Are buyers happy with Surplus M1 Carbines?

Join the CMP.

You'll get an honestly graded and well cared for carbine.

Yeah, if you want to pay those auction prices.

The most recent ones I've seen from Classic were pretty rough, especially at their prices. I've seen two from Midway that were in overall good shape.

I got a Winchester from Midway and love everything about it except for the price

JCooperfan1911 said:

Join the CMP.

You'll get an honestly graded and well cared for carbine.

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You'll have to be willing to purchase on the CMP auction and currently there are none being auctioned. I haven't seen in stock M1 Carbines at the CMP to purchase at a fixed price for quite some time now.

From the CMP Website

But like @JCooperfan1911 said you will at least have a much better idea on what you are purchasing rather than looking at a stock photo of one pulled out of the cordwood stack at Classic.

Classic’s grading is terrible.
When the surplus prison Beretta 81s were everywhere, Classic was the cheapest but while overall 95% were like new or minor holster wear, the uggos all seemed to come from Classic.
I got mine from AIM Surplus, they had A grade, B grade, and eventually X grade as they got to the bottom. Most of the X grades looked like what some got from Classic graded as ‘best’.
If you get it from Classic, you’d better get your order in early, seems all the good stuff goes out first, the crappy stuff goes last and grading is irrelevant.

Jimbo80 said:

What is the general consensus as to condition of the Midway

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Best about the Midway ones is probably here: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/midway-surplus-m1-carbine.889573/ which went to ten pages with many photos and detailed reports of purchased ones.

The Royal Tiger ones, not so much. Apparently, there were maybe a coupe dozen decent or better ones in there, then 50 or 100 "fair" ones, and the rest, marginal at best. Royal Tiger got theirs out of surplus storage in Ethiopia. Where they had just stacked them, working or not, like kindling, in metal warehouses. There's a strong possibility that several police inventory lockers were emptied out into those warehouses, too.

Both my Sarco and my Inland were bought used (by sheer happenstance, neither were imports). Those far eclipsed the Universal I once owned, and the "New Inland" I was loaned (I kept looking for a "Crossman" rollmark on the latter [eyeroll]).

Former military Carbines are a Seller's market, and have been for close to a decade.

JCooperfan1911 said:

Join the CMP......

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To expand on that, you don't actually need to join the CMP itself if you're a member of a CMP affiliate, like one of the local outdoor ranges I'm a member of, then you get the same buying privileges and prices as a CMP member.

wiscoaster said:

To expand on that, you don't actually need to join the CMP itself if you're a member of a CMP affiliate, like one of the local outdoor ranges I'm a member of, then you get the same buying privileges and prices as a CMP member.

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The Garand Collectors Assoc. also qualifies.
Garand Collectors Association - M1 Garand Collectors Association (thegca.org)

wiscoaster said:

you don't actually need to join the CMP itself if you're a member of a CMP affiliate,

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There is a large number of affiliations that qualify you to buy guns from CMP. Search for a club near you on the Club Search page.
Also, from CMP Clubs page:
"In addition to shooting clubs, the CMP also has several special affiliates. Membership in these organizations satisfies our requirement for purchase. They include: Congressionally chartered veterans’ organizations such as the VFW, AL, DAV, MCL, etc., U.S. Military services (active or reserves), National Guard, to include retirees [emphasis added]. Finally, professional 501(c)3 law enforcement organizations and associations such as the FOP, NAPO, NSA, etc are included."

For my purposes, VCDL is an affiliate club.

Join a CMP approved Club and check out their other requirements and be ready. I'm gonna bet they eventually get more from somewhere but one would have to be patient. You can also sign up for the CMP forum as they come up for sale on their occasionally. Just me personally but I don't do imports. Yes I am well aware they may be just fine but it's my preference. The last round of carbines was luck of the draw mail in and they only had so many. I did not get drawn for that round. I have a Winchester I got when they were available years ago. I also have an Inland my Dad got back in 1962 through the NRA that came straight from RR Arsenal.

I still see a lot of decent to nice carbines at the local shops I hit in the area. Not a ton, but there are usually always a couple in the racks. Prices are creeping up, but $1200-$1500 seems to be about the average these days.

Best part is, you at least get to handle and closely inspect the guns, instead of just taking a chance and hoping.

trackskippy said:

I still see a lot of decent to nice carbines at the local shops I hit in the area. Not a ton, but there are usually always a couple in the racks. Prices are creeping up, but $1200-$1500 seems to be about the average these days.
Best part is, you at least get to handle and closely inspect the guns, instead of just taking a chance and hoping.

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Yep, that's what I've seen. There's a CMP carbine on the consignment rack at a LGS here. Metal looks okay. The owner sanded and re-finished the stock all shiny. ... He wants $1500.00 for it.