The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Art of the Rifle: Semi-automatics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old November 11, 2012, 11:28 AM   #1
DubC-Hicks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2009
Location: Backwoods, Northern MI
Posts: 1,031
Can't decide what to get..

Hey guys, I have the chance to pick between a Nornico M14, a Springfield M1 Garand in the 2.3mil range, and a 1943 underwood m1 carbine. All are $750 firm. Carbine and Garand appear to be all matching. I didn't take them apart to check everything. All are in very good+ condition too. Sooner or later, I'm going to have one of each, but I can't afford them all now. Which one sounds like the best deal?
__________________
”Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.” ~Unknown
DubC-Hicks is offline  
Old November 11, 2012, 11:57 AM   #2
The Long Shot
Member
 
Join Date: September 21, 2012
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 77
I'd say the M1 Garand. They're just a blast to shoot. You truly are shooting a piece of history. I love the newer modern guns, but I'll always have a soft spot for the classics.

The M1 Carbines also rock. It really depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for a full power rifle that you can use at longer ranges you want get the M1 Garand. If you're looking for a nice handy lightweight rifle look at the M1 Carbine. They are both a bit pricy to shoot though.

I'm not a fan of the Nornico M1As. They have good forged receivers, but the rest isn't the best.
__________________
I own to many AR pattern rifles, I guess that would make me a hoardAR

Last edited by The Long Shot; November 11, 2012 at 08:49 PM.
The Long Shot is offline  
Old November 11, 2012, 12:15 PM   #3
ripnbst
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 24, 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 1,552
For me it'd be the Garand, easy choice. But I've been lusting after one for quite some time.
ripnbst is offline  
Old November 11, 2012, 05:27 PM   #4
jackpine
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 24, 2010
Posts: 351
garand easy.
jackpine is offline  
Old November 12, 2012, 06:24 PM   #5
PatientWolf
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 20, 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 944
Of the three, the Garand is an easy choice.
PatientWolf is offline  
Old November 12, 2012, 07:47 PM   #6
10-96
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 19, 2005
Location: Tx Panhandle Territory
Posts: 4,159
$750 for either an all-matching Carbine or Garand- those are like prices from quite a few years gone by. In the average of things, I'd say it's a rarity to see either one in all matching condition. Is there a chance you can inspect them more closely?

For collectibility, I'd probably go with the Garand too... especially if I had the chance to check the throat errosion and muzzle errosion. The Carbine- those barrels get used and abused too you know.

Schuster (sp) gas plugs are available for the Garand so you can shoot a much broader availability of ammo. Otherwise, it's CMP ammo, or off-the-shelf M1 ammo which is kinda high.

M1 Carbine ammo is getting more plentiful and cheaper for the time being. I see no reason it should change. While there is an initial sticker shock- one must keep in mind most of it comes in boxes of 50 instead of 20.

All three are tons of fun to shoot. But the Norinco (and any M1A type rifle) is not as easy to lay hands on, at least in my part of the country. And I believe they are much less particular about what .308 ammo you feed them. There are some compatability issues with Norinco's I think. However, it's not impossible to keep any of them up and running- or to have things done such as barrel replacements. Criterion makes barrels for both the M1 and M1Carbine, I don't know about the Norinco.

Any way you look at it, you're in a tough spot to choose one. Now if the U.S. rifles truly are original and haven't gone through an armory rebuild (which I suspect is unlikely), then I would be all over the Garand like a fat boy on a doughnut.
__________________
Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day)

I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.
10-96 is offline  
Old November 12, 2012, 08:02 PM   #7
DubC-Hicks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2009
Location: Backwoods, Northern MI
Posts: 1,031
I was told that the Garand was a bring back. The finish looked the same over the whole rifle, like nothing had been replaced, but I didn't look at the date on the barrel. If it is a 2.3mil number, then it should date to around December of 43 right? And I thought about it after I got home, the carbine had a bayonet lug and late style rear sight. Those weren't original on underwoods in 43 were they?
__________________
”Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.” ~Unknown
DubC-Hicks is offline  
Old November 12, 2012, 08:24 PM   #8
10-96
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 19, 2005
Location: Tx Panhandle Territory
Posts: 4,159
Quote:
Those weren't original on underwoods in 43 were they?
No, I dont THINK those showed up til mid to late '44.

I have a Garand, a Carbine, and several 03's and 03-A3's that have all been arsenalled. Some of them look no different at all from photo's I've seen of non-arsenaled rifles. 60+ years is a lot of time for 'stuff' to happen to rilfes. Even when they were re-arsenalled, they didn't come out looking pristine.

Can you tell us what stamps you saw on the stocks?


EDIT: Wait a minute. If the rifle was a "bring back" from Greece, Norway, or any other country we loaned them to- that wouldn't be 100% dis-honest... just 99% dishonest. I know some guys must have been able to bring their rifles back on the sneak, but still- the arsenalling happened a lot in-country and here in the states.
__________________
Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day)

I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.
10-96 is offline  
Old November 12, 2012, 08:35 PM   #9
Edward429451
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 12, 2000
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 9,494
M1 Garand.
Edward429451 is offline  
Old November 12, 2012, 10:22 PM   #10
DubC-Hicks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2009
Location: Backwoods, Northern MI
Posts: 1,031
The Garand had the P in the circle on the underside of the grip. It also has a small white 52 painted on the buttstock. I looked for a cartouche on the left side, and I think there may be a very faint one, or it could be the grain of the wood. So far I am leaning towards the Garand.
__________________
”Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.” ~Unknown
DubC-Hicks is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06630 seconds with 10 queries