Any WWII M1 Carbine owners around?

[Muss Muggins]

My dad had two, and my brother and I each inherited one this year. Mine's an IBM, in great condition, with an IBM barrel and Inland stock. According to the markings, it's been reworked at the same armory twice, and has most of the "newer" features. I spent yesterday researching it, (along with my Victory and my P7), and I gotta tell you, the prices I saw made me take it off the gun rack and put it in the safe. Replaced it on the rack with my 870 dove gun.

 

[Brian41]

I have an IBM also and waited too long before buying it about three years ago and paid the hefty price for it. Most all have been to the armory a time or two and have mismatched parts which mine does too. They don't seem to last long in the shops here even at the high prices. Mine was taken in trade a half hour before I bought it and wasn't even priced yet. When the owner quoted a price of what I had in my wallet I bit.
One nice thing I found was magazines still in the factory wrapper were available and priced reasonable. It's too bad ammunition for them isn't cheap also. I'd reload for it but don't expect I'll shoot it too much either.
Congratulations on your inheritance.

 

[Joe Kent]

A great gun to have, shoot, collect and to use for defense. Enjoy shooting, and ,for that matter, it is an easy cartridge to reload.

 

[Stevie]

In the late 1980's..the gunstores had literally racks full of M1 carbines priced at $169 or so...M1 Garands for like $189-$225.

These guns probably from South Korea.

At my favored gunstore...I bought a Inland with good bore and mechanicals but rough wood for $149....Later at a gunshow I bought another of the same(Inland) for $189..which included a 15 shot mag, 30 shot mag, and bayonet...

 

[murphydog]

I have a few, mostly from the time just before prices skyrocketed (5-7 years ago). They are fun to shoot and a great piece of history...what is not to like? In the last 6-12 months, I picked up some PPU 110 gr JSP ammo at about $17/50 that works great and would probably make a good defensive round. No, I don't own stock in the company .

There are reportedly quite a few carbines and Garands overseas that may eventually get re-imported depending on the political winds.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I like my 3. An IBM, an Underwood and a Quality Hardware. I shoot mine a good bit with both jacketed and cast bullets.

And another story like Steve's. About a hundred years ago my Dad and some friends got carbines from the DCM(now CMP) for $12.50 a piece. They shot them and later sadly let them get away.
I bought my through trips to the CMP in Anniston, AL. back when the prices were fair. Got my garands there too.

 

[gregintenn]

I've a couple. I have no idea if they were WW2 vintage or not. I imagine they are later.

One has a Winchester receiver, and the barrel is marked "Blue Sky Productions". It has been reworked.

The other is an Inland. I'm not sure whether it's been reworked. It doesn't have any cartouches or inspector's marks on the wood that I can see. It is a very nice carbine.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I also have an IBM carbine. I shot it in a 3-gun match a while back. I was competing against 23 other guys with AR platform guns, all but one with glass on them. I was shooting the stock milspec sights, longest shot was 250 yards. I had to shoot offhand as I have a crippled leg and can not neat and can not get into prone in the required time. I beat 12 of them. I find the M-1 carbine points very well for me, much better than an AR and mine is very accurate out to any reasonable carbine distance.

 

[Culina]

I have a Winchester I got from the CMP, it looks its age but shoots nicely. I also load for it and have plenty of ammo but I understand buying any these days can be difficult and painful.

 

[bobf]

I have a Winchester service grade from CMP in 2009, was not cheap.

Forgot I had a pic

 

[Muss Muggins]

Hope I'm not busting a rule here, because although this site doesn't have a forum but has a link to a forum somewhere on it. This is the archive I used to investigate my M1. Great pictures and great information:

M1 Carbine Research Guide

 

[RudyN]

I have one from CMP. It was one of the returns from Italy. I am pretty sure it is WWII vintage. It is a Saginaw build.

Sent from the Telegraph Office

 

[sureshotbob]

ALL true military carbines were made during WWII. There were 11 companies that made them. Most went through a rebuild after the war with parts upgraded to new specs.
The list is Irwin - Pederson (unable to meet there contract) taken over by (S'G') Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors Saginaw ,Michigan.
(SG) Saginaw Steering Gear Division Grand Rapids Michigan.
Underwood, Inland, Winchester, , National Postal Meter, Standard Products, Quality Hardware, Rock-Ola and IBM.
Not all companies made all the parts so there were many Subcontractors .Also if one company was short and another company had a surplus they'd ship over parts.
I hope this helps if you are interested in getting a Carbine or other Surplus Firearm I recommend first get several good books and learn all you can so you do not get burned.

 

[jwalts27]

My buddy has one from the WWII? era. He likes all the older guns but never really researches them. One thing I noticed is that its has a 2 or 3 round burst trigger on it. No selector from what I can see. After I shot it I went home and researched it. Apparently some were called Officer versions which had this trigger. Any one ever hear of this?

 

[Grayfox]

I'm a fan and have two myself. One Inland and one Standard Products.
Forget ARs and AKs, for anything at 150 yards or less the Carbine is my defensive rifle of choice.

 

[Muss Muggins]

My buddy has one from the WWII? era. He likes all the older guns but never really researches them. One thing I noticed is that its has a 2 or 3 round burst trigger on it. No selector from what I can see. After I shot it I went home and researched it. Apparently some were called Officer versions which had this trigger. Any one ever hear of this?

The M2 was a full auto version of the M1. If it fires two or three round bursts, it's broken, whether it's the M1 or the M2. Hopefully he's completed a Form 1.

 

[jwalts27]

The M2 was a full auto version of the M1. If it fires two or three round bursts, it's broken, whether it's the M1 or the M2. Hopefully he's completed a Form 1.

Thanks for the info, I doubt he did a Form 1. But Ill mention it to him. I am almost positive its an M1 because it has no selector on it. And he doesn't have a full auto license, and I believe the M2 is classified as Full Auto. I wonder if someone tried to convert it?

 

[sureshotbob]

My buddy has one from the WWII? era. He likes all the older guns but never really researches them. One thing I noticed is that its has a 2 or 3 round burst trigger on it. No selector from what I can see. After I shot it I went home and researched it. Apparently some were called Officer versions which had this trigger. Any one ever hear of this?

I've never heard of a Carbine with a burst fire trigger only (M1) Semi or with a selector switch (M2)
If he has one like you say and it's not registered as a machine gun he could be looking at a 10 year stay at club fed.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Thanks for the info, I doubt he did a Form 1. But Ill mention it to him. I am almost positive its an M1

There wouldn't be much, if any, difference in appearance between the M1 and M2. Near the end of WWII, the government commissioned a conversion kit to change the existing M1's to full auto. By Korea, almost all the carbines were full auto. A three shot burst is a recent innovation in the select fire world. Not saying it might not be designed that way, but I've only heard of modern select fire weapons having this option.

 

[Road Rat]

I bought one in the early 60's when the military got out of the carbine business. Twenty bucks included shipping to my front door via the mail man. No silly FFL rules back then!!

I got a new stock and a bunch of spare parts from a buddy in the ammo career field.

I played with it for a few years; got a Lee Loader; had a good time but couldn't figure out any practical use for it.

Finally traded it to a brother-in-law for a piece of furniture that my spouse wanted.

Only nostalgia makes me wish I had it back.....still no practical use for them.

Local gun shows have a half dozen or so at each show and they keep going up every year. Yesterdays show was $800 to $1200 asking - and they were rough.......