M1 Carbine Questions...

[Schleprok62]

I tried searching....


I looked at a few M1 Carbines today... I found a really sweet Saginaw, and a few nice Inlands... Is one any better than the other? Prices were in the $700 - 800 range... all are certified safe to shoot... bores in nice shiny condition...

Thanks...

 

[HorseSoldier]

Performance wise, USGI M1 carbines are all pretty much the same as far as manufacturers go. The smaller producers are somewhat are more collectible, but that's about it.

 

[amd6547]

$800?? Almost enough to buy two from the CMP, or one, and a bunch of ammo and mags.

 

[mljdeckard]

I take a little bit more comfort with my Inland, as the most common one, I've found it's worked very well for parts and accessories I have picked up along the way. I've replaced things like the rear sight assembly and the front sight, never had a problem that a little loc-tite couldn't fix.

 

[Schleprok62]

$800?? Almost enough to buy two from the CMP, or one, and a bunch of ammo and mags.

As much as I can agree with this, CMP is a "you get what you get - luck of the draw" deal... you might get a good one... you might not. Locally, for $729, I get to pick which one I want. The Saginaw was in very good condition (as these rifles go) The Inlands were almost as nice shape...

 

[buttrap]

Most of the CMP carbines are returned lend lease guns and I would not look at one as much but a beater range gun. Most of the goodie was shot out of them 50 years ago.

 

[amd6547]

Nonsense. Read the CMP carbine forum. You will find very very few problems. You will also find that CMP goes above and beyond to fix the few problems that are reported.
I picked out my Inland at North Store. Looking at the racks of service grade inlands, there were none that wouldn't have been nice M1's to own. It was actually hard to decide! They were all that nice. When you buy from CMP, your $$'s go to a good cause.
The one I picked out has a 6-digit serial, the original green park looked excellent, and it had an early RockOla I-cut stock with cartouche in pretty good shape.
When I took it to the range, it worked perfectly, and shot fist-sized groups to POA at 100 yards.
Here it is in it's I-cut stock, and with a repro M1A1 stock I picked up cheap off gunbroker.
Go ahead and buy one for $800...leaves more CMP "beater range guns" for me.

 

[mavracer]

As much as I can agree with this, CMP is a "you get what you get - luck of the draw" deal... you might get a good one... you might not.

bad luck will net you a good one,the lucky ones end up with one like this
a 5 digit serial Inland complete with proper 11-42 barrel

 

[amd6547]

Man, what a beater...

 

[Schleprok62]

OK... can we dispense with the snide comments, please?

amd: are you referring to rack grade or service grade?? How close do you live to their "showroom"?? I don't live anywhere close, so getting to "hand pick" is not an option for me... short of spending more than the $729 total for a good service grade M1Carbine. Not to mention, according to the website, the sling and magazines are extra... The one I'm looking at comes with the sling, 2 magazines, and the pouch... and, I don't want to wait.... ~~~~

 

[amd6547]

I am 45 minutes from North Store. Service Grade Inlands are $495.
Sling and oiler was cheap off EBAY-$25 for sling, oiler and 1951 dated mag pouch.
CMP sells the GI mags cheaper than just about anyone...I got 10 for $100.
Those who have ordered carbines blind have seemed pretty happy.
It's your dough, do what you want. However, like I said, your money goes to a good cause at CMP, and a non-import marked CMP carbine will hold it's value.
Next, I'll be picking out a Garand...

 

[HorseSoldier]

Most of the CMP carbines are returned lend lease guns and I would not look at one as much but a beater range gun. Most of the goodie was shot out of them 50 years ago.

Last time I was in the South Store in Alabama looking at what they had on the showroom floor the carbines were in very good condition, overall, from the bunch I looked at. The roughest they had out on the floor were nowhere near as rough as Rack Grade Garands, for instance. I'm sure there's the occasional badly worn example in the weapons they got back from Italy, but it looked to me like you've got much better odds of getting a real nice one than when ordering a Garand (and those tend to not be too bad themselves).

 

[Schleprok62]

Well, for me to drive to a CMP store, north or south, would cost me more than the difference in the price. Like I said before, I agree with you IF I was an hour away... I would go to CMP... but, for me its just not practical... and I don't like waiting, and for something of this nature, I want to see and feel the item I'm buying. That's just me... I appreciate your insight.

 

[ulflyer]

Went down to Al last week and came back with 6 carbines.
Three Inlands, one each Underwood, Saginaw, and IBM.
Have take a fancy to he IBM and want to try trading some parts to make it more complete. Have listed some of these
in the WTT section if any of you carbine guys have anything
you may want to trade. Bores and metal is good on all six, even the rack grade and some of the wood might need refinishing. Since Inland was the major maker of Carbines, followed, I believe, by Winchester, there are a lot of parts from these two. In fact, one of my Inlands is nearly all complete. The stock, however, is an M2 Potbelly but it was in such good shape I couldn't resist buying it. Mags were $12 each and they had a couple boxes full to pick from. I grabbed 17...would have got more but they were full of cosmo grease!

 

[amd6547]

My 10 mags were also well cosmo'ed.
Took me two days to strip each one and clean it.
I got a good selection of manufacturers.

 

[sarge83]

I have 4 CMP carbines, 3 Service Grade and one Rack Grade and they are far from being shot out as described earlier. Bores are shinny and bright with strong rifling and gauge under 2. Stocks are in good condition. They do require a thorough cleaning from having been in storage, but otherwise they are excellent shooters.

The Standard Products model looks almost brand new metal and wood.