That looks sweet. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, I find that my wife's Magtech 7022 (aka Mossberg Plinkster) falls into the same general size category as an M1 Carbine and just feels somewhat similar to me.
Unfortunately, it doesn't have the military-style aperture sight of the M1 Carbine knockoff. Although, I wonder if that could be added . . .
Magtech Model 7022 Review