Help with Universal M1 Carbine

[DJMAN]

Ok I need a little info here, Im going to put this up for sale soon, so info needed for price. ( So please no offers ) Ok then in front of bolt its marked

UNIVERSAL
Jacksonville AK
Cal .30 M1
Pat # 3'382'765

Serial # 487792


Straight pin lever/no ball for locking slide back and bolt open below rear sight


One thing that confuses me is the trigger housing is shaped like a US M1 carbine not a universal. (See second pic below)



U.S. GI carbine stock and trigger housing (top), Universal stock and trigger housing (bottom)



I would put thr rifle @ 85% barrel great to Exc.

Any info would be great. Thanks DJMAN

[Quiet]

Serial # puts it as a 3rd generation.

The 2nd and 3rd generation Univeral's could accept the USGI trigger housing.

The original aluminum trigger housing probably broke and someone replaced it with a USGI one.

[maxicon]

I've got a simple web page on Universals here:

http://maxicon.com/guns/universal_m1/universal_m1_carbine.htm

but the very best collection of info is this page - this is as close to the definitive history of the Universal as you'll find:

http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html

As for value, it's my experience that clean working ones are going between $300 and $400 these days, depending on condition and parts. If you watch the gunbroker and gunsamerica ads, you'll get an idea for what sells and what doesn't. Really nice one, special models, or guns with interesting accessories often go for more. They've definitely gone up from the $150 range of just a few years ago.

Your stock is also interesting - it looks more like a GI stock in color and character, and appears to be walnut, but GI stocks won't fit without modifications. This stock looks like it's been modified around the receiver tang. You might inspect the stock inside for signs that it's been modified by hand. That might explain the good fit of the GI trigger assembly, compared to the later gen Universal ones, as shown in your pic.

Most of the later gen Universal stocks I've seen look more like civilian gun stocks, and are often made of birch or other similar light woods with fine grain. Still, there are always surprises in the Universal world.