M 1 carbine

[SAIGAFISH]

NEED SOME info on the m 1 carbine nothing certain just
things i should look out for tricks ,traits things like that,
this whole thing started when my stepdad showed me
a m1 carbine parratrooper folding stock all original
a couple weeks later i saw repro milsurp carry cases for that
parratrooper on sportsmans guide so i ordered one for him
19.00$ no problem i told my stepdad this and he said he would
trade me that case for a standard m1 carbine.i think i am going to accept
his offer but i dont know much about them .so inform me please

[James K]

Trade a case for a carbine? I am not quite clear who gets the carbine, but he lucks out. Standard GI M1 carbines are running around $600-800 and the case is $20.

An original GI M1A1 carbine (the folding stock model) is worth almost $2k in good shape and the stocks alone run around $500.

Jim

[SAIGAFISH]

to clear he has three m1 ,s one of which is the parra trooper i bought
a case for the parratrooper and will give him the parra case
and he gives me a standard m1 carbine in trade

[James K]

That is a great trade; he is a very generous man.

Jim

[SAIGAFISH]

yes he is but i also do alot free labor
i once earned a 4x8 walled trailer for tiling a large floor i thought
i was just doing as a faver for my mom it was in her potery studio
i was a tile setter for a few years so it was pretty easy exept i called artistic
freedom on the floor and did a huge compass star actually lined to the compass made the room look like a trapaziod its cool and his two boys arent the gun types there more the gluetin free hug a tree kind of guys.
me and him get along great .oh and can a 30 carbine killa deer at less than 75 yards

[p99guy]

Use soft points or HP rounds, but yes it will kill a deer (I've killed 5 with a carbine as a teenager hunting in mesquite thickets)

[BobbyT]

Well I wouldn't call it a trade, more of a very generous gift.

[SAIGAFISH]

you are right bobby he,s the one who kept saying trade .
but i thanked him repeatedly .now i owe him again i will never
catch up.

[Nisei]

Welcome to the M1-Carbine club! I'm not sure about any tricks or traits but I will tell you that some "brand new mags" have issues with certain carbines. My Inland 1943 hates new mags and will only cycle rounds from older mags, basically anything before 1970. My friend has one that cycles all mags from the 1940's to today. So just keep that in mind.

Sounds like a great gift, I hope you enjoy shooting it!

- Hiroshi

[SAIGAFISH]

i will enjoyshooting it i have bee wanting an old war gun
and this one has meaning.i think i might try to hunt deer
with it the brush is pretty thick here in the p n w and the deer arnt that big
all black tails on this side of the cascdes its alot lighter
than the old 06 and im not a guy who needs to shoot more
than 100yards.and its from a time respect greatly
those boys did some rogh fighting.

[gyvel]

Quite frankly, the .30 carbine round is marginal, at best, for deer. Deer have been taken with the .30 carbine, but many more have been wounded and gotten away. You would be better off looking something with a little more power for deer, especially if you're going to be in relatively dense forest. You certainly can't go wrong with any kind of .30-06 rifle. Other suitable calibres would be .308, .300 Savage, and the 7.62x54R Mosin-Nagant would be ideal as the ammo is cheap and the rifles are also cheap and available, often for well under $100.00.

Also, the M-1 carbine is now attaining collector status and the less use and damage the better.

[SAIGAFISH]

thats true about the collector part maybe no hunting .but i might use it
as a pack gun back packing i mean.

[musicmatty]

I wouldn't hesitate hunting deer with my 30. carbine..as I have done so many times. What really matters most, is how good of a shot are you with it? With open sites and a 75 yard shot in the neck sitting still is no problem.

What it may lack in knock down power at a long distance shot, challenges the Hunter to be at the top of his game in terms of skill with his rifle..and that should be something that we all strive for.

[Uncle Billy]

I'd get a Winchester Model 94 (or a rifle like it) in .30-30 for deer, and keep the M-1 as a collector's item: Handled carefully and shot now and then at the range. The .30-30 won't be as easy to carry in the woods as the M-1 is, but it's close. And the carbine is too valuable to risk banging up in the field, in my opinion.

I have a Winchester carbine that was carried by my Dad's best friend who was a doctor with Patton's army in North Africa. It had been shot about 10 times before I got it so it's in excellent shape. I shoot it now and then with great respect for what it is, and use it when I'm training a new shooter- it's the next gun after they've become familiar with a .22.

Like you, I was very grateful for the generosity of my Dad's friend who gave this rifle to me, along with all of his other guns.

[SAIGAFISH]

ya the more i look at this gun and wounder about the things
it has seen and who and were and all that the less i want to
use it for anything .just some range time and back home
i would like to find the history of this carbine but i have no idea
were to start .i have another thread about that though
so not here.

[Parapliers]

Get a bolt disassembly tool. The reproduction ones are only about $20. I used to do it without one when I was a teenager. Can't imagine how because it takes three hands. Don't buy Chinese "LC" marked ammo with copper primer cups. Last time I had to use my bolt tool was when a friend had one of these cups wrapped neatly around his firing pin inside the bolt. I hate when that happens.

[gunney 67]

There are 110 gr. soft-point bullets available for handloading this cartridge. It might make it marginal for deer hunting. My son took to mine as his first center fire rifle. He still loves it. These are round nose by the way. They work fine thru my gun, but I polished the feed ramp. It's not GI it's a Plainfield, so no collector value.

[hhb]

Last time I checked, and original military issue M-1 carbine case went in the $250 / $300 range.

[bigjack59]

Since we are talking about the M1 Carbine...how about a good online source for info, stampings, manufacturers, etc. Thanks for any help.

[SAIGAFISH]

im with bigjack i believe mine is an Inland co serials arein the4334-
so does that mean its not a gi m1 or does that mean it is
the top of the breach is stamped us carbine cal .30m1
if you guys cant answer this i will be very greatfull
the rear sight is in the way and i dont want to try and beet it
out. i dont know how long its been in there thats why i dont know
for shore what it is .if its a non collectable i will refinish
the wood but if it is a good one i will perserve it the way it is.

[captain-03]

Some info is available but do not bet your life on it. Collectors are learning more and more each day about these little weapons:

Inland Manufacturing Division, G.M.C........... 2,632,097 43.0%
Winchester Repeating Arms Co..................... 828,059 13.5%
Underwood-Elliot-Fisher Co.......................... 545,616 8.9%
Saginaw Steering Gear Div., G.M.C................ 517,212 8.5%
National Postal Meter Co............................. 413,017 6.8%
Quality Hardware & Machine Co.................... 359,666 5.9%
International Business Machines Corp (IBM).... 346,500 5.7%
Standard Products Co................................. 247,160 4.0%
Rock-Ola Co.............................................. 228,500 3.7%

Total: 6,221,220

Inland Division of General Motors
1 - 5 (Tool Room Models) (Nov. 1941)
6 - 999,999 (May 1942 - Sept. 1943)
2,912,520 - 3,212,519 (Sept. 1943 - Jan. 1944)
4,879,526 - 5,549,820 (Jan. 1944 - Aug. 1944)
6,219,689 - 6,449,867 (Aug. 1944 - Nov. 1944)
6,629,884 - 6,664,883 (Nov. 1944 - Jan. 1945)
6,664,884 - 7,234,883 (Jan. 1945 - Aug. 1945)
7,369,661 - 8,069,660 (Jan. 1945 - Aug. 1945)

Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
6 - 10 (Tool Room Models) (Dec. 1941)
1,000,000 - 1,349,999 (Sept. 1942 - Feb. 1944)
4,075,000 - 4,075,009 (Feb. 1944)
5,549,822 - 5,834,618 (Feb. 1944 - Nov. 1944)
6,449,868 - 6,629,883 (Nov. 1944 - Jan. 1945)
7,234,884 - 7,369,669 (Jan. 1945 - Sept. 1945)

Underwood Elliott-Fisher
1,350,000 - 1,449,999 (Nov. 1942 - July 1943)
2,352,520 - 2,912,519 (July 1943 - Feb. 1944)
4,010,000 - 4,074,999 (Feb. 1944 - March 1944)
6,099,689 - 6,199,688 (March 1944 - May 1944)

Quality Hardware & Machine Co.
1,550,000 - 1,562,519 (Feb. 1943 - May 1943)
1,562,520 - 1,662,519 (June 1943)
1,850,040 - 1,907,519 (July 1943 - Aug. 1943)
4,432,100 - 4,532,099 (Sept. 1943)
4,632,100 - 4,879,525 (Sept. 1943 - May 1944)

Rock-Ola Music Co.
1,662,520 - 1,762,519 (Nov. 1942 - Nov. 1943)
4,532,100 - 4,632,099 (Nov. 1943 - March 1944)
6,071,189 - 6,099,688 (March 1944 - April 1944)
6,199,689 - 6,219,688 (April 1944)

Irwin Pedersen
1,762,520 - 1,875,039
3,212,520 - 3,250,019

Saginaw Gear (Grand Rapids)
1,762,520 - 1,875,039 (March 1943 - Sept. 1943)
3,212,520 - 3,250,019 (May 1943 - Jan. 11, 1944)

Saginaw Gear (Saginaw)
3,250,020 - 3,651,519 (May 1943 - Feb. 1944)
5,834,619 - 6,071,188 (Feb. 1944 - May 1944)

National Postal Meter
1,450,000 - 1,549,999 (Jan. 1943 - Sept. 1943)
1,937,520 - 1,982,519 (Oct. 1943 - Nov. 1943)
4,075,010 - 4,079,999 (Nov. 1943 - Dec. 1943)
4,080,000 - 4,432,099 (Dec. 1943 - May 1944)

Standard Products
1,982,520 - 2,100,000 (March 1943 - Sept. 1943)
2,100,000 - 2,220,000 (Sept. 1943 - Jan. 1944)
2,220,000 - 2,352,519 (Jan. 1944 - May 1944)

International Business Machine Corp.
3,651,520 - 3,663,000 (Oct. 1943 - Jan. 1944)
3,663,000 - 3,900,000 (Jan. 1944 - March 1944)
3,900,000 - 4,000,999 (March 1944 - May 1944)

[SAIGAFISH]

so that means mine was made in 1944 by gmc so what does
that mean .thanks alot captian.do you have any more info about
what carbines were used in the war and wich ones were made for
civis

[bigjack59]

Awesome info Captain, thanks a bunch. Any where you could point me on the web to find more info, I love researching!

[musicmatty]

There is a 'forum' online just for the M1 carbine..google it. Mine is an Underwood model that my father brought back from WW11. I have the 2 original 15 round mag clips and the GI issue canvas mag holder for your belt that he was issued also. About 20yrs ago, I purchased a 30 round clip and a paratrooper stock for it that works very well...but I prefer the original stock.

[bigjack59]

Thanks musicmatty, I will look for it. Great little guns aren't they?