30 m1 Carbine ? New (er) Rifles any good??

[Teddy (punchie)]

HI Forum

I'm a little confused:veryconfu about all the different models if you will of 30 m1 carbines.

Are the Auto -Ordnance 30 M1 any good? All opinions welcome.

What up with the Universal made ones? Any good, or good ones.

Now why I'm looking. Have a set of 8 year old twins, girls. I would like to start to take out shooting. So have been looking for ideas on what they would like to shoot. 22 are okay but shells are well pricy and hard as diamonds to fine.

So anyway we had a local farm/gun auction and well daddy found :shock: a 30 M1 goody ammo boxes[smilie=1: with well enough ammo, mags and brass[smilie=w: to have most if not all 30 carbine owners well very happy campers:happy dance:. So now dad is looking for a the item to make them go :Fire::target_smiley::awesome:. And after two weeks of looking checking and reading. I have found out just how many they made and how hard the GI ones are to get, and for shooting I don't know about shooting the a collectors item, them there's the price.

So I'm looking at other then GI collector gun. Going to be put though two younger people using and shooting. They will be learning to reload, cast:cbpour: and shoot:Fire:.

Last know of any for sale?

Thanks !! Teddy

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I would stay away from Universal. They were never an exact copy of the G.I. model, underwent at least two redesigns, and when I was an active gunsmith I repaired several and ran across a couple I couldn't fix. The problem with one of them was that the left side bolt lug was much harder than the receiver and chewed the left side receiver track up beyond repair. The dual recoil spring system of the later version is unnecessarily complicated and a pain to reassemble for the inexperienced. You will find folks that have had a satisfactory experience, but maybe they got one of the early ones or theirs just hasn't failed yet. Plainfield was a close copy and reliable, but there doesn't seem to be many around and they're usually almost as much as a G.I. gun. The Plainfields used all G.I. parts with the exception of the receiver. When Iver Johnson went belly up their carbine tooling was purchased by Lou Imperato, the same fellow who started Henry Arms, and he continued to produce the carbine as American Military Armaments Corp. (AMAC) in Arkansas. In addition to owning three G.I. carbines I have one each of the IJ and AMAC versions and have found both to be reliable. Both have birch stocks and appear to have operating rods made from castings, but also seem to have some G.I. parts. There are several others that come to mind like Israeli Military Industries, Auto-Ordnance (Numrich), and doubtless others. I taught my daughter to shoot using a carbine (the IJ version) and think you're on the right track, especially if you're a reloader. The recoil is almost nil, but the noise level is somewhat above that of a .22 LR, so I'd advise good ear plugs/muffs.

[Mk42gunner]

This link has a lot of info about .30 Carbines, especially the Universal ones: http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/index.html

As to the original GI ones being collectors items, I believe the US Gov't built over six and a half million of them; so unless it is a factory new one or provable that Audie Murphy or Neville Brand used it, I wouldn't worry about collectability. Just find a good safe one or two for your girls to use.

I have never had any problems with my particular Universal, but knowing what I know now, I would rather have a good GI one.

Robert

[wrench man]

I've got a first generation Universal, it's been a rock solid gun!, never had one issue with it?, the second and third generations are the trouble makers, it's to bad they give them all a bad rap?

[Rustyleee]

I've got a first generation Universal, it's been a rock solid gun!, never had one issue with it?, the second and third generations are the trouble makers, it's to bad they give them all a bad rap?
Wrench Man maybe you can set something straight. I always thought the 1st Gen Universals were mostly built from surplus parts. As they ran out of parts they designed their own rifle.
MY son recently bought a '43 Inland for about $700. While some think that might be a lot to spend on a little girl, I'd say that the value on them can only go up at this point.

[Artful]

Cast wise I like a 9mm instead of the 30 carbine.
Check this out -
http://www.chiappafirearms.com/product/2679/spec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKOfwVc9f4I

Street price seems to be 450-550 range.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I like it! Thanks.

[Artful]

Your Welcome... :bigsmyl2:

If you can find an Marlin or Ruger 9mm carbine they are good choices as well.

And Keltec's Sub-2000 is a choice to consider.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ryNWyjedME

[osteodoc08]

I believe the OP is looking strictly for a 30 carbine shooter since he had won an auction for 30 carbine goodies. But I've always had a weak spot for a PCC range fun gun, especially with younger shooters

[Artful]

Problem is 30 carbine ammo, brass etc isn't cheap as it used to be. But 9x19 is everywhere and I can load 9mm cast for cheaper than some of the places want to sell me 22LR for.

[osteodoc08]

Problem is 30 carbine ammo, brass etc isn't cheap as it used to be. But 9x19 is everywhere and I can load 9mm cast for cheaper than some of the places want to sell me 22LR for.

I agree. It's a shame (sham?) really considering how most of us grew up shooting 22's.

[Lefty Red]

Cast wise I like a 9mm instead of the 30 carbine.
Check this out -
http://www.chiappafirearms.com/product/2679/spec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKOfwVc9f4I

Street price seems to be 450-550 range.

I handled one with a plastic stock last weekend. I liked it! Takes 92 magazines. But seems scaled down and small. I would need about 3" on the stock so I wouldn't be hit in the nose with the charging handle! But if I could find one with a wood stock I would get one. Price was $499.

I have had the Marlin Camp 45 Carbine and the Ruger PC40. Loved them both. The Marlin, I wish I had gotten the 9mm version because it was too heavy and bulky for what just a 7 shooter. The Ruger was awesome! Had it and the P91 (I think) pistol both in 40 S&W. Great shooter.

I might get slack for saying this (but has never stopped me in the past) but also look at the Hi Point Carbine. I havent messed with the new ones, but the older 995s were great little carbines. I thought the older 40/45 ones were too bulky for a carbine.

And a thing about carbines in pistol calibers, dont grab the magazine that is sticking out and use it as a grip! It will cause FTF or FTE from the pressure. Use the forearm grip. :)

Jerry

[wrench man]

Wrench Man maybe you can set something straight. I always thought the 1st Gen Universals were mostly built from surplus parts. As they ran out of parts they designed their own rifle.
MY son recently bought a '43 Inland for about $700. While some think that might be a lot to spend on a little girl, I'd say that the value on them can only go up at this point.

This is an eye opening read on the Universials,
http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html
No doubt they turned into their own thing!?, mine is serial range 260XX all I can say is it's been trouble free!
As for the current market value of the originals, al can say is there are guys with WAY! more disposable income than I have!?

[Teddy (punchie)]

Well Rusty pricy little guns they are. One was in AK for 400 something little rusty, but not all pitted, It was gone in hours of listing. Went to a large show and they were all in the 850 range (looked rough) and up, nicer not super nice 1000.00-1100.00, seen about 10 there, M1 grands were there for 800-900, some were inspected at Springfield 1100.00. Auto- Ordnance are 750 ish and up. So end up getting one for mid 700 made in or around 1943-44, see what we end up with, should be about a week to 10 days.
Wrench Man maybe you can set something straight. I always thought the 1st Gen Universals were mostly built from surplus parts. As they ran out of parts they designed their own rifle.
MY son recently bought a '43 Inland for about $700. While some think that might be a lot to spend on a little girl, I'd say that the value on them can only go up at this point.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Yep osteodoc08 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?30895-osteodoc08) your spot on. I like the 9mm, but looking to teach to shoot, not just make it go bang at this point. They are half the hunting shooter dad is look out. I'm not one for shooting to shoot. Drives me nuts to hear the 10-15 shots from a group of guys deer hunting. Only getting one or two deer. Where did the other bullets go ?? Going to start slow and learn and then speed will follow. This will be my first semi-auto rifle. Had no need before. Will see how I like these.
I believe the OP is looking strictly for a 30 carbine shooter since he had won an auction for 30 carbine goodies. But I've always had a weak spot for a PCC range fun gun, especially with younger shooters

[Teddy (punchie)]

Problem is 30 carbine ammo, brass etc isn't cheap as it used to be. But 9x19 is everywhere and I can load 9mm cast for cheaper than some of the places want to sell me 22LR for.

Thanks for showing the 9 mm. Have goods for the carbine.

[Teddy (punchie)]

I've got a first generation Universal, it's been a rock solid gun!, never had one issue with it?, the second and third generations are the trouble makers, it's to bad they give them all a bad rap?

Trouble is parts. From reading and listening I hear that trouble is not the gun but parts. If not taking care of and cleaned. Parts wearing out from using it, try to find the parts. Most say they are great gun.

[Teddy (punchie)]

This is an eye opening read on the Universials,
http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html
No doubt they turned into their own thing!?, mine is serial range 260XX all I can say is it's been trouble free!
As for the current market value of the originals, al can say is there are guys with WAY! more disposable income than I have!?

Yep pricy. I was looking in the 600-700 range you are going to look hard in that range. As costly as ammo is you would think it would hold prices down, ??? any way thanks for information.

[Teddy (punchie)]

For what it is worth, the other day I ran across a site from Inland Manufacturing Inc. (http://www.inland-mfg.com/) The company is planning to produce copies of the M1 carbine. Although parts will be investment cast, I understand that all their parts will be interchangeable with the original U.S.G.I. carbines.

They are not inexpensive, but may well be worth a look.

PB

Maybe a place to find parts, guns are little pricy for me. But if we end up liking them never know.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Thanks for all information and help so far. Teddy

[perotter]

As for Universal, IMO, if one can find one that has been used somewhat for about $300 I'd buy it. I've had no problems with an early one. A guy at the club has a late model and has put 1,000 of reloads thru it without a single problem. He doesn't load them to the maximum.