$20 M1 Carbine

[doc540]

mowed yards in '63 to raise the $20 ($17.50 plus $2.50 S&H)

Dad bought it through the NRA when they were decommissioned

It has "Winchester" stamped under the rear sight behind the serial #.

Other than it being a Winchester, can anyone tell me more about it?

Shoots like new.

late 1944 build (explains the rear sight)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/M1Carbine1944Winchester.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/Carbine2-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/018_zps6ed64eb7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/019_zps4fc26f95.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/016_zpsb80f3cd9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/015_zpsb6e89c51.jpg

[kraigwy]

In '63 we were still using the M1 Carbine. We had more then necessary so instead of retrofitting them, many for one reason or other were deemed to be not fit for military service and were transferred to the DCM (the forerunner of the CMP) to sell to NRA members.

One of the major causes of one deemed unfit was the lack of a bayonet lug.

Judging from your picture, that's why it went to the DCM/NRA.

Looks like you have a winner.

[doc540]

Thanks for the info.

Hadn't heard about that before.

Sure is fun to shoot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/fecdf030-863c-408a-b835-a91a1980cf0b_zpsbba70e15.jpg

[stu925]

Man I wish you could still get them for anything resembling a sane price let alone for $20. That one looks very nice, I'd say you got a good one.

Stu

[tahunua001]

considering the last gun show was flooded with them and nothing selling for less than $1000 I'm a little jealous that I'm not 30 years older... stupid value appreciation...

[amd6547]

It's worth a couple thousand, now. If you still have the original box and dcm paperwork, it adds to the value.

[Scorch]

Man I wish you could still get them for anything resembling a sane price let alone for $20.
For many years (until 1968 IIRC), official US currency included a $20 gold piece, containing one troy ounce of gold. Today, gold is almost $1,600 an ounce, so a $1000 M1 Carbine is a bargain (well, sort of).

[James K]

DCM carbines are seldom seen in that condition. Most had been issued and used, some heavily, and had been upgraded.

The sight might have been installed at the factory, but all M1 carbines in U.S. service were upgraded in the late war/post war period to incorporate the adjustable sight and the bayonet lug, though some inevitably were missed in one or both upgrades, and those are more valuable than the upgraded ones.

Jim

[NWPilgrim]

I'll offer you $40 for it and you can double your investment!!

Really nice little carbine. I love mine and they are just run of the mill.

[mapsjanhere]

What's the barrel stamp, does it correspond with the receiver? You might have one of the rare WWII guns that didn't go through a retrofit for the bayonet lug and became a mixmaster.

[Technosavant]

Starting a thread with a title like that is just plain mean.

These little guns have been commanding quite impressive prices; I'm still amazed they can hardly be found for under a kilobuck in any kind of a shooter condition. I keep hoping that one day the CMP will get a huge shipment of the things so I can pick one up without getting nuked on the price. It would make a great complement to my Garand.

[musher]

Be worth checking all the part markings. Good odds that you have a factory original (no refurbs).

[F23Blackwidow2]

Man. I'm saving up for a CMP M1 Garand, and I wish I could get it for $20:D
But that is a great rifle. If you have the original paper work, and the stock, barrel, and receiver match, you could be holding onto a $1600 rifle (On a good market, which are quickly disappearing)

[gak]

Have an original Inland - unmolested 6-44 with factory installed bayo (no refit) and adjustble sight (ditto). I know this as the gun has never been in any hands 'cept my father and me. He found it scrounging for B-29 engine parts (to get home!) in the junkyard on Guam NIB (crate) and brought it back behind the seat on his plane at war's end. One of the few war issue bayo'd carbines to make it to a theatre of operation. A popular myth (that continues to be propogated) is that none were war issue, just post-war refit - but it's true they were darn few. The actual Ordnance decree on the bayo was issued in mid '44 for new production and, IIRC, field refit (combo barrel band/bayo lug and bayo issue), but you know how long it often takes gubment to actually implement things! Sadly, the bayo itself and original rifle case disappeared years ago somewhere in our travels (before we knew to cherish and protect these things). The gun's still in great 95+ shape, 60+ years a 100 yd tack driver with nary a hitch save for.a batch of junk ammo years back and a few ill-advised aftermrket mags (recent Korean ones of which have gotten a lot better lately btw).

To the OP, enjoy this great gun. My guess is it will say Winchester on the barrel as well, and probably elsewhere too. Doesn't matter much with these--they were inherently designed to be virtually all-parts interchangeable--other than value and good feeling "just knowing" it probably has all it's original parts.

'44 top and.a refit '43 bottom, both Inlands.
http://photos.imageevent.com/springerpic/inbox/websize/_Xutf-8XBXL01lZGlhIENhcmQvQmxhY2tCZXJyeS9waWN0dXJlcy9JTUcwMTY4MC5qcGc_X_.jpg
Note "high wood" on a late carbine and low wood on an early, along with the latter's slightly longer buttstock, oiler slot almost out of view. Even though not mix-masters (both Inland parts throughout), you can see the factory used whatever was in the parts barrel even when new. My guess is the '43 was restocked in either a late or post-war refit.

[doc540]

thnx for all the info!

Winchester barrel marks and inspector stamp

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/M1%20Carbine/fc66c2cf-1d66-4309-9d57-5ea3e1b57822_zps1a5b51a1.jpg

[jason41987]

you know.. when you look at the M1 garand weighing close to 12lbs, the thompson weighing close to 11 pounds.... and then you look at the M1 carbine containing more power, more range than the thompson and weighing in at less than 6lbs.. its a no brainer, if i was in WWII, unless i knew i was going to specifically fighting at long ranges of over 200-300 yards... i would have taken the M1 carbine over the others.. especially the thompson, having nearly half the weight but twice the muzzle energy of the thompson

simply put, the carbine just doesnt get as much love as it should, heck, its probably a better close range rifle than the M4 carbine.. wow, now you make me want to buy an M1 carbine

[doc540]

After getting it out of storage and shooting it again, I've decided to dump my AK-47.

The Carbine will work just fine for hurricane zombie protection. :)

[tahunua001]

only the thompson had a rate of fire some 20 times faster than the M1 carbine. you may think you'd rather have the M1 carbine than the M1 garand and M27 but both held an advantage over the M1 be it rate of fire or penetration and range.

I would rather pack the 12 pound M1 and know I'm lethal out to 400 yards(with my marksmanship skills on unassuming targets :D) and not have to worry about my bullet being deflected or stopped by heavy clothing, shrubs or other light obstacles.

[sarge83]

I have an Inland that doesn't have the bayonet lug. Some yahoo had ground down the rear sight to a sharp point. I found another original sight online and ordered it and installed it. It's my favorite M1 to shoot. My kids and nephews always ask when they come in can we shoot the carbine, please???


I bought this one back in the 90's and paid $330 for it I believe. Well worth the money even then.

[RedBowTies88]

Awesome rifle!

I wish I could own an M1 :(

[RickB]

The M1 Carbine that my dad paid $20 for in the early '60s has all the "late" features, including round bolt, M2 stock, bayo lug, etc. It still has the December, '42 barrel, though.

[Ignition Override]

But at 100 yards, doesn't the typical Carbine bullet have the same energy as a .357's muzzle energy?
These supposedly were designed for handgun range, partly as a substitute for the handgun.

[RickB]

I don't know how important energy is, as a measure of "power"? The classic "stopping power" formulas - Hatcher's, Taylor's - put the emphasis on momentum. Full-power .357 and .30 Carbine aren't that much different. Where the Carbine has a huge advantage is in hitting. It's easy to hit targets out to 150 yards with a Carbine, while most people are out of their depth with a handgun at 150 feet, or even fifty feet.

[FALPhil]

you know.. when you look at the M1 garand weighing close to 12lbs...
I knew this to be wrong, so I went and weighed all three of mine. The heaviest was 9Lb 15 oz unloaded with no sling.

[madcratebuilder]

Doc, that is one of the nicest Carbines I have seen. Having been in your possession all these years you KNOW it's not a parts gun, that makes it priceless. I would say that is a 2k or above carbine.;)

[doc540]

Thanks

After having it 50 years, I plan on keeping it.;)

[gruesome]

I have a postal meter that I gave 200 for in 97, it has an underwood barrel that I thought wasnt org. then I found out that postal meter used other barrels, it is still in really good condition and it is sweet to shoot. Made in 43

[gruesome]

I forgot to mention that this does have the bayonet lug. What does this indicate:confused:

[doc540]

Shoots pretty good.

My excuses are stiff trigger (original, military trigger feels 10+lbs), high wind and COMMUNIST ammo. :oops:

Oh, and old eyes behind trifocals. :o

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/doc540/Guns/Targets/c69c3b28-0676-41c2-9f90-363d44194c5b_zpsdadd5480.jpg

[RickB]

I forgot to mention that this does have the bayonet lug. What does this indicate

That like most M1 Carbines, it was updated after initial manufacture.
Does it also have a twist safety? Early guns had pushbutton safeties that were too often mistaken for the mag release, so the safety was modified and retrofitted.
Early guns had a simple, L-shaped sight that gave you high and low elevation adjustment, but a fully-adjustable rear sight was later designed, and again, retrofitted to guns already in service.
Then you have high wood, low wood, potbelly stocks, M2 stocks, round bolts, flat bolts, etc., etc. It's great sport to try to figure out which parts are original to a given gun, or at least are "correct" in configuration, even if not original.
Other than the barrel, I don't know that my Carbine has a single original part on it.