M1 Carbine

Mr. Mosin said:

I understand that "reliable" in WW2 and "reliable" now are generally two entirely different words. If that M1 Carbine has one issue every 1k rounds, that's *very* good, is it not ? Compared to a decent AR-15 or OC Carbine that one can expect thousands of trouble free rounds with. Correct ?

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Ive got right around 3k rounds through both of my carbines and have had EXACTLY 1 failure to eject and two failures for the bolt to go fully into battery. In both of those cases, it only took a whack on the charging handle to fix.

I run Winchester, Armscorp, and S&B FMJ.

If its a GI gun, even in not so great shape, $400 is a good deal.

Ive bought 5 GI Carbines in the past couple of years, and the cheapest one cost me $800. The average price around here for one in decent shape is probably around $1000-$1200.

Function wise, all 5 were around 75% as they came with GI mags. I had to rebuild the bolts on all of them, replaced the recoil springs, and swapped out the GI mags for current Korean mags and once I did that, they are all around 95%. I still usually get one or two stoppages every 100 rounds with any of them.

All my guns had been back to the arsenal at some point, and had the adjustable rear sights and bayo lugs. For some reason, the rear sights on all 5 had been knocked out of their staking and were loose. One actually fell off the gun while I was shooting it. Easy fix though.

The front sights on three were not rezeroed when they were redone though and needed filing down to get a proper zero with the markings on the rear sight.

The later bayo mount/stock clamp is the better design and way to go.

Even though they were updated at some point, only two of mine have the mag catch that is meant for the 30 round M2 mags.

The Korean mags are cheap (around $12 for the 15 rounders) and both the 15 and 30 rounders work well. USGI mags are hit and miss, mostly miss.

Numrich/Gun Parts has pretty much anything you need part wise, and at fairly reasonable prices for GI parts, to get them running right if you do have problems.

This will give you an idea as to what goes for around $1200+ here.

GBExpat said:

First I have ever heard of a carbine being outfitted by the military with a scope ... but that does not preclude the possibility that it happened.

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There was this configuration, but they are rarer than hen's teeth, and made out of unobtanium: https://www.rockislandauction.com/d...ware-m1-carbine-with-m3-infrared-sniper-scope

Aaaaahhhhhh ... the infrared sniper scope version. Upon reading "infrared" in the URL, I could see that rifle in my mind's eye. I had completely forgotten about it.

I assumed he meant a US GI carbine.....with an aftermarket scope mount that replaced the rear sight and a scope from the 1960's when such mounts came out.

If the rifle is USGI other than the scope and mount and works I suggest buying it, remove the scope and mount, replace the rear sight with US GI and resell it if you do not like it.

I personally like the M1 Carbine and can honestly say I have had less stoppages with them over the last half century per rounds fired than with various forms of AR15s. They are light and handy. The military expected the average soldier to make 50 percent hits on a kneeling man target out to 275 meters. They are certainly a good 100 meter and in HD carbine. I use 15 round magazines though I flirted with 30s in the 1960's and got over it.

Marshal and Sanow rated the Carbine with FMJ Ball ammo at an over 90 percent one shot to torso stopper while Dr. Fackler kept one at his bedside as his HD gun in his retirement.....so both the number crunchers and the Gel Man thought highly of them for defensive use.

I shot three last month and accuracy was from decent to abysmal so that will be the luck of the draw as it is with any rifle.

be happy with whatever you decide.

-kBob

The main problems you run into with the Carbine are normally related to magazines or recoil springs. Sometimes the problems are bolt or piston related. All are easily corrected.
Mags used to be $4.00. Now they are North of $20.
The one and the only complaint I've had with the M1 Carbine is the trigger pull and it's not easy to modify and modifications aren't recommended.

Even for a Frankengun, if it’s all military that seems like a good price.

Good Korean mags and ammo can be bought at good prices from AIM Surplus.

We’re going to need pictures....

As long as we are talking M1 .30 Carbine here, lets look at some numbers:

At 200 yards the combo is still chugging a 110 bullet along at over 1200 FPS and 350 foot pounds of energy

In short it is still doing at 2 foot ball fields what your typical 9x19 service pistol and average ammo is doing at the muzzle

At 300 yards it has the velocity and power of most .38 Special Plus P at the muzzle.

Hollow point and other defensive bullets are available that expand at defensive ranges... and still penetrate 18 inches of gel or humans in studies like Marshal and Sanow. In the South east and some other states White Tail Deer are regularly taken humanely with HP or SP ammo at ranges far beyond Home defense range.

Basically the Carbine in terms of energy looses about 100 yards to ,223, that is at the muzzle .30 Carbine produces energy about the same as the .223 common loads at 100 yards. At 100 yards the Carbine produces energy about the same as the .223 at 200 yards Beyound that the round nose bullet on the carbine begins to loose ground to the .223 faster

Energy wise the .30 Carbine from a M1 Carbine is neck and neck with a .32 H&R magnum from a pistol at the muzzle when the carbine slug passes 300 yards and when it passes 400 it is producing more energy than a .32 S&W Long or .32 Auto or .380 ACP from pistol muzzles.....but awfully near a quarter mile away!

Just grit for the mill.....

-kBob

AK103K

Nice quintet of carbines!

Thanks.

Im actually down to three now. Traded two of the "pot bellies" off recently for something else I just had to have.

Kept an Inland and two Winchesters, and much prefer the early type stocks.

AK103K said:

If its a GI gun, even in not so great shape, $400 is a good deal.
This will give you an idea as to what goes for around $1200+ here.
View attachment 897063

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Wow, that's not what I see for $1200 here in DFW, at $1200 it's BlueSky imports with beater stocks and apparently kept stored used motor oil of a substandard nature.

$400 = YES !
Even sight unseen, just a brief description of some firearms is enough to know the investment is well
worth it.
I did a $600 YES to a GARAND over the phone once that ended up 3X worth that amount.
The M1 Carbine is the only WW11 type weapon I don't own because I haven't tried that
would run good. I know there are lots of good ones out there but for $400 it would be a good enough
representative just to fill in the space if it just looked the part.
Wait around a few years & kick yourself if you don't take it now.
The last one came by here for sell had an obvious BENT barrel which the seller shrugged off as
an illusion. It was beautiful but besides the bent barrel it would jam every so often just like all
the rest I have tried. Seems I am jinxed when it comes to the carbine.
Take it.

CapnMac said:

Wow, that's not what I see for $1200 here in DFW, at $1200 it's BlueSky imports with beater stocks and apparently kept stored used motor oil of a substandard nature.

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The rifle on the right in the pic above is a Blue Sky Winchester that they were asking $1400 for. I was bitching about the Blue Sky thing, and they came down to $1000. It looked to be in good shape otherwise, so I figured Id try it. It did this in the first 100 rounds.



Sheared the charging handle off the slide. Friggin Blue Sky!

As best as I could tell by the only marking I could find on it, it looked like it was a Korean replacement part. Numrich hooked me up with a GI slide for $70. Its been fine ever since, and actually my favorite of the lot to shoot.

AK103K said:

Friggin Blue Sky

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Now imagine it with blotchy metal finish, a stock that looks to be a discarded railroad tie, and a price tag og "rare $1375 rare WWII!!" on it. Sigh.
Super happy to have found an excellent carbine from a local THR member.

I remember when the Blue Sky guns first came in. Most looked like they were drug behind a truck for about a 100 mles on a stone road, especially the Garands.

My Carbine was actually in pretty good shape compared to most of the BS guns Ive seen, and they didnt understand why I was shying away from it when I saw the stamp on the barrel. They acted like the BS thing was a positive thing. We wore each other down I guess.

I love the M1 Carbine for many reasons. First and most important, my dad and I loved to shoot ours out in the desert. For whatever reason, of all our guns, my dad loved the M1 Carbine. Normally he would load mags and I would shoot, but when the carbine came out we would switch duties and I would have a blast just watching him shoot and have fun.

I also love the carbine because we literally sold whole UPS truck loads of the to people during the LA Riots. California at the time, had a 10 day wait on modern firearms, but the M1 Carbine was considered a curio/relic and thus was cash and carry. I can still fondly recall Myron, our UPS driver, pulling up with his entire truck filled with carbines, ammo, and magazines. They were mostly pre-sold so we would fill in the serial number on a 4473, load people up with ammo and mags and send them out the door. I was amazed by how many customers were former military and had some basic knowledge of the carbine. We actually set up a corner of the store to instruct new gun owners on the basics. Crazy times!

I also remember when the Blue Sky's started coming in. We had a customer named Carbine Charlie that was a M1 carbine expert. He would meet us at the shop before we opened and go through all the carbines for us. He would take them all apart and build them back with matching parts if possible. With one of our bigger shipments I asked him to build me the best carbine possible from the shipment. I ended up with a very nice Winchester with all the correct parts. I promptly took it home and gave it to my dad and that is the rifle mentioned above. My dad passed a few months ago and being able to take our carbine out and shoot it brings back many great memories.

So back to the OP's post, yes grab that for $400!

Blue Sky never bothered me, just look at what you are buying and make the decision.

One thing you know with no doubt, that sucker was in Korea....and a very good chance it looked at ChiComs in anger.

Mr. Mosin said:

Buddy has an M1 Carbine for sale. GI issue, period scope (?) and several magazines. Wanting $400 for it. Is it worth it ? What's the capability of a .30 Carbine for hunting and SD ?

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Terrible deal!! Don't touch it at that price, he's robbing you!!

Ummmmm.... do you have his phone number or email address so I can let him know, er, just how bad he's treating you?

I never find a deal like that.
My friend and hunting partner had a guy from his church bring him an Inland carbine in really nice shape. It was left to him and he said "I don't like guns and don't want it in my house"
My friend did not know the value as he is not heavily into military guns but he tried to pay the guy something and he would not take anything! I would love to have one and anything I have looked at around here is $800 to 1400 depending on the condition with the rarer ones going for way more.
I am not a collector and just want one to plink with and looks like a light outfit for stalking pigs. I will probably get an Auto Ordnance or something!

haveing owned many carbines over the years you might say i like them, and you would be right. i,m down to my keeper carbine now, a rebuilt winchester. i shoot nothing but GI and reloads that are the same as GI ammo. kept clean and with that ammo it is reliable and accurett enough for personal-home defence and most people can be tought to use it safely. the rough fighting knive was brought back from the pacific by a friends dad who gave it to me many years ago and will never by sold while i,m here.

frankt said:

just want one to plink with and looks like a light outfit for stalking pigs.

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The .30carbine round is really similar to .357magnum in a carbine. And, there's no arguing that, as a 5.5# carbine, it's more than handy enough to the task.
But, it would not be my first choice against Texas pigs--my picks for that task are .30-30 or 7.62x39.
Note that either of those means taking a $300-400 carbine afield and not a $1200 knock-off (or even a price-reduced $900 version).
For 2¢ I find an SKS to be near ideal for pigs. Good round, tolerates abuse, value not diminished (much) by being drug through the brush or dropped in in a pig trap.

Now, were this back in the day when a wartime Inland was $150 and a PRC SKS was $80, then it might be a different discussion.
Maybe
Perhaps.

Recently bought a GI M-1 30Cal. Carbine for $495 + tax, the only thing I had to do to it, is replace the rear sight, replace the stock with an original GI stock along with the hardware, purchase a sling and an oiler, and feel I got a great deal. Now the barrel was a Rock Ola, as well as the gas piston, and trigger mechanism, the receiver was Quality Arms, manufactured 1943-1945 near Chicago, I do believe the bolt was Winchester as there was a W engraved on the bolt itself. Below are the photos of it. The first three photos are of the beat up stock it came in, with a scope mount, the remainder of the photos are what it looked like after re-assembling.

The only cycling problems I have had with my 3 M1 Carbines were magazine related. Buy the original US GI magazines.

Mr. Mosin said:

Is the M1 Carbine reliable ? Easy to maintain ?

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If movies and TV have taught me anything, an M1 carbine can remain functional for 1000s of years and can be maintained by a pack of monkeys..