M1 Carbine

magician422 · August 26, 2015, 12:45 PM

I came across an ad selling an M1 Carbine for $500. Is this a correct valuation on the rifle or is the price too high. I am looking to possibly buy this for my father as he loves old military firearms. Below is the only information on the ad and I have attached a picture.

"Universal M1 Carbine with Military Canvas Gun Bag and 1 mag

This appears to be an older Universal Carbine with many military parts. Finish is about 50%. Nice patina."

tangolima · August 26, 2015, 12:55 PM

Universal is a civilian made m1 carbine, Non-GI that is. Quality could be iffy depending on when it was made. I can only say for myself; I would rather spend a few hundreds more to have the real GI.

-TL

taylorce1 · August 26, 2015, 01:34 PM

I have a Universal M1 and it's a blast to shoot and I enjoy it very much. However, I didn't spend nowhere near $500 for it nor do I think I ever would. I did some research beforehand and realized that if thing went wrong with my rifle my options for fixing it was pretty limited. If I were to buy another I'd make sure it was able to use GI parts. I also wouldn't pay more than $300 on a Universal Carbine.

Ibmikey · August 26, 2015, 03:57 PM

Universals are generally regarded as poor investments, some have rifles that work just fine but many more do not. The earliest of production used a cast receiver and GI parts and considered adequate shooters but certainly not collectable. Later Universals ran from shootable to just plain awful with the last using zero GI parts and poor replacements.

notahardwareguy · August 26, 2015, 05:17 PM

There are very few from this manufacturer that are "real" mil-spec M1s. Most of their production are similar but use non- mil-spec part, if that matters to you. There are other civilian M1s that more closely match mil-spec for the same money or less.

If the serial number is of the form X999 it is mil-spec, the rest are not. They can be good shooters but if he cares (and it sounds like he does) I would pass.

T. O'Heir · August 27, 2015, 12:12 PM

Kind of suspect $500 isn't a horrible price for one.
Really needs a better picture. It have the badly made, stamped, op handle, two return springs and a toggle for the bolt hold open? I'm guessing it does not given the issue stock it's wearing. This is a good thing. Makes it an early Universal and isn't the piece of junk late models are.
Problem is that there are so few early models around and the exceptionally bad reputation the late models have.
http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html

Chris_B · August 30, 2015, 10:59 AM

Respectfully, to be clear: M1 carbines were not made for US military contract after 1945 and Universal Firearms did not make USGI carbines. Whether or not their receivers are made to a "mil spec" of any kind is very open to debate due to materials, method of manufacture, inspection processes, and tolerances.

m&p45acp10+1 · August 30, 2015, 05:08 PM

I have one of the Iver Johnson/Plainfield reproductions. The weakest link of them is the magazine. I did have to do a little work to smooth out the feed ramp. With that done it only jams with crappy Pro Mags. With good mags it runs like a champ. I advise pick up a gas nut wrench. It is needed to take off the gas port nut to clean it. If not once it needs to be done you will have a straight pull bolt action.

Note the Plainfield carbines were made on the same machinery that the orignal USGI models were. They bought the machinery to do so. The company they bought them from found it more profitable then scrapping the machinery when turning to peace time production. Iver Johnson bought them out. Factory locations were changed a few times as they grew. I am not sure if they ever branded any as Universal or not. Also a whole lot of surplus parts were sold to several companies that had them assembled into rifles that were sold under many names. They are the ones you find where nothing seems to match as far as maker, and it is a post war rifle. (I could be wrong. This is what I have gathered as far as research, this comes up a lot, and seems to make the most since.)

Mannlicher · September 6, 2015, 07:39 PM

The Universal, for what it is, a copy of the USGI .30 carbine, and commercially made, it's not all bad. They made a lot of the parts in house, and used USGI parts as well. I bought one from JC Penney back in the early 1970s. I have fired many rounds through it, and it still functions just fine.
I'd say $500 is high, but if that's what you want, fine. A decent condition USGI carbine will be much more.

Pilot · September 7, 2015, 02:24 PM

I recently bought a USGI Inland M1 Carbine in very good condition for $700, but I had to search for a while. It does have a Century import stamp, so not really a collector, but a good shooter. They're out there if you look.

August 26, 2015, 01:34 PM	#3
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,249	I have a Universal M1 and it's a blast to shoot and I enjoy it very much. However, I didn't spend nowhere near $500 for it nor do I think I ever would. I did some research beforehand and realized that if thing went wrong with my rifle my options for fixing it was pretty limited. If I were to buy another I'd make sure it was able to use GI parts. I also wouldn't pay more than $300 on a Universal Carbine. __________________ NRA Life Member

August 27, 2015, 12:12 PM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Kind of suspect $500 isn't a horrible price for one. Really needs a better picture. It have the badly made, stamped, op handle, two return springs and a toggle for the bolt hold open? I'm guessing it does not given the issue stock it's wearing. This is a good thing. Makes it an early Universal and isn't the piece of junk late models are. Problem is that there are so few early models around and the exceptionally bad reputation the late models have. http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

August 30, 2015, 05:08 PM	#8
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I have one of the Iver Johnson/Plainfield reproductions. The weakest link of them is the magazine. I did have to do a little work to smooth out the feed ramp. With that done it only jams with crappy Pro Mags. With good mags it runs like a champ. I advise pick up a gas nut wrench. It is needed to take off the gas port nut to clean it. If not once it needs to be done you will have a straight pull bolt action. Note the Plainfield carbines were made on the same machinery that the orignal USGI models were. They bought the machinery to do so. The company they bought them from found it more profitable then scrapping the machinery when turning to peace time production. Iver Johnson bought them out. Factory locations were changed a few times as they grew. I am not sure if they ever branded any as Universal or not. Also a whole lot of surplus parts were sold to several companies that had them assembled into rifles that were sold under many names. They are the ones you find where nothing seems to match as far as maker, and it is a post war rifle. (I could be wrong. This is what I have gathered as far as research, this comes up a lot, and seems to make the most since.) __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you. Last edited by m&p45acp10+1; August 30, 2015 at 05:15 PM.

September 6, 2015, 07:39 PM	#9
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida & Miami Posts: 3,209	The Universal, for what it is, a copy of the USGI .30 carbine, and commercially made, it's not all bad. They made a lot of the parts in house, and used USGI parts as well. I bought one from JC Penney back in the early 1970s. I have fired many rounds through it, and it still functions just fine. I'd say $500 is high, but if that's what you want, fine. A decent condition USGI carbine will be much more. __________________ 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

September 7, 2015, 02:24 PM	#10
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	I recently bought a USGI Inland M1 Carbine in very good condition for $700, but I had to search for a while. It does have a Century import stamp, so not really a collector, but a good shooter. They're out there if you look. __________________ Pilot

August 26, 2015, 12:55 PM	#2
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,826	Universal is a civilian made m1 carbine, Non-GI that is. Quality could be iffy depending on when it was made. I can only say for myself; I would rather spend a few hundreds more to have the real GI. -TL

August 26, 2015, 03:57 PM	#4
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	Universals are generally regarded as poor investments, some have rifles that work just fine but many more do not. The earliest of production used a cast receiver and GI parts and considered adequate shooters but certainly not collectable. Later Universals ran from shootable to just plain awful with the last using zero GI parts and poor replacements.

August 26, 2015, 05:17 PM	#5
notahardwareguy Member Join Date: June 1, 2015 Posts: 17	There are very few from this manufacturer that are "real" mil-spec M1s. Most of their production are similar but use non- mil-spec part, if that matters to you. There are other civilian M1s that more closely match mil-spec for the same money or less. If the serial number is of the form X999 it is mil-spec, the rest are not. They can be good shooters but if he cares (and it sounds like he does) I would pass.

August 30, 2015, 10:59 AM	#7
Chris_B Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 3,101	Respectfully, to be clear: M1 carbines were not made for US military contract after 1945 and Universal Firearms did not make USGI carbines. Whether or not their receivers are made to a "mil spec" of any kind is very open to debate due to materials, method of manufacture, inspection processes, and tolerances.