TexasCHLforum.com

I know this is a hard question to answer, but what are the things to look for on a M1 especialy if you don't have a throat gauge?

What is a good price to pay for one is decent shape?


The reason I ask is I have a fellow that wants to trade me a carbine for my mini 14 and although I would like to have the carbine, I know nothing about them. I know my mini's worth around $500 and I know I don't want to put that much into a M1 unless I know it's a good shooter.
Thanks for the help.

Could be a good deal, could be not so good, new ones are selling in the $600.00 range and some of the collectors are up there, but some of the surplus ones, like ones that have been rebuilt, maybe more than once, would be down toward the $300.00 end.

There are several excellent sites dedicated to M1 Carbines http://www.surplusrifle.com/m1carbine/index.asp and http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/carbine/carbine.pl are a couple.

From my own less than perfect knowledge (I have an M1 Carbine that my grandpappy gave me and I wouldn't trade or sell it for the world.) a couple of things you could look for would be: Obvious wear and tear; a "shotgun" type safety (push through the trigger guard) rather than a turn type; A flip type rear sight; no bayonette lug.

The last three above are indicators of early manufacture and may make a gun more desireable as a collector.

Thanks Jim,

His story is that it was his grandpa's and I told him he shouldn't get rid of it.

If he pushes the issue I will try to find someone local that can tell what it's worth or I have already told him I would give him $200 for it just based on it being an M1.

I'll check out the site you gave me and see what I can find.
John

John,

Bobby over at 10-32 is knowledgeable of the M-1 Carbine might check with him.

Mo

Thanks MoJo,

Are we going to have an IDPA match the fifth Sat this month?

Sure why not 8AM sign up at 730.

First thing to determine: is it USGI, or is it an Iver Johnson or Universal clone? (IAI also made some, and I think Auto-Ordnance is making them now.)

USGI carbines shot up after Saving Private Ryan. They've stabilized a bit, but the low end for a beat-up bitser is going to be $450+, average "good" specimen about $600, and WWII or Korea dated complete examples by the more rare manufacturers can go to $1,500.

I wouldn't go over $200 for a plinker by Universal or I-J. But, early models were mostly USGI parts except for the receiver. Collectors who know how to identify parts by their markings can part out an I-J and make money on the deal.

Kevin