I have been interested in trying to get an M1. I was wondering where a good place to buy one would be. Can anyone also tell me about how much you would have to pay for an M1. It doesnt have to be a collector brand or type. Just a basic M1

Thanks for any info

Can't offer much on where but gun shows are always the best place. Look in the parking lot first or just inside the door. Stick with a GI gun. Its better made and has a better resale value. Inland made the most and it is said that Saginaw at Grand Rapids was the least made. I argue but whats a few thousand guns, Winchester and Rock-Ola are the most expensive with Irwin Pedersen being outragous. Get a copy of the Reish or Harrison books. Research the gun and have an idea of what you want. Try to have a knowledgable person look at the gun before you buy. Carry a 180 grain .30 cal bullet to check muzzle wear.(Not beyond the cannalure.) (metal cleaning rods cause a lot of wear) Head space is another area that you need to check before you buy. Buy a GO and NO GO guage set from Brownells. Get the ones that you can close the bolt on without the extractor interfering. Vocal history is cheap. M1 Carbines in good condition are expensive. Don't let one overshadow the other. "I don't care if this is Audie Murphy's Winchester, I want to have it checked out before I hand you the money". Always ask for a three day inspection. Have a knowledgable person available to check out what you want to buy. Be prepared to get burned at least once. But not twice. Good luck.

Forgot the price range.
Very good with all matching coded parts--$Win & RO $$700
Good with mostly matching parts--$400 to $500
Rode hard but dried off before being put away--$300 to $425
Rode hard and put away wet--$350 to $400

Finish should be different colors. If all the same its been refinished.

If original Hi wood add $75.00

With cartouche and ord stamp add $50
If cartouche and ord stamp look new--Subtract $50

There are hundreds of other things I could warn you about but why spoil your fun.

Carbines are a great deal of fun, get one!!

IAI is importing some into the US now, a local shop has them for $599, but there is a sale coming up.

As far as the used GI carbines go, you can find a whole bunch of them out there, and it is buyer beware. If all you want is a "fun gun" don't get wrapped around the axle on who made it, function and safety are the most important aspects, many were arsenal refinished during their tenure. I have one with a Saginaw reciever and an Underwood barrel bought from the USAF(Reserves) after the Vietnam war.

I am constantly surprised by the prices folks ask for them at gun shows.

Good Luck,
Bob

I agree with Gunny that the IAI are good guns for a decent price. The one place I would not look is the gun shows. Too much bad stuff at really inflated prices. Just keep your eyes out there are still good deals out there from time to time. If all you want is a good shooter to have fun with the IAI stuff is the way to go.

I bought a M-1 carbine years ago, when a whole bunch were imported and they were dirt cheap. Mine is definitely not all original. Most of the metal appears to be original, but the stock is not U.S. made and may be an asian hardwood. It is a nice little gun, almost no recoil, light weight and very handy. Just plain fun to shoot, but not highly accurate. It can hit a man sized target at 100 yards and that is what it was designed to do, but it is not a target rifle.

I just paid $400 and my dealer appraised it at $700. That is a subjective eyeball appraisal, of course, but I definitely feel like I did well.

All I was looking for was a shooter that was in good condition, and I knew nothing about them. I found one that seemed serviceable at a gun show and grabbed it. However, I have been keeping up with them for awhile, so I had an idea of what most were going for based on condition, and I knew one of the vendors who looked it over and gave me the nod for that price.

Congrats Scott, sounds like you got a great deal. Get a chance to shoot it yet? I hope that you don't plan on converting it to 454 Casull, this isn't the "Carbine project" that you're going to report on in a month, is it?...

Bill

Not quite, Bill, but you are on the right track

Actually, a fine member of this forum has an already converted specialty piece in an oddball caliber, and he is patiently waiting on me. I am patiently waiting on my bonus check on Friday. Of course, so is my wife, but this one won't be going direct deposit, sooooo.....

jrpilot, I just purchased one off www.gunsamerica.com

There were many for sale under military rifles US/Non Springfield

Can't wait till it gets here.----------Chainsaw

I have a Plainfield M1 carbine that I purchased about 30 years ago. I've probably shot less than 100 rounds through it since, mostly due to it subsequently being made "restricted" and therefore only usable at approved ranges. Fun gun to shoot although it's damn hard to find 5 round mags that work properly. Good to know its worth so much more than I paid...this one is in very good condition.

I just took delivery of an IAI in .22 Johnson
Spitfire [.30 Carbine necked down to .22 cal.]. There is a company in Texas which loads for this cartridge [loads are abit anemic---'bout 2650 fps, whereas the Johnson is supposed to be capable of 3000+ fps with a 40 grain pill]. Anyway, I really, really like the gun and cartridge. Have only had the gun to the range once, but it looks like it might do 2-2 1/2 inches at 100 yards.

IMHO, the appeal of the M1 is the mini-garand action. Some people satisfy that itch with a Ruger mini-14. But the mini-14 is just so damn inaccurate and you don't get a military rifle per se, just a bastardized sporter. So, if you are looking to capture the mini-garand ambiance, I would simply rather go with a M1 from the get go and then, if a guy wants a really accurate semi-auto .223, put your money into an AR.

The Johnson spitfire makes for a nice, huntable M1 with the mini-garand ambiance. It should work real well for desert jackrabbits and the like and as a truck gun.

IAI is selling some accessories for these rifles [oilers, slings, wood handguards], etc.

Jordan

Anybody have mfg. dates for Inland M1 Carbines? I have one with SN 77,xxx.

Since my last post I shot another 70 rounds or so through my M1....I had forgoten how much fun they are to shoot. Thanks guys for reawakening my interest in this old dust collector.

Well, I got my baby yesterday. I'll post some pics if I can steal my brother's digital camera.

I have fitted it with a polymer stock, and am looking for a bayonet. I'm going to fashion some kind of sling for it, maybe use my snakeskin for this. And 40 rd mags look too cool!

The best part is its chambered for 45 win mag, wooohooo!

Elmer Kieth meets Jeff Cooper, LOL!

jbmi, I'll look up what I have on Serial Numbers, but for clarification, how many digits does it contain? Your post indicates 5 numbers.

If your post was not a typo, your Inland reciever is from the last quarter of 1942, most likely, according to the Ruth book.

The IAI carbines are pieces of junk. I am a member of the M-1 carbine collectors assa and I suggest you go to CSP gun talk and go to the carbine collectors site. They will get you up to snuff on what is going on. Basically get a US issue and then buy any parts needed from Karl Reutling or others in the Association.

threefeathers,
Is there a link you can provide?

I would like to read what they say.

Thanks,
Bob

gunney bob,

http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/carbine/carbine.pl?

Old-school forum style, but it works well.