Fair price for this M1 carbine?

[The Freeholder]

I'm out of my depth here and need some help.

I've been approached by a coworker who knows that I "know about guns". I'm afraid my reputation is larger than my knowledge.

She has a number of guns from her brother's estate that she's interested in selling. I've worked my Blue Book and looked over selling prices on Gun Broker and Auction Arms, and I'm pretty confident on my numbers but for one gun--an M1 Carbine. I need some help determining a fair price for this gun, because I'm going to buy it.

It's a National Postal Meter receiver, SN 1495xxxx. Barrel is an Underwood marked 6-43. It has an adjustable apature rear sight.

Physical condition is not bad for an old guy. Original parkerizing on the receiver is mostly gone. I think the barrel may have been blued originally, but whatever it was is now gone. Bore is pretty clean; rifling seems distinct. No rust anywhere.

Stock is in good condition with no serious dings. No cartouches, but has "P" under the pistol grip and "AAO" on the left side. Top does not match the bottom, but it's close.

No magazines. It does have a leather sling, but it's obviously not original.

Can anyone give me a range for this gun? She's willing to cut me a break for helping her out, but I want to give her a realistic range, and these things seem to be all over the place, pricewise--I've seen $350 to $2300. And no, the $2300 wasn't a Pedersol, either.

 

[Trebor]

It's a shooter. In the condition you describe, she's not going to get top collector dollars. I'd give her $350, especially since you said they was going to give you a deal for helping her out. She might be able to raise more cash if she spent the time to do the research to see if any of the specific parts are valuable on the collectors market. She'd have to put the time and energy into parting it out then though. The only "easy" part to part out would be stock, which might be collectable.

All in all, if your buying it for yourself and she wants to make a deal, I'd give $350.

 

[cuervo]

The only M1 Carbine I've ever found in NC for less than $500 had chrome plating on some of the parts (and I'm still kicking myself for not buying it and then finding some replacement parts--it was a Rock-Ola )

 

[Trebor]

The last two G.I. carbines I bought I paid $300 each for. The first was about 2 - 3 years ago. It was a Blue Sky re-import from Korea with mixed parts. The barrel was mistimed slightly so the front sight was just a little crooked. It functioned fine though. It was in a shop normally known for their high prices, but they don't really "do" mil-surps and no-one there really knew what to price it at. I sold it later.

The other was a year or so ago. It's a Saginaw S'G' that I found on consignment at a different shop. It's still in WWII config (no bayo lug, 2 position flip sight, and push button safety), but the parts are mixed. Someone scrubbed all the bluing off the barrel evidently in an effort to remove some surface rust. There's also some rust and light pitting on the receiver. Interestingly, the stock has been completely refinished and is gorgeous. I was going to sell it, but it shoots well, so I'm gonna get it reparked and keep it as a representative example of a WWII Carbine.

There are still decent "beater" guns out there at good prices, if you hunt around long enough. I now specifically ask, "Got any M-1 Carbines or Garands" at every gun shop I go to. That's how I found the second one.

Btw, the nicest Carbine I have I stumbled across at a shop a few years back. It's an ex-DCM sales gun. It was reworked to the most "modern" configuration and looked like it had never been issued since rebuild. I don't think the last civvie owner ever fired it either. It came with the original DCM sales papers stating that it was sold for $18.50 and was in "unserviceable" condition due to a repaired crack in the stock. I paid about $650 for the gun and felt it was worth it. It's the nicest condition Carbine I'd ever seen and shoots like a dream.

 

[varoadking]

I'd say market for this rifle in the condition you state is $450-$500ish.

I paid $550 for a '44 NPM in somewhat better condition and thought I got a whale of a deal. Added an UltiMAK rail and viola...

 

[Chipperman]

M1 carbine prices seem to very wildly geographically.

I think $350 sounds fair for that gun, but as you see from other posts, some people can't even find one for less than $500.