1943 M1 Carbine (fortunate son)

[rifle man]

Gentleman, I have been fortunate enough to receive a M1 .30 cal carbine era 1943, manufacturer buffalo arms. this rifle was given to me by a friend who is law enforcement.
Question, do i have to do a FFL transfer also, i have read the thread on high capacity mags, but still need to ask if the 15 round mags that came with rifle are legal to use. I'm thinking yes?
Did some research on line and it turns out that this rifle is very rare, not many of them left........SCORE!

[Librarian]

The rifle is C&R - no FFL needed. ETA - if it's actually 1943, or at least prior to 1961.

But unless you are exempt, the prior owner should not transfer the magazines to you.

See the magazine sticky - http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=387409 and believe it. There is no exception for C&R magazines or for mags for C&R.

[MrPlink]

I saw "fortunate son" and figured you were gonna tell a story about getting drafted to fight in Vietnam

[SanPedroShooter]

Buffalo Arms? Never heard of em... It actually says, "Buffalo arms" on the reciever tang?

[m35a2]

Post war "remanufacturing".

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Information_about_a_30_cal_m1_carbine_made_by_buffalo_arms_co_in_1943

I saw one at a gun shop that was going up for auction. It looked like my Universal, but stamped Buffalo Arms.

[SanPedroShooter]

Thats what I thought. So its not a USGI carbine. But apparently rare, and I understand the early civilian models were actually pretty decent.

[r3dn3ck]

no different then than say a CAI Garand in how it came to exist?.?

[Milsurp Collector]

Gentleman, I have been fortunate enough to receive a M1 .30 cal carbine era 1943, manufacturer buffalo arms.

Does it say Buffalo Arms on the barrel? Buffalo Arms made barrels for carbine manufacturers during World War II, but it didn't make carbines. You have to look on the receiver behind the rear sight to see the actual manufacturer. If it has an adjustable rear sight the sight might be covering the manufacturer's name. The manufacturer can be determined by the serial number if the name is hard to see.

[Fate]

Does it say Buffalo Arms on the barrel? Buffalo Arms made barrels for carbine manufacturers during World War II, but it didn't make carbines. You have to look on the receiver behind the rear sight to see the actual manufacturer. If it has an adjustable rear sight the sight might be covering the manufacturer's name. The manufacturer can be determined by the serial number if the name is hard to see.

+1. Buffalo Arms made barrels during WWII. It's not postwar commercial.

[rifle man]

Thanks guys for the response. Yes it has buffalo arms stamped on the barrel also has a stamp of a fire bomb below the buffalo mark which is located towards the front end of . the upper side of the barrel.
further down on the underside of the barrel there is a "P" stamp. unfortunately, i can't get a good look at the stamp under the rear sight, it starts with a "s". Don't really want to remove the sight but it looks like i might have to.
Most important is the 11-1943 stamp also on the upper side of the barrel. I read on line that if the rifle had been put away for 50 years and brought out today it would be worth $20.000, this rifle is in excelent condition. It has the original greese tube held in place by the web strap.

[stevie]

If it starts with "S" is probably a Standard Products. If you cannot see the manufacturers name you have the adjustable sight in place. Use a flashlight to highlight the manufacturer.

Do not remove the sight it should be staked in place. The Barrel is a replacement "BA" barrel.

Assuming you think its worth 2,000.00 would be a assumption more like 800.00 (if that depending on original components) in todays market. With the BA BBL and adjustable sight price would reflect a lower value because of the non-original features.

[campperrykid]

Pic's would help .

[eeeeman]

carbine

Barrel is original to mfg but was the least accurate of all the barrel mfg. during the war. Standard Products used these barrels in 1943.

[Milsurp Collector]

unfortunately, i can't get a good look at the stamp under the rear sight, it starts with a "s". Don't really want to remove the sight but it looks like i might have to.

Don't remove the rear sight, it isn't necessary. As I said before we can figure out the manufacturer from the serial number if you would provide it. Manufacturers were assigned specific blocks of serial numbers.

The manufacturers that started with S are Standard Products, Saginaw SG, and Saginaw S'G'.

I read on line that if the rifle had been put away for 50 years and brought out today it would be worth $20.000,

Not even close. The fact that it has an adjustable rear sight greatly increases the chance it was rebuilt at some point (not original). If it is in original configuration it might be worth $1500. If it is a typical arsenal-rebuilt M1 Carbine it is worth half that.

By the way, since the Centerfire Rifle forum should actually be called the AR and AK Forum, if you have questions about older rifles you'll get more help in the Curio & Relic/Black Powder Forum.

[campperrykid]

Seems like a nice score.

FWIW:

https://www.bavarianm1carbines.com/rifles.html

The best single source on the net.