OP
You certainly aren’t alone in your assessment of the Universal brand. I do wonder though, if they are such complete junk how did they manage to sell nearly half a million of them?
Price check M1 Carbine
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dmthomp32
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A lot of people really poo poo the civilian manufacturers. My father in law bought a universal (which I had advised him against after reading all the internet banter) but honestly it shot well and worked just fine! I probably would have bought one myself eventually if I hadn't found two nice GI's for $600 a piece. Dont stress over the hate, half the people responding didn't even read the original post!
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OP
I noticed that myself. That’s true of a lot of hate threads like locks and MIM.
Faulkner
Member
When the early M1 carbine clones, like Universal, were first out on the market it was hard to come by real USGI M1 carbines. In 1964 the DCM (precursor to the CMP) released about 140,000 USGI M1 carbines for sale to NRA members but that low quantity hardly even wet the appetite for those wanting a real M1 carbine.
Seeing an obvious market opportunity they started making the clones, in many cases using surplus USGI parts that was plentiful and dirt cheap at the time. The receiver was the hard part and they weren't available, so they had to make their own. The reason people bought the clones was because there just weren't hardly any USGI carbines available outside of the small number released to NRA members.
That all changed in the late 1980's and early 1990's when import laws were changed and a flood of USGI M1 carbines were imported back in the country that had originally been provided to allied countries like South Korea and Israel. Re-imported USGI M1 carbines were plentiful and reasonable and it just about killed the carbine clone market. Universal sold to Iver Johnson and Iver Johnson eventually went out of business.
OP
I’m not calling anyone out either. I just find it amusing that folks are so eager to express their negative opinion of XXX, that they fail to actually answer the question being asked. As I previously noted, this seems to be most prevalent when “hate” issues are involved.
AJ
US Veteran
I was off a bit in the value. This just sold last weekend on Gunbroker https://www.gunbroker.com/item/785821835
No one has mention that the trigger on the Carbine leaves much to be desired and can not really be improved much if at all.
And I have heard shooters say that it takes a certain amount of practice to become proficient with this rifle. Even experienced rifle users have problems with the M1. I have less than 150 rounds through mine. Next, the rear sights are okay for 18 year old eyes but can be a challenge for older fellows.
I do not have a Mimi 14 so can't speak about them . However I do have a 1943 Gov issued M1 Carbine which had been through the armory inspection procedures. I has the bayonet lug added to the barrel.
I do enjoy shooting my M1 and the lighter weight is a big part of the reason for that.
I value the fact that the gun is a legitimate WWII military weapon. It could have been used in combat but the excellent quality of the stock makes me think that at best it might have been in a combat zone but not fired.
Hope this helps.
And I have heard shooters say that it takes a certain amount of practice to become proficient with this rifle. Even experienced rifle users have problems with the M1. I have less than 150 rounds through mine. Next, the rear sights are okay for 18 year old eyes but can be a challenge for older fellows.
I do not have a Mimi 14 so can't speak about them . However I do have a 1943 Gov issued M1 Carbine which had been through the armory inspection procedures. I has the bayonet lug added to the barrel.
I do enjoy shooting my M1 and the lighter weight is a big part of the reason for that.
I value the fact that the gun is a legitimate WWII military weapon. It could have been used in combat but the excellent quality of the stock makes me think that at best it might have been in a combat zone but not fired.
Hope this helps.
Last edited:
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