bad M1 carbine?

[longishortstack]

I was thinking about buying an M1 carbine. I know that all the GI carbines where made by only 7 company's. I was wondering what company's to stay away from if any and also if the rifle is worth investing in. I want to be able to shoot the out of it. I'm not ready for purdy safe queen.....yet

 

[30Cal]

I'm getting one from the CMP at the end of this month when they begin accepting orders (Inland, $495)

 

[SoCalShooter]

I was thinking about getting one from the CMP but the work required to get it up to snuff is more than I am willing to undertake and I think I will purchase from Kahr Arms m1 carbine.

 

[sansone]

socal, I can't stop laughing

 

[SigfanUSAF]

I know that all the GI carbines where made by only 7 company's

10

Winchester
Inland
Irwin Pederson (later Saginaw S'G' took over the contract/plant)
Saginaw
Standard Products
Quality Hardware
Rockola
IBM
National Postal Meter
Underwood

I was wondering what company's to stay away from if any

Any commercial copy IMHO

and also if the rifle is worth investing in

In a word...YES

 

[HorseSoldier]

I was wondering what company's to stay away from if any and also if the rifle is worth investing in.

As far as the companies who made USGI carbines during WW2, there is no need to avoid any manufacturer due to quality issues. You may wish to avoid some of the less common manufacturers because they're more collectible and price will reflect that.

Definitely worth investing in. First, as a shooter M1 carbines are great fun. Second, as a investment, prices have been steadily rising. The upcoming release of CMP carbines may suppress price inflation some in the short term, but otherwise they look likely to appreciate in value.

 

[DMK]

Most GI M1s (Carbines and Garands) have be rearsenaled at least once and are generally mixmasters, so it doesn't matter who's name is on the receiver. The arsenals and depots don't keep track of what parts were made by who. They disassemble the guns, gauge the parts, and if they are in spec, clean them and put them in a bin. When the guns are repaired and reassembled, the parts are grabbed randomly from the bins and put on the gun.

The name on the receiver is only worth something to someone who wants to be able to say "Hey I have an M1 carbine made by <insert you favorite factory here>." Granted that on the market, a carbine with a Rockola or IBM receiver is worth more than one with an an Inland, but it's no better.

 

[DaveTN]

If you are wondering because you want to buy one from CMP at the end of the month; it doesn’t matter it will be a GM.

 

[Sistema1927]

Stay away from the Rockolas.





(I am still looking for one. You just have to love a firearm made by a jukebox company.)

 

[Browning]

I don't own any M1 Carbines right now, but I've owned two in the past.

One of those was a Winchester and one was an Inland. Both of them were in fairly decent shape, both were pretty accurate and both were very reliable. I fired maybe 1500 out of one and 4 to 500 rounds out of the other, I never had a malfunction out of either one. I have no idea what some of the others are like, I've never even seen some of those manufacturers stamped on a M1 before. I should have never sold the Inland, but I did. The other I gave to my brother and he sold it somewhere along the way (thanks bro).

So for what it's worth I've had good experiences with those two, but that was 15 years ago.

I imagine that unless you're lucky enough to find some older guy who has one stashed in the back of his safe somewhere, that many of the original U.S.G.I. M1 carbines would be kind of shot out by now if they've been run pretty regularly. If they haven't and are in very good condition, they might be getting a little too valuable in the next couple of years to shoot the crap out of on a regular basis. But I think that they'd probably be okay for a couple hundred rounds every few years.

If I wanted to buy a M1 carbine that I was going to shoot extensively, I'd probably buy either a new Israeli Military Industries (IMI) or a new Kahr arms M1. Then I could shoot it as much as I wanted without worrying about losing any collectors value. I read a couple reports not to long ago where it compared those rifles against M1 carbine made in WWII and they actually did better as far as accuracy went.

Then again, if I wanted something to just take out now and then and if the history of the weapon was important to me, then I'd probably get another Winchester. They seemed like they were the best out of most of those, but I'm just going on the basis of my limited experience with them. Some M1 carbine collector who knows way more about them might say that one of the more obscure M1's was a little bit better and he may be right.

They're really fun guns, it's kind of like shooting a Ruger 10/22 with a little more pop to it.

That would be my 2 cents anyway.

 

[FMJMIKE]

Get an Inland from the CMP. Inland made the largest number of carbines and are reported to be the best shooters. And then blast away...........

 

[fatelk]

work required to get it up to snuff is more than I am willing to undertake

Is something wrong with the CMP carbines that I haven't heard about? I was under the impression they were in pretty good shape.

I've had a Underwood carbine (Korean import-Blue Sky) for 17 or 18 years, have put many thousands of rounds through it. The original Underwood 1943 barrel is still nice and shiny, and it's still as reliable as ever.

 

[mustang 22]

I have two, A Rockola and an Inland. I would be hard put to pick one as better than the other. I very rarely, if ever, have a stopage in either one and the one time I can remember was attributed to a bad 15 rd. Magazine. I never shoot much past a 100 yards but they are surprisingly accurate at that range. They are about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

 

[bluedsteel]

I guess I really don't understand the reluctance to shoot these carbines for fear of "wearing them out". Personally, I would consider myself very lucky to wear any gun out.

I mean, what are you saving it for? I would never abuse any firearm, but I don't see the logic in making a safe queen out of any of these.

Maybe some folks figure that when they are 75 or 80 years old, and they don't shoot anymore (although I know plenty of 75+ shooters out there), they will able to get an extra $200 out of their gun when they sell it.

And then do what with the money? Buy a better walker?

Shoot that carbine all you can. Enjoy it with your shooting buddies. Having the time, place, and money to do so is a real blessing.


bluedsteel

 

[Blackfork]

M1 Inland CMP Carbine.

For 495.00 plus shipping you get an Inland Carbine with papers. It's never going to be worth less than you paid for it. It probably will be worth more, much more.

You get to give the CMP 500.00 to promote the sport you love in a culture where that sports enemies are numerous and determined. The CMP will spend your donation well to promote your sport.

If you give the humane society 500.00 what do you get? A coaster? a hemp shopping bag? A stuffed animal worth....nothing? How about the United Way? They steal most of the money. The director was taking his girlfriend out to eat in Aspen until his wife found out. On donations. The Red Cross? Same deal.

Send 500.00 to the CMP and get a 500.00 gun in return. This rifle may have splashed ashore at Normandy or rode in a jeep across France. It could have ground in black volcanic sand from Iwo or been frozen on the Chosin.

You can sell it for 600.00 next month at a gunshow if you keep the box. You aren't going to loose a nickle, ever.

Shoot it, enjoy it, use it to protect your family and home, will it to your kid.

We are damn lucky to be able to buy these rifles and promote our sport and culture.