A few questions about the M1 Carbine

[sundance43.5]

I'm not very familiar with the M1 carbine. What companies' M1's were used in WW2 and Korea? What do they cost now?

Thanks

 

[Target Shooter]

M1 Carbine Production

Inland Manufacturing Division, G.M.C...... 2,632,097 43.0%
Winchester Repeating Arms Co................ 828,059 13.5%
Underwood-Elliot-Fisher Co.................. 545,616 8.9%
Saginaw Steering Gear Div., G.M.C........... 517,212 8.5%
National Postal Meter Co.................... 413,017 6.8%
Quality Hardware & Machine Co............... 359,666 5.9%
International Business Machines Corp (IBM).. 346,500 5.7%
Standard Products Co........................ 247,160 4.0%
Rock-Ola Co................................. 228,500 3.7%
---------
Total: 6,221,220

Prices vary depending on condition, originality, production numbers, etc. You can find a nice one for around $350.00 to $400.00+. For anything collectable you can pay alot more.

TS

 

[sundance43.5]

Which company's carbine is the best?

Thanks

 

[James K]

As guns, they are all good. They all passed rigid government inspection when they were made. As collector's items, the least common are the most desired, and Winchester carbines are always wanted simply because of the name.

Carbines in original factory configuration are highly desired, but there are very few (almost all were rebuilt and upgraded in service) and many that are purported to be original have been "restored" by modern collectors, sometimes with reproduction parts. This is an area that can be hazardous to the pocketbook unless one is willing to become something of an expert.

Jim

 

[jimmy]

FWIW, one of the few irksome things about my dealer is his M1 Carbine parts swapping. He takes "mixmaster" carbines made of parts from many manufacturers and reassembles each with as many parts from the same maker as he can. Then he ups the price, even though the result is really no more original than the mixmasters. Okay, a lot of carbine owners do the same thing. And I guess it could be considered a kind of restoration. But it still bugs me.

My carbine came straight from the Government, through the NRA, back in the '60s. It's an arsenal rebuild, mostly Inland, but with a Winchester trigger housing group. Not original, but still authentic in a way. I think one of the "NRA carbines" is a pretty good way to go, particularly if the original receipt was saved by the NRA member who first bought the gun. How often does this happen? Darned if I know. It's just something else to be aware of.

My 1 1/2 cent.

 

[C.R.Sam]

An original original would indeed be rare, and extremely difficult to vett. unless one found a documented manufacturer's "first article".

Sam