Universal M1 Carbine - Page 2

Mannlicher · January 28, 2024, 01:19 PM

Universal is the least authentic of the various commercial brands. I have owned several and yes they function, but they are not worth the money folks are asking. I recently sold two of the Universals for $800 each. Plainfield and other commercial brands like Iver Johnson are better made. Most, if not all the commercial carbines had cast, or rewelded receivers.. The modern reproductions are pretty well made, but they just don't have the appeal.

rc · January 28, 2024, 03:15 PM

Glad it worked well. There are GI and south korean mags out there. The WWII GI mags are the ones you want to buy. Pro mag is mehhh in terms of quality. You could pony up and buy a Kahr/auto Ordnance mag and be fine. There are 30 rounders out there too.

bamaranger · January 29, 2024, 11:19 PM

Sounds like your off to a good start with it.
When Universal carbines were at their peak in popularity , carbine ammo was pretty cheap too. Some got shot a lot with subsequent wear and tear and when they came unglued, the stories started. Such notables as Massad Ayoob were pretty critical of them.

Yeah, they are not GI, but if yours is running and you don't shoot the snot out of it and keep it lubed and clean hopefully it will run for a long time. If it's running with a GI mag, go and get another.

Best of luck with it.

rc · January 29, 2024, 11:35 PM

Also get the double mag pouch for the butt stock so you can have 45 rounds on board as a grab and go kit. If you ever are confronted by 3 or 4 armed bandits you may need a tactical reload or two with the gun. If you can't take care of a home invasion with 45 rounds of 30 carbine, you probably aren't going to be any better off with 46

ballardw · January 30, 2024, 01:30 PM

May want to try one of these 30 round (on sale as of 30 Jan 2024) https://www.keepshooting.com/m1-carb...-magazine.html

or 15 round also currently on sale
https://www.keepshooting.com/mil-spe...-magazine.html
and for those in restrictive areas a 10 round:
https://www.keepshooting.com/m1-carb...-magazine.html

Pathfinder45 · January 30, 2024, 08:19 PM

Does anyone make 5-round, hunting-legal magazines for the carbine anymore?

Hdonly · February 1, 2024, 07:26 AM

The Promag is working fine, just no hold open on last round. I couldn't help myself. Had to go tacticool. It is a fun gun!

Dfariswheel · February 1, 2024, 07:27 PM

Does anyone make 5-round, hunting-legal magazines for the carbine anymore?

Fulton. Probably better then the old short 5 round mags with poor quality..............

https://www.fulton-armory.com/magazi...ory-2-1-1.aspx

Mannlicher · March 29, 2024, 04:08 PM

I recently sold one of the Universal carbines and one by Iver Johnson. I got $850 apiece. The Universal carbines were fairly reliable, but you could never have any 'pride of ownership' having one. The first one I owned was purchased in the early seventies from JC Penney. Gave that one to a lady who still uses it on her farm for pest control. I guess 50 years of reliable service speaks for itself.

radom · March 31, 2024, 03:55 AM

Makes me go eeek and what is my winchester worth now?

taylorce1 · March 31, 2024, 09:11 AM

I hae to think how much I could get for my Universal. It would probably be more than double what I paid in 2012. I won't sell it unless I'm able to ge a nice old USGI rifle to plink with. The .30 carbine is just plain fun to shoot.

Hawg · March 31, 2024, 12:11 PM

I've got one my dad bought new in 1969. I don't remember him ever firing it but I shot the snot out of it when I was a teenager and a good bit since I inherited it in 02.

The Happy kaboomer · March 31, 2024, 07:36 PM

What 44caliberkid said..................X10!!!!!!!!

Buckeye! · April 4, 2024, 04:09 PM

I picked one up at a Pawnshop about 16 years ago .. for $200 it was a good little carbine .. being I was overly vested in SKS’s .. so I traded it off several years ago .. I still regret letting it go … should have kept it

Name of One Who Uses · April 6, 2024, 08:07 AM

Most of the people who will tell you how bad Universal M1 Carbines are have never even held one, then there's those who have owned them and maybe shot them informally, then the <1% who have owned and fired them enough to appreciate them and know how well they shoot.

I will start by saying the newer they are, the worse they are. I helped a friend with a late production example and I nearly gave up on it. It was in a cheesy folding stock and didn't shoot too bad, but shot very low. By doing some serious massaging (bending of the barrel) I finally got it where it would shoot POA at 100 yds. with the sight set on 300 yds.

Not long ago I bought an early (s.n. 30xxx) 1st Generation. It was in a beautiful stock and shot lights out with the sights being regulated perfectly, at least at 100 and 200 yds.

Since falling in the black hole of M1 Carbine collecting about 4 years ago, one of the first M1 Carbine's I bought was a 1st Generation Universal (s.n. 70xxx). Of the more than a dozen M1 Carbine's I've owned, it is THE most accurate and the very last one I would sell. I put mine in a Choate folding stock so I could easily carry it on trips. It will shoot cast bullets right up to 1900 fps, as accurately as jacketed.

Judging from the serial number of yours, it's an early 2nd Generation. I'm betting it will be a good shooter. Someone mentioned the proprietary slides like yours has as breaking, which they can do. Someone is producing runs of these because I've seen new ones on GunBroker and eBay off and on.

So enjoy your Universal and let us know how well it shoots!

Hawg · April 6, 2024, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Name of One Who Uses

Most of the people who will tell you how bad Universal M1 Carbines are have never even held one

I agree with that. They're just repeating internet drivel. Mine is an early 2nd gen and it's had thousands of rounds through it. If it breaks from sitting in the closet tonight it's still some of the best money my dad ever spent on a gun.

January 28, 2024, 01:19 PM	#26
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida & Miami Posts: 3,209	Universal is the least authentic of the various commercial brands. I have owned several and yes they function, but they are not worth the money folks are asking. I recently sold two of the Universals for $800 each. Plainfield and other commercial brands like Iver Johnson are better made. Most, if not all the commercial carbines had cast, or rewelded receivers.. The modern reproductions are pretty well made, but they just don't have the appeal. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan Last edited by Mannlicher; January 28, 2024 at 01:30 PM.

January 29, 2024, 11:19 PM	#28
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,318	luck Sounds like your off to a good start with it. When Universal carbines were at their peak in popularity , carbine ammo was pretty cheap too. Some got shot a lot with subsequent wear and tear and when they came unglued, the stories started. Such notables as Massad Ayoob were pretty critical of them. Yeah, they are not GI, but if yours is running and you don't shoot the snot out of it and keep it lubed and clean hopefully it will run for a long time. If it's running with a GI mag, go and get another. Best of luck with it.

January 30, 2024, 01:30 PM	#30
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,415	May want to try one of these 30 round (on sale as of 30 Jan 2024) https://www.keepshooting.com/m1-carb...-magazine.html or 15 round also currently on sale https://www.keepshooting.com/mil-spe...-magazine.html and for those in restrictive areas a 10 round: https://www.keepshooting.com/m1-carb...-magazine.html __________________ -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ All data is flawed, some just less so.

March 29, 2024, 04:08 PM	#34
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida & Miami Posts: 3,209	I recently sold one of the Universal carbines and one by Iver Johnson. I got $850 apiece. The Universal carbines were fairly reliable, but you could never have any 'pride of ownership' having one. The first one I owned was purchased in the early seventies from JC Penney. Gave that one to a lady who still uses it on her farm for pest control. I guess 50 years of reliable service speaks for itself. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

March 31, 2024, 09:11 AM	#36
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,250	I hae to think how much I could get for my Universal. It would probably be more than double what I paid in 2012. I won't sell it unless I'm able to ge a nice old USGI rifle to plink with. The .30 carbine is just plain fun to shoot. __________________ NRA Life Member

January 28, 2024, 03:15 PM	#27
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,769	Glad it worked well. There are GI and south korean mags out there. The WWII GI mags are the ones you want to buy. Pro mag is mehhh in terms of quality. You could pony up and buy a Kahr/auto Ordnance mag and be fine. There are 30 rounders out there too.

January 29, 2024, 11:35 PM	#29
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,769	Also get the double mag pouch for the butt stock so you can have 45 rounds on board as a grab and go kit. If you ever are confronted by 3 or 4 armed bandits you may need a tactical reload or two with the gun. If you can't take care of a home invasion with 45 rounds of 30 carbine, you probably aren't going to be any better off with 46

January 30, 2024, 08:19 PM	#31
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Does anyone make 5-round, hunting-legal magazines for the carbine anymore?

February 1, 2024, 07:27 PM	#33
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Does anyone make 5-round, hunting-legal magazines for the carbine anymore? Fulton. Probably better then the old short 5 round mags with poor quality.............. https://www.fulton-armory.com/magazi...ory-2-1-1.aspx

March 31, 2024, 03:55 AM	#35
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,358	Makes me go eeek and what is my winchester worth now?

March 31, 2024, 12:11 PM	#37
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	I've got one my dad bought new in 1969. I don't remember him ever firing it but I shot the snot out of it when I was a teenager and a good bit since I inherited it in 02.

March 31, 2024, 07:36 PM	#38
The Happy kaboomer Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Posts: 230	What 44caliberkid said..................X10!!!!!!!!

April 4, 2024, 04:09 PM	#39
Buckeye! Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2008 Posts: 849	I picked one up at a Pawnshop about 16 years ago .. for $200 it was a good little carbine .. being I was overly vested in SKS’s .. so I traded it off several years ago .. I still regret letting it go … should have kept it

April 6, 2024, 08:07 AM	#40
Name of One Who Uses Junior Member Join Date: April 21, 2014 Posts: 3	Most of the people who will tell you how bad Universal M1 Carbines are have never even held one, then there's those who have owned them and maybe shot them informally, then the <1% who have owned and fired them enough to appreciate them and know how well they shoot. I will start by saying the newer they are, the worse they are. I helped a friend with a late production example and I nearly gave up on it. It was in a cheesy folding stock and didn't shoot too bad, but shot very low. By doing some serious massaging (bending of the barrel) I finally got it where it would shoot POA at 100 yds. with the sight set on 300 yds. Not long ago I bought an early (s.n. 30xxx) 1st Generation. It was in a beautiful stock and shot lights out with the sights being regulated perfectly, at least at 100 and 200 yds. Since falling in the black hole of M1 Carbine collecting about 4 years ago, one of the first M1 Carbine's I bought was a 1st Generation Universal (s.n. 70xxx). Of the more than a dozen M1 Carbine's I've owned, it is THE most accurate and the very last one I would sell. I put mine in a Choate folding stock so I could easily carry it on trips. It will shoot cast bullets right up to 1900 fps, as accurately as jacketed. Judging from the serial number of yours, it's an early 2nd Generation. I'm betting it will be a good shooter. Someone mentioned the proprietary slides like yours has as breaking, which they can do. Someone is producing runs of these because I've seen new ones on GunBroker and eBay off and on. So enjoy your Universal and let us know how well it shoots!