Hey M1 Carbine Experts! Need Help

[Capybara]

I have a friend who seems to always score incredible deals. He seems to know a lot of ex vets of law enforcement and military who are liquidating their collections and always blows me away with what he finds. I was at his place last night and he pulls out a Winchester M1 Carbine. Really, really nice condition. I know basically nothing about M1 carbines but it came in a GI looking green canvas bag (didn't look original though, looked like a replica?) The gun has a Garand like rear sight that covers the receiver where the manufacturer and serial number are but I could see a "W" on the left of it peeking out and "er" on the right side of the sight. Did not have time to examine it very closely or take it apart but it looked correct, the few serial numbers I could see with a cursory examination matched. Had the cloth GI sling, wood was immaculate. I checked the bore, very shiny with just some dust. He scored this rifle for $300.00. I told him, based upon what I have seen, he did VERY well.

Came with a few hundred rounds of ammo too. Any rough ideas of what it "might" be worth? I know, pictures needed but I was at a dinner party and we just ducked out for a moment, wasn't able to do a photo session. As far as WWII era M1 Carbines, were the Winchesters common or rare, desirable like the Winchester Garands or not as desirable? If nothing else, it will be a beautiful shooter. Can't tell if it's a mixmaster yet. Is there a YouTube video or web link I can send him for how to take it down, where to look for matching serial numbers, etc.? Any of you have friends like this who always seem to be in the right place at the right time to make killer deals like this? This never happens to me.

Thanks

[ccandgc]

Very rarely were they not rearsenaled. So being a mixmaster isn't necessarily a bad thing. Winchesters are always more desirable, kinda like a brand name thing. With that, $300 is extremely cheap. I would expect a package deal like that to go for $1200+(Winchester)and of course, dependent on overall condition, bubba effect, etc. CMP is a good place to start for most info. They are super easy to take down....clear the weapon of course, unscrew the screw on the front barrel band(not all the way)!push in the little spring on the right side of the barrel band and slide forward, lift off handguard. Lift barreled action out of stock. Done!

[AR22]

Actually not rare. Only GMs Inland Division made more. But people will pay a premium for the Winchester name. Not me, but alot will.

300.00 is a absolute steal. Could be anywhere from 1000.00 up, dependent on alot of factors though. But the guy above is likely right, in the 1200.00 range for a typical Winchester rebuild, with GI parts and in good shootable condition.

Depending on how many Winchester parts it has, it could go a little higher.

[sandsnow]

Disassembly here

http://www.google.com/search?q=m1+carbine+disassembly+and+cleaning&revid=1174479321&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2xqq1-MnJAhVujoMKHSpLAZkQ1QIITigB

All kinds of interesting info including born on dates

http://uscarbinecal30m1.com/Default.aspx

Your buddy got a great deal.

[Capybara]

Thanks for the info guys. I looked up, there are also several listed on Gunbroker by Gander Mountain that are NRA Excellent condition for $2,000.00 to $2,800.00 Would these be pie in the sky asking prices by Gander Mountain (I do not like Gander Mountain, they have repeatedly hosed me on ammo orders) or are those high dollar amounts simply based upon grading, all matching, etc. Gander is rating them at NRA Excellent condition.

The rest of the Winchester M1 Carbines on GB seem to be in the $900.00 to $1,500.00 range.

Thanks,

Dan

[Bainter1212]

Thanks for the info guys. I looked up, there are also several listed on Gunbroker by Gander Mountain that are NRA Excellent condition for $2,000.00 to $2,800.00 Would these be pie in the sky asking prices by Gander Mountain (I do not like Gander Mountain, they have repeatedly hosed me on ammo orders) or are those high dollar amounts simply based upon grading, all matching, etc. Gander is rating them at NRA Excellent condition.

The rest of the Winchester M1 Carbines on GB seem to be in the $900.00 to $1,500.00 range.

Thanks,

Dan

Those are pretty high prices.

When talking about M1 carbines, you might as well get the phrase "all matching" out of your head. 99.99999% of carbines were rearsenaled or at least had a part or two swapped out before they made it to the civilian market.
It is virtually impossible to find one that has all the same parts as it did when it came from the factory.

I have an early bringback Inland that has virtually all of it's early parts, but it was beat to hell when I got it and the wood furniture had been altered and was unserviceable. That is about as close to an "original" carbine as I am ever likely to lay eyes upon.

If you run into a carbine with a large number of parts from the same mfg, it is just as likely that someone "corrected" it as it would to be an unmolested gun.

A lot of guys on the CMP forum "correct" rifles as a hobby.

[OCGunFan]

4 years ago I walked into a small gunstore near Palm Desert, there was an unissued and unfired all original April 1943 Inland Carbine and it still had the factory brass tag on the trigger guard with matching serial number.

Turns out the consigner was a guard at the Inland factory, he had 15 Carbines all in the same condition and I was able to buy the last 5 in his collection for $350ea. I was lucky to also buy an unfired 1903A3 Smith Corona with grease packed barrel, a pristine 1943 1903A3 Remington with gorgeous green patina and an M1D.

I love one stop shopping but that was God throwing me a gift.

[sandsnow]

Thanks for the info guys. I looked up, there are also several listed on Gunbroker by Gander Mountain that are NRA Excellent condition for $2,000.00 to $2,800.00 Would these be pie in the sky asking prices by Gander Mountain (I do not like Gander Mountain, they have repeatedly hosed me on ammo orders) or are those high dollar amounts simply based upon grading, all matching, etc. Gander is rating them at NRA Excellent condition.

The rest of the Winchester M1 Carbines on GB seem to be in the $900.00 to $1,500.00 range.

Thanks,

Dan

Try checking the completed auctions. It looks like you have to be registered, but I believe it's free. It's been a long time.

I did see some sold in the price range you mention.

[Capybara]

So Bainter1212, an actual bring back M1 carbine would be probably the only chance of a non-re-arsenaled factory fresh gun? I agree, those seem like really high prices too but it is just what Gander is asking, I have not delved deep enough into GB research to see if that's what they have actually been selling for.
Will definitely post some pictures when the friend and I get a chance to disassemble and post. I know that condition is everything and in quickly looking ot over, I saw no stock cartouches but I was in a poorly lit garage and the stamps could be shallow. Regardless of how this turns out, he made a killer score. I guess all that remains is to deduce how killer of a score.

OFGunFan, I am green with envy, that is an incredible story.

[rdfact]

$300 for any working USGI M1 Carbine is an insanely good price.
Is that $300 in 2015 or did he buy it decades ago?

Lot's of great info on this site as well. Click the link on the left to "The U.S. Carbines".

http://www.bavarianm1carbines.com/

Lots of manufacturers made the entire M1 Carbine and some made just specific parts. Winchester made all their own parts including the stock.
Look on the barrel - is there a small W like this: (hard to see near bottom of pic)


Or a PW like this at top of pic:


If the receiver and barrel are both Winchester then maybe those 2 parts are original. Winchester did stamp lots of parts with a W.

[musketjon]

All matching serial numbers? Hardy. There's ONLY ONE serial number on an M1 carbine. It's the number on the heel of the receiver. The other numbers are drawing, or part, numbers. Same with the M1 rifle.
Jon

[Bainter1212]

So Bainter1212, an actual bring back M1 carbine would be probably the only chance of a non-re-arsenaled factory fresh gun? I agree, those seem like really high prices too but it is just what Gander is asking, I have not delved deep enough into GB research to see if that's what they have actually been selling for.
Will definitely post some pictures when the friend and I get a chance to disassemble and post. I know that condition is everything and in quickly looking ot over, I saw no stock cartouches but I was in a poorly lit garage and the stamps could be shallow. Regardless of how this turns out, he made a killer score. I guess all that remains is to deduce how killer of a score.

OFGunFan, I am green with envy, that is an incredible story.

Yeah, if the carbine has an adjustable rear sight like the M1 Garand, it has been rearsenaled.

That doesn't mean it is any less desireable. Mixmasters are the norm and Winchesters are more desireable to collectors so $300 is a screaming deal.
In fact, I am pretty sure I would push my mother in-law down the stairs rushing to get past her, for a chance at a $300 Winchester. That was a joke but you get the gist.
Pretty much any carbine under 1K nowadays is a good buy.

[Milsurp Collector]

Yeah, if the carbine has an adjustable rear sight like the M1 Garand, it has been rearsenaled.

Not necessarily. Some manufacturers including Inland, Winchester, IBM, and QHMC started installing adjustable rear sights as original equipment as early as 1944. It's a shame when some people remove original adjustable rear sights and install reproduction Made in China flip rear sights in the mistaken idea that it makes the carbine more "correct".

Here is an original Inland in the 6.2 million serial number range with an original adjustable rear sight.

[Bainter1212]

Not necessarily. Some manufacturers including Inland, Winchester, IBM, and QHMC started installing adjustable rear sights as original equipment as early as 1944. It's a shame when some people remove original adjustable rear sights and install reproduction Made in China flip rear sights in the mistaken idea that it makes the carbine more "correct".

Here is an original Inland in the 6.2 million serial number range with an original adjustable rear sight.

Thank you sir....for some reason I had it in my head that the adjustable sights were a postwar change.

Yeah the flip sight on my early Inland is a rude, janky thing but no way will I swap it out. I don't have mine in front of me but it is a 6 digit serial number.

[dfletcher]

Not necessarily. Some manufacturers including Inland, Winchester, IBM, and QHMC started installing adjustable rear sights as original equipment as early as 1944. It's a shame when some people remove original adjustable rear sights and install reproduction Made in China flip rear sights in the mistaken idea that it makes the carbine more "correct".

Here is an original Inland in the 6.2 million serial number range with an original adjustable rear sight.

Correct me if I'm wrong - is it accurate to say the adjustable rear sight and wider barrel band "go together"? I have an August 43 Inland with "L" rear and the thinner barrel band, presume those go together too.