castings.
Mine (4 digit sn) as been 100% reliable, accurate, and is a looker too!
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Thanks for that.

For some reason, around here, the commercial Carbines seem to be even more scarce than the GI guns. Rarely ever see them.

Ive had my eye out for something like yours for a while though. Im sure one of these days Ill come across one.

loose noose said:

Knight Lord, I noticed several newer versions of the Universal Carbine, however they had double return springs on them, I don't believe the older version had them. I've also been told that the Universal has been rebuilt with mostly all GI parts. Which make them much more desirable.

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The 2nd Gen. Universal Carbines (serial numbers over 99k) may look like M1s, but the internal arrangements are quite different, with little parts interchangeability- the dual recoil springs being a major difference. They are still not bad guns, but their Achilles heel was the open cutout in the slide cam which would eventually develop stress cracks. For many years, this would junk the gun as replacements were unavailable, but Brownells is offering slides now, though they aren't cheap. The concensus is that the fit and finish is not as good on the later rifles either. About the only GI part you will find on a Gen.2 Universal is the recoil plate, everything else was made in house.

1st Gen. Uni's may have GI slides, bolts, and other small parts- or not. They would use any GI parts supplies they could lay their hands on and make whatever else they needed.