M1 carbine ?

[Highpoint]

I have recently picked up a M1 carbine from a uncle who needed some money, called me up and said he wanted $150 for it, so I went and got it. Its seen better days but the bore looks good.

It is a Wincester reciever, #12600xx, with a inland mfg. div. General Motors 5-44 barrel with something like CAI SI. VT stamped longways up the side of the barrel bellow that. It has a m on the mag release, A1 on the sling barrel band. LR co. on the rear sight, and I cant find any markings on the stock, not even in the rear sling port. I have the sling but its in rough shape and probly not worth keeping, I took it off looking for markings in the sling cut out.

I have not dissasembled the weapon yet , but was planning on doing so tomorrow and cleaning it up. do I need to leave it like it is , or can I get it reparkerized with the original finish, keeping the stock the way it is , remove it and store it, and just replacing it for the look of a new firearm.

Can anyone give me a value of this , like it sits and maybe refinished? Would it be worth it?

Thanks

 

[VJJPunisher]

Re: M1 carbine ?

the CAI stamp on the barrel ruins its collector value bein an import stamp. So your money is in your action and possibly some parts depending on what ya got. That's a potbelly stock not worth much and not true to the gun. If it was mine I'd find a winchester barrel, and look for a winchester stock for it. As it sits I cant see it bein worth any more than maybe 450, but thats a guess. People love them some winchester M1's and M1 carbs so you got yourself a nice start to a nice project perhaps

 

[kraigWY]

Re: M1 carbine ?

Go to the CMP web site and check out Carbines.

I vote leave alone, clean it sure, but that's all. CMP ran out of carbines about a year ago except for high priced ones on their auction sights.

Also from CMP you can get slings, mags and ammo. Kept it as is, snd shoot it. Get into some CMP GSM matches and let the little gun show you it can still preform.

 

[donws2]

Re: M1 carbine ?

You've got a post war rebuild. The Type three band and adjustable sight were most likely added then. Winchester made the 2nd most Carbines, Inland the most. Winchester has a large following so they bring good coin in any condition. The stock as stated is a M2 pot belly but it's a stronger stock than the WWII M1 stock so it's your call as to replade it. Many M2 stocks are not marked so that's not unusual. Hand guard is a 4 rivit and is late war or replacement. CAI = Century Arms International, this is the importer. They are still around but your carbine was most likely an import from the 80's as the barrel is marked and now they mark the reciever. The M marked mag release and push button safety are early parts. Worth some money so don't let someone talk you into a trade just to help you out. The later underlined M and flip safety are not worth half of your parts. Love to see a picture of the inside guts of the trigger group. Maybe some more gems there as well. Bolt is early as well. Slide is late or replacement. Would need to know the rest of the parts codes to tell you more. Donald


Oh,I would have paid that in a heart beat. Very good score.

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

I will open her up tomorrow and snap some more pictures. Looks to be worth about $ 450 huh. Not a bad investment, my wife claims it to be the ugliest gun I have.

 

[bmt]

Re: M1 carbine ?

I'll agree with everyone else--nice rig for $150.

30 carbine ammo is very cheap and pretty darn effective,too.

Could have done a LOT worse.

BMT

 

[steve12]

Re: M1 carbine ?

Unless the barrel is a sewer pipe I would not replace it. Original carbine barrels are expensive and a little hard to find. I would repark it though.

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

got it apart and cleaned, I found some more i.d. marks, it has ROCK-OLA on the trigger group, and several markings underneth the slide and barrel, and a A and maybe a 8 or upside down 3 under the reciever.

 

[donws2]

Re: M1 carbine ?

Thats a late war slide, should have a PI or KI on the inside of the cup area.
The Rock-Ola Trigger housing is a nice score. They can be hard to find. Looks like it could still have orignal finish as well. On the hammer on the otherside there's a notch. In the notch there should be some markings. That will tell you who made it. On top of the shear there could be some marking, but they could be on the side as well. The trigger will be marked on the side. The TG would have to be Disassembled to inspect them. The hammer is a later style and not the early Dog leg type.
All the marks on the barrel indicate the barrel was removed from an Inland carbine. Could have been on a damaged receiver and the Military saved the barrel. Winchester did not use those inspector markings like that, just Inland and only on completed guns. Free issue barrels were not marked like that either.
The marks on the reciever are standard Winchester inspection stamps and not uncommon.
Highpoint you live in carbine country by the way. Birmingham has a Carbine Club Gun show every year and the CMP in Oxford is very close and just sold a bunch of Carbines these last few years. If I were you I'd post your pictures here:
http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=6
There are serious Carbine collectors on the CMP Forums, I'm a neophyle with just 20 Carbines compaired to these guys. You have tons of collectors around you so you might even get a free class on assembly/disassembly and parts ID. Donald

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

So do you think it's worth $450 as well, Don in SC ? Sounds like you might know a little bit about a M1 carbine. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge .

 

[VJJPunisher]

Re: M1 carbine ?

i still stick with my guess of 450-500 as is. NOW, you have more than that worth if you were to part it out and sell the parts individually. Like Don said rockola parts bring good money, bet you could get 200 for the trigger housing alone on GB, guys go nuts and spend big money to get the right parts for their carbs. My guess is you could get around 30-350 for the winchester stripped receiver. see what others are asking

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=248845333

this is a spring tube receiver so it's a little more valuable to some

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=248978241

what are the marks on the bolt?

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

Where is it stamped and I will look, I have not seen any.

 

[VJJPunisher]

Re: M1 carbine ?

usually on the side of the right lug, or on the side below the left lug

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

The bolt is marked A.I.

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

The bottom if the inside of the slide is marked PI with a underline.

 

[donws2]

Re: M1 carbine ?

Both the Bolt and Slide are Inland. I was sure the slide would be from the shape of the top and the part number on the bottom. The flat bolt carries more value as well. Many were replaced do to M2 modified carbines by the military. It was felt the round bolt was better in full auto but I believe the later bolts are stronger and bet that's why the government replaced them. Your carbine as is could be sold for 500 or 600 to some one that had to have a Winchester. A hundred less to someone that just wanted a shooter. To restore it would be very expensive and not worth it unless you happen to have most of the WRA parts on hand. To buy the parts needed would cost twice what the carbine is worth in the end. That's why I collect but do not restore carbines. Great gun to train kids and women on before going to a larger centerfire rifle. They make enough noise with out the kick. Get the kids past the noise and then you have only to worry about recoil.

 

[Highpoint]

Re: M1 carbine ?

Thanks for the info guys, its very appreciated.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Re: M1 carbine ?

I think Don nailed the value and the advice on not rebuilding. I would clean it and shoot the heck out of it.