Unissued M1 Carbine Mags
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carbine85
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There was a time when I could buy them for $2.00 at the gun shows. Everyone one had boxes of them on the tables.
greyling22
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thanks for the tip. I have a shoebox of them and wondered what they were worth.
JCooperfan1911
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I have a large ammo can chock full of them still in the greased paper wrappers. Multiple manufacturers.
The M1 carbine was a pathetic performer, but it’s historic value is second to none. I will flip them some day for a more worthy cause.
The M1 carbine was a pathetic performer, but it’s historic value is second to none. I will flip them some day for a more worthy cause.
1KPerDay
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Based on my experience with GI mags I’d rather spend the money on Koreans but thanks for the heads up
trackskippy
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I think youll find, that the reality is, the gun itself was/is not the pathetic performer that youre so often told, at least not in the hands of the capable. Only hits count and good hits tend to cinch things. Misses dont count, nor are they the cause of the problem, the result maybe, but not the cause, unless of course, there is for some odd reason, a real issue there with the gun, which normally isnt the case. Or at least not with any of the Carbines Ive shot. Realistic accuracy, at realistic distances, isnt a problem with them.
Like so many old war story accounts, the failures generally werent the fault of the guns and/or the calibers, but the lack of skill of their users, and their trying to keep face, and not appear to be the problem.
Yup, me too.
The Happy Kaboomer
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Search Audie Murphy's feats(WWII) with the M1 Carbine........He called his "Ol Lucky"
I still have a box of different maker GI mags covered in cosmoline that were surplus. I never cleaned them up as I don't shoot the carbine much. As far as the carbine for a weapon they have their place. My Dad survived Normandy and the Bulge with a carbine. Looked at all of his papers after he passed. He was a designated marksman with one...
What good are mags coated in cosmoline and wrapped in paper?? Unless you think that they will some day be very valuable.
The Korean mags work just fine for actually using them.
Gads! On sale from $99.99!! (crazy!)
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102532509?pid=370125
The Korean mags work just fine for actually using them.
Gads! On sale from $99.99!! (crazy!)
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102532509?pid=370125
CoalTrain49
Member
I bought 20 about 5 years ago from a guy on the CMP forum. I recall they were about $15/ea. I don't think they've increased in value that much since the carbines are no longer being sold by the CMP. Stripping the cosmoline out is a chore. They have to be completely disassembled if done properly.
I hope Midway doesn't have a truck load of those to sell at that price.
I hope Midway doesn't have a truck load of those to sell at that price.
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Some folks like to have USGI mags to go with their USGI firearms. I have one of those 30 round Korean mags and it's junk imo. If they work for you then good deal. 24.99 in that link not 99.00 they always put a high msrp to make you think you getting a deal...
trackskippy
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Just out of curiosity, whats "junk" about the Korean 30 rounder? I have a bunch of them, as well as a bunch more of the 15 rounders, and they all have worked very well in all my Carbines.
Comparing those mags to the USGI mags, and the Korean mags seem to be the better made mags of the two. Some come with BHO followers as well.
Since a lot of the Carbine and Garands came back from Korea, and they stayed with them longer than we did, Ive wondered if they didnt address the issue and upgrade the construction of them.
From what Ive read, during WWII, they were always considered a disposable item from the giddy up, and when our troops were resupplied with ammo, they were also resupplied with new, fresh mags at the same time.
New mags made in the 40's and 50's and still in the wrap, are still basically new mags, as long as they were stored properly. The fact that those mags were considered disposable, still isnt awe-inspiring. That, and the Korean mags, at regular price, are still half the cost of the GI mags "on sale" at Midway.
If you want them from the collectors standpoint, I can understand that. If youre a shooter, and/or you want to use the gun for anything serious, the Korean mags are the better choice. At least they have been for me.
Comparing those mags to the USGI mags, and the Korean mags seem to be the better made mags of the two. Some come with BHO followers as well.
Since a lot of the Carbine and Garands came back from Korea, and they stayed with them longer than we did, Ive wondered if they didnt address the issue and upgrade the construction of them.
From what Ive read, during WWII, they were always considered a disposable item from the giddy up, and when our troops were resupplied with ammo, they were also resupplied with new, fresh mags at the same time.
New mags made in the 40's and 50's and still in the wrap, are still basically new mags, as long as they were stored properly. The fact that those mags were considered disposable, still isnt awe-inspiring. That, and the Korean mags, at regular price, are still half the cost of the GI mags "on sale" at Midway.
If you want them from the collectors standpoint, I can understand that. If youre a shooter, and/or you want to use the gun for anything serious, the Korean mags are the better choice. At least they have been for me.
anothernewb
Member
Geez That sounds like a pretty decent deal. I should snag a few for the club. We take our youth shooters from the smallbore program for an outing each year and let them blast away with garands and carbines. We do a few competitions and games. The club picks up the cost of the picnic supplies and ammo. The smiles on the kids faces when they nail a steel plate and get that clip ping is awesome.
Sadly, someone walked away with a bunch of the mags for the carbines a couple years ago. We have 7 carbines, but only 2 mags left (out of probably 50) for the club.
as an aside, someone years ago donated a carbine and a garand. ww2 vintage, unissued - still in their foil wraps and bags. They're still sitting in the safe at the range. No one is quite sure what to actually do with them since they don't really make for a good looking display.
Sadly, someone walked away with a bunch of the mags for the carbines a couple years ago. We have 7 carbines, but only 2 mags left (out of probably 50) for the club.
as an aside, someone years ago donated a carbine and a garand. ww2 vintage, unissued - still in their foil wraps and bags. They're still sitting in the safe at the range. No one is quite sure what to actually do with them since they don't really make for a good looking display.
Yes, I understand that. Folks collect all the different manufacturers. $25 is not a bad price I buy mags to actually use. I have some of both US and Korean, they all work.
GunnyUSMC
Member
I’ve got a bunch of old GI mags. Most of them still work great. I bought some of the Korean magazines. They work great.
My friend’s son is into WWII reenactment. I let him take one of my M1 Carbines shooting and gave him a hundred rounds of ammo. When he brought the gun back he had a smile from ear to ear.
My friend’s son is into WWII reenactment. I let him take one of my M1 Carbines shooting and gave him a hundred rounds of ammo. When he brought the gun back he had a smile from ear to ear.
allisd17
Member
I think youll find, that the reality is, the gun itself was/is not the pathetic performer that youre so often told, at least not in the hands of the capable. Only hits count and good hits tend to cinch things. Misses dont count, nor are they the cause of the problem, the result maybe, but not the cause, unless of course, there is for some odd reason, a real issue there with the gun, which normally isnt the case. Or at least not with any of the Carbines Ive shot. Realistic accuracy, at realistic distances, isnt a problem with them.
Like so many old war story accounts, the failures generally werent the fault of the guns and/or the calibers, but the lack of skill of their users, and their trying to keep face, and not appear to be the problem.
.
I borrowed this quote from the March 2023 issue of "American Rifleman":
"It is worthy of note that the overwhelming majority of complaints against the carbine by the men who used it was that it was not as accurate or powerful as the M1 rifle. There is no doubt this was the case, however, it is rather unfair to condemn a firearm because it was used in a role for which it was neither designed nor intended. Complaining that the M1 carbine didn't have the power, accuracy or range of the M1 Garand is akin to denigrating a Ford F-150 pickup truck because it doesn't have the same hauling capability as a Freightliner 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rig. Certainly, the carbine had its limitations, as do all firearms, but it did a very credible job if used within the parameters for which it was designed."
That really is one of the best descriptions I've ever read concerning the M-1 carbine. As someone else mentioned, Audie Murphy didn't seem to have much of a problem with it.
trackskippy
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There was one account from the Korean war about the complaints of accuracy and power with M1 Carbine. Some high ranking officer came out and made a big show of it shooting the gun "accurately" and into dead bodies, showing the rounds easily penetrated both the outer clothing and the bodys themselves.
Seems to actually have to be able to shoot and and actually hit things to kill them.
Another comment made about accuracy in general in that same theater was, the best thing you could do to improve the troops accuracy, with the Carbine or the Garand, was to cut the "ears" off the front sights, so they would use the right "post" to aim with.
Seems to actually have to be able to shoot and and actually hit things to kill them.
Another comment made about accuracy in general in that same theater was, the best thing you could do to improve the troops accuracy, with the Carbine or the Garand, was to cut the "ears" off the front sights, so they would use the right "post" to aim with.
lemaymiami
Member
That old carbine, if in good condition will still do the actual job it was designed for… Use soft point rounds and it’s even better at taking down an opponent in close quarters (less than fifty meters…).
35 Whelen
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Speedo66
Member
There were stories during the Korean War that the Carbine bullets wouldn’t penetrate the insulated clothing of the North Koreans, but there was no conclusive evidence of this.
A NYPD officer, Jim Cirillo, used Carbine’s to great success during robbery stakeouts, actually too successful. Most of his shootouts, and there were several, resulted in DOA suspects. The news media picked up on it and his unit was disbanded.
A NYPD officer, Jim Cirillo, used Carbine’s to great success during robbery stakeouts, actually too successful. Most of his shootouts, and there were several, resulted in DOA suspects. The news media picked up on it and his unit was disbanded.
Also keep in mind that the M-1 carbine was not intended as a main battle rifle. It.was intended to replace the 1911 for support troops who needed better range and more accuracy than a 1911 but without the weight of the Garand.
BTW, I opened two of the wrapped mags and they both appear to be in very good condition. I’ll get around to removing the cosmoline someday.
BTW, I opened two of the wrapped mags and they both appear to be in very good condition. I’ll get around to removing the cosmoline someday.
I know of some very qualified people who would disagree.
Jim Cirillo liked the M1 Carbine loaded with soft points or hollowpoints. He said the fmj made ice pick wounds but sp or hp produced devastating results.
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