M1 Carbine Pre-purchase questions

[mrstang01]

I saw an IBM made M1 carbine today in a gun shop I found. The person who sold it to them had sanded the stock down until all cartouches were gone, and then refinished it. It was not a re-import. As a result, they had $550 on it. Is this good, bad, or indifferent?

What should I look for, I don't know anything about the carbines.

Thanks,

 

[DamnedDirtyApe]

If you're a collector/purist = very bad.

If you're a shooter/carbine lover like me = Good Deal - jump on it.

You can hunt around in gun shows or E-Bay and find a correct stock, if you're inclined.

 

[mordrid52]

http://www.battlerifles.com is a good place to ask. They have a forum specifically dedicated to the M1 Carbine.

 

[threefeathers]

I am a carbine collecter, I picked up a much worked on Winnie for 400 at a Tucson gun show last week. I have five carbines including a MINT National Postal meter. I plan to use the present one as my car rifle. If you are into collecting you can put together a perfect rifle for under a grand. Collecters identify the make of every part on the gun. I did that on two of mine. But the othere I use a shooters. I carried one in Berlin, S/E Asia, and Honduras. I am very at home with it as a defense gun in a city because it is perfect for a short range rapid fire weapon. Several police depts have now put the carbine on the ok list for officers.

For shtf I have zeroed in at 100 yards Winchester soft point ammo. I keep 3 30 round mags with military ball for general use. The soft point is in 15 round mags. There is only an inch difference in the point of aim and that is fine.

 

[Barry in IN]

If anyone is interested, CorBon is supposed to coming out with (probably already out) a .30 carbine load in their PowRball line, that might be good for defensive use.

PowRball is sorta kinda vaguely like a Ballistic Tip in roundnose form BTW.

 

[hps1]

Recently rescued my Inland carbine from the gun safe where it has been a veteran resident for quite a few years due to the old eyes inability to use iron sights.

Found an S&K scope mount listed @ www.Brownell's.com, ordered it and installed a millet red dot sight. Definately not a target or a deer rifle, but sure a fun gun to shoot and should be a great little rifle for coyotes out to 50 - 75 yards. The S&K mount uses the rear sight dovetail and requires no alteration of the rifle, by the way.

Regards,
hps

 

[Bigdog]

Mrstang01,
Down here that would be an okay deal - not great but not bad either. A decent GI Carbine usually sells for $650 and up. Cheaper guns are generally pretty well beatup. A new IAI or AutoOdnance clone retails about that price you quoted too. I'd probably go for it, assuming the metal parts are in very good shape, nothing missing or Bubba'd. A new GI stock isn't too expensive, and widely available.