M1 Carbines arriving

Greyman50 · #**151** 06-09-2021, 01:38 PM

Holy Cow! .30 Carbine magazines for that much???Have uncounted stack(s) in original WWII wrap.

waffles · #**152** 06-09-2021, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greyman50

Holy Cow! .30 Carbine magazines for that much???Have uncounted stack(s) in original WWII wrap.

I'm real tempted to turn mine into ammo money and replace em with the KCI mags.

LostintheOzone · #**153** 06-09-2021, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waffles

I've used their 15s and 30s extensively in my M1s, a friend's M2, and he uses their 30s exclusively in that M2. They're solid, but it's not a high bar as the USGI magazines aren't that great and a definite weak point of the design. I've got a bunch of usgi mags and a handful of KCI mags, if I could do it over I'd reverse that, even when the price difference was much lower.

I've found that the original magazines aren't reliable. I replaced the springs in 3 and all three are reliable now. Wolf makes replacement springs. I'm going to replace the springs in all of my magazines. Before I do that I will test each one with a new spring, but generally I find that to be the problem.

waffles · #**154** 06-09-2021, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostintheOzone

I've found that the original magazines aren't reliable. I replaced the springs in 3 and all three are reliable now. Wolf makes replacement springs. I'm going to replace the springs in all of my magazines. Before I do that I will test each one with a new spring, but generally I find that to be the problem.

I used the Wolff springs in some magazines and occasionally noticed a slight improvement, but have had much better luck just running the KCIs rather than upgrading my GI mags.

Ethang · #**155** 06-09-2021, 03:57 PM

I had two different ones in my cart at different times yesterday morning, but hesitated pulling the trigger(pun intended) and both went out of stock while I was using mental logic to justify it...then they all went out of stock and I was good with that....flash forward to 430pm and I checked back and what was previously listed as OOS was now limited availability....went through the same process until that too went OOS...so you could say I almost bought one yesterday.

Greyman50 · #**156** 06-09-2021, 05:30 PM

Hard to believe how much “ common gun items” have gone through the roof. IIRC, last year a friend showed me an original box of .30 Carbine mags for overseas shipment, forget how many in the wooden box, guess several 100. Then I think about back in the 70’s when lots of us collectors did not buy new in the wrap mags for $2.00 ea at gun shows. Had a neighbor that was rumored to have few 100 .30 Carbines and 10’s of thousands of rounds of ammo, his nephew was friend of mine in school in the 50’s, his dad had one we used to look at when he brought it out. The good ole days.

Jack Flash · #**157** 06-09-2021, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waffles

... I've got a bunch of usgi mags and a handful of KCI mags, if I could do it over I'd reverse that, even when the price difference was much lower.

Just curious:
Seems like it would be simple to reverse the situation if that's what you want to do. Sell as many of the USGI mags as you want to get rid of in the classifieds or elsewhere. Each one should bring enough to buy two or three KCI mags.

fordson · #**158** 06-09-2021, 08:10 PM

Midways stock of M1 Carbine is now, as of 8:09 EDST, all sold out.

terry_tr6 · #**159** 06-09-2021, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike, SC Hunter

Say what you want. Facts are facts. It was/is about civilian marksmanship. the offshoot is we as American citizens can buy great military firearms there. When in stock. WAY CHEAPER than in public as ol Larry wants for his. Anyways, your dislike has zero effect on me and thousands of others.

Look into history at the DCM. You could buy ONE M1 Garand in your lifetime. Yes it might be a very pristine example at a stupid cheap price, but it might have taken a year or 2 to get. There was NO push to get these guns into civilian hands and bring a mass of new shooters into the sport. The CMP was created as a self funded corporation of sorts whose goal was to get surplus military rifles into civilian hands and promote their sporting use. Orest Michaels headed up that effort for many years and did a superb job of getting the organization built and finding and recovering loads of surplus and lend lease rifles as well as parts, like getting not only rifles but a couple ship loads of 30-06 HXP ammo that the Greeks no longer wanted. The whole community of collectors took off when the CMP made these stocks of rifles available to us and out of government hands before they were destroyed. The old DCM had no desire to do that and probably could not have considering their charter. The number of rifles (and now 1911 pistols) that have been moved from government control to citizen ownership is astounding and i would welcome an actual count, but the CMP for obvious reasons keeps that number to itself

NavySCPO · #**160** 06-10-2021, 05:51 PM

Well my Winchester M-1 Carbine arrived as promised from Midway today, and so far I am VERY happy. Far from perfect, it looks like a weapon that was used, which is exactly what I had hoped for.

I haven’t cleaned it yet, and it is greasy, IMHO grease from lots of handling, especially around the hand guard. The initials AS are carved on the right side of the stock, the A right over what appears to be a well worn crossed cannons stamp. So far, I’m sure it’s an early build by the serial number (11530XX), which was from the Winchester serial number block used from 9/42 to 2/44. Further evidence of an early build by the early 2 hole top hand guard and the Type 1 barrel band. Also stamped inside the sling well (oval type), but I can’t read it, maybe someone here will recognize the stamp, or maybe clearer after it’s cleaned.

The stock, barrel, receiver, rear sight, hammer, and slide are all marked as Winchester, a further strip down will tell about the rest of the parts. The safety is a later type so may have been changed.

Very happy guy today with what so far looks like an early, battle worn, and so far all original Winchester M-1.

bummer · #**161** 06-10-2021, 06:35 PM

Your stock looks like a Rockola manufacture for Quality Hardware according to the m1 carbine site. It's a nice rifle, I have a carbine that was imported by Blue Sky in the late 80's

stansdds · #**162** 06-11-2021, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NavySCPO

Well my Winchester M-1 Carbine arrived as promised from Midway today, and so far I am VERY happy. Far from perfect, it looks like a weapon that was used, which is exactly what I had hoped for.

I haven’t cleaned it yet, and it is greasy, IMHO grease from lots of handling, especially around the hand guard. The initials AS are carved on the right side of the stock, the A right over what appears to be a well worn crossed cannons stamp. So far, I’m sure it’s an early build by the serial number (11530XX), which was from the Winchester serial number block used from 9/42 to 2/44. Further evidence of an early build by the early 2 hole top hand guard and the Type 1 barrel band. Also stamped inside the sling well (oval type), but I can’t read it, maybe someone here will recognize the stamp, or maybe clearer after it’s cleaned.

The stock, barrel, receiver, rear sight, hammer, and slide are all marked as Winchester, a further strip down will tell about the rest of the parts. The safety is a later type so may have been changed.

Very happy guy today with what so far looks like an early, battle worn, and so far all original Winchester M-1.

I'm not an expert on the M1 Carbine, but your rear sight is not original, it is the post-WW II adjustable version. Otherwise, it does look nice. Do not over tighten the screws that hold the barrel band or the rear recoil plate as doing so usually results in a cracked stock.

Mine is an import that I bought in the mid-1990's. The stock on mine may be a replacement as it has no markings, might even be made of an Asian hardwood.

bummer · #**163** 06-11-2021, 11:33 AM

The milled adjustable was added towards the end of WW2, but I agree if it is an early serial number gun it would have the flip rear sight

NavySCPO · #**164** 06-11-2021, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stansdds

I'm not an expert on the M1 Carbine, but your rear sight is not original, it is the post-WW II adjustable version. Otherwise, it does look nice. Do not over tighten the screws that hold the barrel band or the rear recoil plate as doing so usually results in a cracked stock.

Mine is an import that I bought in the mid-1990's. The stock on mine may be a replacement as it has no markings, might even be made of an Asian hardwood.

Thanks! My use of the word original is incorrect. It appears to be a Type 3 rear sight, marked I.R.C.O. which was correct for a late war issue by Winchester, but not for my serial number, mine would have had a Type 1, glad it doesn’t as those had no windage adjustment. Also I saw the “W” on my handguard and got ahead of myself, when cleaned the stock is stamped “QRMC” which indicates a Quality Hardware stock for Rockola. Likely fair to assume the user broke the bottom of the stock and it was replaced, but the hand guard remained. Fun to wonder in any case.

Don’t know why I x’d the S/N, doesn’t matter to me, the full serial is 1153016 which does indicate an early build by Winchester.

LostintheOzone · #**165** 06-11-2021, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stansdds

I'm not an expert on the M1 Carbine, but your rear sight is not original, it is the post-WW II adjustable version. Otherwise, it does look nice. Do not over tighten the screws that hold the barrel band or the rear recoil plate as doing so usually results in a cracked stock.

Mine is an import that I bought in the mid-1990's. The stock on mine may be a replacement as it has no markings, might even be made of an Asian hardwood.

Not post WW2 version. In actual production during the war and many carbines were equipped with those when they left the factory. Some in service during the war were retrofitted with the adjustable sight, lever safety and bayonet barrel band.

Most all of those adj sights will have to be cranked far to the left for the appropriate windage but still way better than the flip non adj version.

But yeah, his sight was replaced.

Nagloc68 · #**166** 06-14-2021, 03:30 PM

I missed out. I left a post a few days before saying how I thought this was a great opportunity so I planned to purchase an IBM M1. I work in the technology industry and thought it would be cool to have an IBM version. What a comedy of errors. The night before I set everything up on Midway, made sure there was nothing in my cart, made sure I had the correct credit card as a default, picked my FFL - everything. The initial few minutes the website was slow as everybody was hitting the site, but it never crashed. Got the rifle in my cart, proceeded to purchase and wham - credit card wouldn't go through. What?? Same card I used on Midway plenty of times before. Rather than try to trouble shoot, I entered a new card but by the time I did all this is was about 8:09AM and I was too late. I tried a lower quality IBM, but sold out. So what happened - I called my credit union only to find there is a $2000 daily limit on transactions through the debit card. I had no idea, as I have never spent that much in a single day before. AHHHHHH! My total purchase with tax was about $2150. So frustrated. Anyway, I am glad people are happy - it was a great opportunity. Congrats to those that got a Midway M1.

Nagloc68 · #**167** 06-14-2021, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NavySCPO

Yes sir, maybe I’m the dumbest one in the crowd, but my Winchester will be delivered on Friday (assuming UPS doesn’t mess it up).

Yep, expensive to be sure, but I’ve never owned one, and now I will. Did I pay too much to buy too soon? Honestly don’t care, it’s a piece of WWII History and I’ll be proud to pass it down in the family and shoot it just for fun.

BTW, when I looked back at the site just after lunch, they were all sold out. No idea how many they had, but within 4-6 hours they were all gone.

Danny, I am in your camp. We may never see the "Good 'ol days" again. I tried buy missed out on the Midway M1s (see my post above), but I thought it was a great opportunity. That being said, this current gun market craziness may settle down and in 2022 we are all complaining there is a glut. Regardless, while I din't get an M1, I did add a beautiful Aussie Enfield, and a beautiful Aussie L1A1 I had been deferring. I know, I know, used to be able to buy an L1A1 for less that a venti latte! Happy (and safe) shooting!

NavySCPO · #**168** 06-23-2021, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagloc68

Danny, I am in your camp. We may never see the "Good 'ol days" again. I tried buy missed out on the Midway M1s (see my post above), but I thought it was a great opportunity. That being said, this current gun market craziness may settle down and in 2022 we are all complaining there is a glut. Regardless, while I din't get an M1, I did add a beautiful Aussie Enfield, and a beautiful Aussie L1A1 I had been deferring. I know, I know, used to be able to buy an L1A1 for less that a venti latte! Happy (and safe) shooting!

Cleaned up and changed the stock to a correct Type 2 Winchester (it came with a Q-RMC which Rockola made for Quality Hardware). I may change other parts to as close as I can to ‘as manufactured’, but of course like most it will always be a mixmaster. Never owned one before but I love it, so easy to see why the M1 Carbine was preferred by those who were not on the front lines. Light, nimble, easy to shoot, and packing roughly the same punch as a 357 Magnum within the range for which it was intended.