M1 Carbine

[DerpSchnitzel]

A guy I know from work came to me today and asked me if I knew anybody who wanted an M1 Carbine. We didn't get much time to talk about it, but he said he was looking for around $350-$400 for it, and that it needed new springs and badly needed a gas tube cleaning. Now this is one of those "dream guns" of mine that I'd love to own but never thought I'd really be able to afford(justify spending around $1000). The price sounds crazy low to me. I don't know how difficult it is to replace springs or clean a gas tube, but I know it's an absolute joy to shoot, and at least a full spring kit is cheap enough at about $20 on the few sites I looked at earlier today.

I know I definitely want it, I've wanted one for a long time, but considering the low price, I can't help but feel like something's gotta be wrong with it. I haven't looked at it yet, but what are some things I should try to look out for specific to the gun? And how expensive/hard to find is the .30 carbine ammo anyway(under normal circumstances, not during all the panic buying)?

[Grizz2720]

Look at the gun. If you like what you see and are able to do the work your self buy it. There are plenty of videos on line you should be able to figure out how to do what is needed.
$350 to $400 I would buy it if it is n half way decent shape.

[Gunsnwater]

You should be asking this while holding your new gun.

Get the piston wrench from sarco and other accoutrements.

Considering you can buy everything it might need and still come in under the going rate, why haven't you jumped?

[DerpSchnitzel]

You should be asking this while holding your new gun.

Get the piston wrench from sarco and other accoutrements.

Considering you can buy everything it might need and still come in under the going rate, why haven't you jumped?

haha, because I don't have the cash on hand, and we only talked at work for a few minutes.

[buxbandit]

Buy it.
If you don't, you're sure to regret it.

[Delkal]

If it is a USGI issued carbine jump on it. But if it is a later commercial copy you should do a little more research. While $350 - 400 is a decent price for even an aftermarket carbine some makers had problem and are less desired.

Worn springs should not stop a USGI carbine and if he mentioned a dirty gas port it seems like this is a problem rifle. A govt made carbine can be brought back to spec but it could be harder if it was a commercial rifle not made right in the first place.

[Pete D.]

Find out the manufacturer of the gun.

[Pilot321]

Find out the manufacturer of the gun.

If is is a USGI Carbine, no matter the manufacturer, he should buy it. Most are mixmasters anyway as they were arsenal rebuilt with parts form different, contracted manufactures.

[JenniferG]

I had a Korean reimport from the 90's. It was an Inland Steel manufacture the most common variety and I sold it to a friend's Father 15 years ago for $300 which was low at the time. You need the piston wrench and firing pin tool for repairs. As was mentioned the Universal Carbines are hit or miss. The new Inland models are supposed to be pretty good nowadays but you won't get one of those for $350.

[Noah_Zark]

Look for the manufacturer name behind/under the rear sight, or on the receiver ring in front of the bolt and just behind the handguard. USGI Carbines were ALWAYS mfr-marked behind/under the rear sight.

The manufacturers of USGI M1 Carbines include:

Inland Div. of General Motors (made a variety of auto parts including stampings, die castings, and turned/machined parts, captive for GM)
Saginaw Steering Gear Div of General Motors (made the steering gearboxes and other suspension parts for GM)
Saginaw-IP Div of General Motors (Saginaw took over after Irwin Pedersen could not perform)
Irwin Pedersen of Grand Rapids, MI (a furniture manufacturer who failed to perform, was taken over by Saginaw Steering Gear Div)
IBM (International Business Machines)
Rock-Ola (jukebox mfr)
National Postal Meter (later Commercial Controls Corp, of which only just over 200 were made so marked)
Underwood-Elliot-Fisher (a typewriter manufacturer)
Standard Products Corp (mfr of auto parts)
Winchester


The manufacturers of commercial copies of the US M1 Carbine include:

* Alpine of Azusa, Calif.
* AMAC or Jacksonville, Ark. (acquired Iver Johnson Arms)
* AMPCO of Miami, Fla.
* Bullseye Gun Works of Miami, Fla.
* Federal Ordnance of South El Monte, Calif.
* Global Arms
* H&S of Plainfield, NJ (predecessor of Plainfield Machine)
* Howa of Nagoya, Japan, made carbines and parts for the post-WWII Japanese and Thai militaries, and limited numbers of a hunting rifle version
* Israel Arms International (IAI) of Houston, Texas assembled carbines from parts from other sources
* The Iver Johnson Arms of Plainfield, NJ and later Jacksonville, Ark., (acquired M1 Carbine operations of Plainfield Machine) and followed the lead of Universal in producing a pistol version called the "Enforcer".
* Johnston-Tucker of St. Louis, Mo.
* Millvile Ordnance (MOCO) of Union, N.J. (predecessor of H&S)
* National Ordnance of Azusa, Calif. and later South El Monte, Calif.
* NATO of Atlanta, GA
* Plainfield Machine Company of Plainfield, N.J. and later Middlesex, N.J. (P.O. Box in Dunellen, N.J.), M1 Carbine manufacture later purchased and operated by Iver Johnson
* Rock Island Armory of Geneseo, Ill.
* Rowen, Becker Company of Waterville, Ohio
* Springfield Armory of Geneseo, Ill.
* Texas Armament Co. of Brownwood, Tex.
* Universal Firearms of Hialeah, Fla. - Early Universal guns were, like other manufacturers, assembled from USGI parts. However, beginning in 1968, the company began producing the "New Carbine", which externally resembled the M1 but was in fact a completely new firearm internally, using a different receiver, bolt carrier, bolt, recoil spring assembly, etc. with almost no interchangeability with GI-issue carbines.
Acquired by Iver Johnson in 1983 and moved to Jacksonville, Ark. in 1985.
* Inland Manufacturing (a recent startup company making expensive copies of the original).


If the Carbine in the OP is of USGI manufacture, it could be worth from $700 to $1500+. If the barrel is import stamped something like "Blue Sky, Arlington, VA" it's a USGI that was reimported commercially and marked as required by the BATFE. These tend to be lower in value than non-import M1 Carbines.

If the Carbine in the OP is a commercial copy, its market value is ~$350 to $500. Many don't function well, except for the early Universal and Plainfield guns, the Rock Island / Springfield Armory Inc copies, the IAI guns, some Iver Johnson guns (no all, some were problematic) , the Auto Ordnance copies, and the recent Inland Manufacturing commercial copies. Most of the rest are sketchy.

The comment about the gas piston needing cleaning suggests to me that there might be a functional cycling problem. All USGI and commercial Carbine ammo was non-corrosively primed, from day one. However, there was some corrosively-primed Carbine ammo imported from Korea in the late 1990s/early 2000s that is still seen on the market. THAT will corrode a barrel and gas cylinder/piston. The ammo is packed in small rectangular manila folder colored boxes of 50, and will have both English and Korean lettering. The ammo cans also have English and Korean lettering. Stay far away.

Beware cheaply-made copies of M1 Carbine 15rd and 30rd magazines; they tend to be problematic. Stick with 15rd USGI mags, and clean them will if bought used.

HTH,

Noah