January 26, 2013, 05:12 PM | #1 |
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M1 Carbine
Hey all,
Please educate me on the M1 Carbine. Very interested in picking one up in a few months, and don't know enough about them. Which manufacturers were good, not good, things to look for or avoid. I would like a USGI style (No modern manufacture). They are almost always around at the gun shows here, even with the craziness. Not looking for a collector grade, but one to shoot and enjoy. Will be reloading for it as well. Bring it on...
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January 26, 2013, 07:35 PM | #2 |
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Avoid Universal and Auto Ordnance brands.
I have a Plainfield Machine, made in the early 70s. Not quite USGI spec, but pretty good. And a great shooter. |
January 26, 2013, 07:40 PM | #3 |
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I have a plainfield and it shoots perfectly. It was made in the late 1960s and was made to look as close to a USGI as they could but a little more modern(1960s modern)
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January 26, 2013, 07:42 PM | #4 |
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I've shot several of the real-military M1 Carbines, and never knew of or heard of any problems for reliability. I prefer the 15-round mags, just for less awkwardness when carrying.
I dunno. They work, they're fun and accurate enough for plinking and casual bunny-hunting. Good little social gun, as well, particularly with soft points. |
January 26, 2013, 07:59 PM | #5 |
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I've owned an Auto Ordinance carbine for several years. Never had a problem of any kind with it. I realize it's not a 'real' M1 but it is awfully darned close and shoots fine. I'll buy the genuine article IF I ever find a good one at a reasonable price. Till then the AO is quite satisfactory.
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January 26, 2013, 08:44 PM | #6 |
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For the M1 CArbine,
all USGI manufacturers were reliable.
Can't say on the Auto-Ordance, the early Plainfields were a decent copy, the later one were so-so. Early Universal were good, again the later weren't. Looking under the rear sight, with a strong light to determine the US manufacturer: WIN., Saginaw, Rock-ola, Postal Meter, Inland, can't recall the last two. Do a COMPLETE detailing and lubing of all parts (ESPECIALLY the bolt, for the ejector and spring to be CLEAN and lube) Need to get a "bolt tool" to help tale it apart. Replace the magazine catch, to the type that has a small projection of the left-side (facing forward), this supports all magazine. [ Specifically, it for use with the weight of 30 rounders.] Lightly polish the feed-ramp to allow better feeding of "soft-nose" ammo. When firing at range adjust the tightness of the barrel band screw to see if group size changes for the good. Enjoy and tell us how you did. |
January 26, 2013, 09:21 PM | #7 | |
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January 26, 2013, 09:38 PM | #8 |
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I'm with the others:
Stick to the USGI Carbines and you'll be good to go, go to the after market commerical Carbines and you're buying problems. Gun Show Carbines are iffy. We know the CMP is out most carbines but they still have them show up at auctions, (there are 9 showing now). Some pricy, some not to bad. http://cmpauction.odcmp.com/catalog....3&n=M1-Carbine If I was going to get one, I'd bite the bullet and get one from the CMP Auctions. You know they will work, if something weird happens, the CMP will make good. If you're not looking for a collector, you can get a good servicable Carbine at the CMP auctions probably for less then you'll spend at a gun show now days.
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January 27, 2013, 01:11 AM | #9 | |
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January 27, 2013, 08:49 AM | #10 |
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Golfnut;
You can go here: http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=6 For a forum on the M1 carbine. The folks there can answer any & all questions about the little sweetheart of a rifle. Roger
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January 27, 2013, 01:49 PM | #11 |
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This is an Inland manufactured Feb. 44. Everything works as designed. both my 30 round marked uu and my 15 round marked KCI work fine.
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January 27, 2013, 03:38 PM | #12 |
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I got a Plainsfield and no problems here!!!
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January 27, 2013, 03:49 PM | #13 |
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I own and Inland Marine and a Saganaw Gear carbine. One, the Saganaw Gear, is like new. A buddy of mine bought it in the 1970's for $20 plus shipping. I have the paper work. It's the Korean model with the bayonet lug. The other is the Inland. It was a San Quentin guard gun and has no bayonet lug or finish, but it shoots a bit better.
People claim that M-1 carbines are not accurate. That has not been my experience with these little rifles. Nor do they kick. My grandson who was uncomfortable shooting the AR15 loved shooting the carbine. I do too. Get a military one. They are around. Figure $600 to $800. Yeah they are "spendy" (as we say in Oregon) but a lot of fun to own and shoot. Oh, don't go bear hunting with one. However, I had a friend who carried one in WWII. He said that during the War all of the GI's were exclaiming how they wanted one to hunt deer with. He brought one home and immediately shot a black bear...and her cub! Their skins adorned his den wall. Concerning the magazines. The 30 round ones, in my experience, jam. I only load five in my 15 round mags and they shoot out. They do with 10 too. |
January 27, 2013, 09:31 PM | #14 |
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I guess the 30 round mags are luck of the draw. In '54/'55 during occupation duty in Cold Rear, I'd occasionally "liberate" a 600-round canister of ammo and go to the beach at Inchon with my M2. Spray and pray at seagulls and sea shells and all that juvenile stuff that a 20-year-old will do. Never had any problems with the mags on full auto.
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January 27, 2013, 09:42 PM | #15 |
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Thanks for the replies so far everyone. Really looking forward to getting one, after a good look over/inspection.
Keep the info coming!
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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. |
January 27, 2013, 10:14 PM | #16 |
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One thing needs to be clearly understood; the M1 Carbine is essentially a pistol-caliber gun, intended to supplement a pistol. To compare it with a battle rifle is a mistake; while it's quite effective within its envelope, there's no way it can provide the punch of a high-powered rifle.
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January 27, 2013, 11:38 PM | #17 |
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People call the 30 carbine cartridge a pistol round, but wasn't it designed from the begining for a carbine? Wouldn't that make it a carbine bullet?
I"d been looking for a nice usgi carbine for a while and I can't tell you how many beatup pos M1 carbines for $900 + I've seen at these gunshows. The nice usgi carbines are just too expensive and I'd be weary of shooting one alot and possibly devaluing it. Plus I don't want an antique I buy my guns to shoot them not collect them. so I ended up getting a good deal on an ao carbine that's been on the wall of a local gunshop forever. I can't believe nobody wanted it even in these desperate times. I was weary because of all the bad reviews, but if I listend to all the negative reviews I probably wouldn't own any guns at all. So I took a chance with the AO M1 carbine and I'm glad I did. It's a nice little plinker that's been reliable surprisingly accurate and fun to shoot. The best part is I can shoot it like I stole it and not worry about devaluing a beautiful piece of American history.. |
January 28, 2013, 07:48 AM | #18 |
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You're right, coldbeer, the .30 carbine cartridge is not really a pistol round, it was indeed designed for the carbine from the outset. The actual ballistics though, are equivalent to magnum handgun loads, and there are a couple of handguns chambered for it. Out of the carbine, you get a gentle shooter that's a ton of fun to shoot; as noted earlier, it's a dandy close-range defensive rifle, especially with expanding ammo. It is actually the first 'Personal Defensive Weapon'.
For your entertainment; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_carbine
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January 28, 2013, 08:30 AM | #19 |
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For fun, about 25 years ago me and some buddies were shooting cinder blocks with both .45ACP 1911 and .30 carbine M-1. The conclusion was that if your home is ever invaded by cinder blocks the carbine should be your go to shooter.
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January 28, 2013, 12:28 PM | #20 |
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You make a good point shep, the 30 carbine round looks like a rimless .30 magnum with similar ballistics to the 357. The magnum pistol rounds do gain alot from a rifle barrel though. Much more than say a 9mm or 45acp.
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January 29, 2013, 07:06 PM | #21 | |
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Quote:
I've shot my Carbine at 12" targets at 350 yards in competition, and while it can be done, the effective range is really closer to 150. I suppose that's why you need an M2 for prairie dogs. |
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January 30, 2013, 12:23 AM | #22 | |
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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. |
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January 31, 2013, 06:49 PM | #23 |
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IIRC, there were nine manufacturers under contract to produce the M1 Carbine. A previous poster listed some of them. Ones not mentioned were Underwood, IBM Corp., Irwin Pedersen, Quality Hardware, and Std. Products.
Irwin Pedersen made the fewest, and not coincidentally, now command the highest prices, if correct. As far as one being better than another, I wouldn't really worry about it, as most if not all of the ones you will find available now have been through one or probably more arsenal rebuilds, in which interchangeable parts were used, without a thought to future collectability. The older models will have flip rear sights, push-button safety, and front band w/o bayonet lug. There are two bolt variants, round and square. Get one while you can, and shoot it! They are a blast to shoot, low recoil, and lightweight. |
February 1, 2013, 10:13 AM | #24 |
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I heard horrible things about National Ordnance carbines, this is an interesting site, http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_FedOrd.html, but a bud has been shooting his in our “M1 Carbine Match”. I took these pictures of the front of it. He has created a barrel band and bedded it in the forend. Also, something hard to tell in the picture, is that the barrel assembly is made of two pieces. The original Carbine barrel must have been shot out and Federal Ordnance drilled out the barrel trunion, turned an 1903A3 barrel down to that diameter and lead soldered the two together. Bud claims that the A3 barrel shoots better than GI Carbine barrels.
As for the claims that Carbines are accurate, that depends on your definition of accurate. They group better than buckshot in a smoothbore, but carbines are not what I consider “accurate”. I stopped shooting them in competition because there is no relationship between sight picture and point of impact.
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February 1, 2013, 12:58 PM | #25 |
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I don't know about Federal Ordnance or National Ordnance, but my Auto Ordnance M1 carbine replica comes with a Green Mtn. barrel and easily puts 5 bullets inside two inches at 100 yards from a bench. I had a few jams at first but after picking up some 30rd mags I haven't had any jams or issues of any kind and I'm very satisfied with it.
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