I have a couple of M1 Carbines made for WWII. One is an Inland (General Motors) with the flat bolt, and the other is an IBM with the round bolt. The former is in better condition (new, as-original finish stock), but the IBM is very good. I paid $150 each for them from Turner’s Outdoors around 1992-1994.
I tried checking gunbroker, but I can’t find the completed listings to see what ones have sold for. Currently, even Universals are starting at $500, and there are a couple of Iver Johnsons with folding stocks for $800 and $850. (As I recall, those were commercial copies.) There’s an Inland that looks like it is in similar condition to mine with a starting bid of $1,200, but there are no bids. It’s hard to tell what the values are based on incomplete auctions, but it looks like the $700-$800 range is popular for the auctions still ongoing.
I’m not planning to sell my carbines. They’re too nifty. But does anyone have an idea what they’re worth? Am I right that $700 to $800 is fair market value?
It looked to me on gunbroker like the ‘buy it nows’ were going for around $1500. For gunbroker, is the buy it now price one that nobody realistically ever expects to pay, unlike most of the buy it nows I see in the fashion areas on ebay?
Gander mountain doesn’t have one, Cabela’s has 1 in their library, at their Lehi, UT location, for 1500.
The local firearms toy store has 3different M-1 carbines, the two regular ones going for 1500-1700. Of course, they’re full bore retail, and then some, but I think M-1s are also getting caught up in the “they’re going to take our semi-autos!” buying hysteria.
Short version, they may be worth more than the 700-800 you’re talking about.
Wow. I thought $700 was a bit outrageous, considering what I paid for them. I don’t know about gunbroker’s BIN prices. I did just pay the BIN price for something, but the bid prices on other offerings were well above it. OTOH, most of the BIN prices I see there strike me as wishful thinking or ‘panic prices’.
Probably. But most bans I’ve seen don’t consider it an ‘assault weapon’. (There was a ban on the magazines for a while, since they hold 15 rounds.) All things considered, a Mini-14 would be a better choice for people who want something that might be banned. The ammunition is more plentiful and more powerful, and there are tons of accessories. IMO the M1 Carbine is only good for its historical interest (which is why I have what I have in my collection), and it’s really sweet – if expensive to feed – for plinking.
A number of years ago we had to take in for destruction 4 M1 Carbines. Plainfield Arms serial numbers 2 thru 5. Only rounds fire were factory test fire. Perfect condition. Broke my heart.
It’s a special section dedicated to unusually valuable/collectible firearms. Our local Sheel’s also has one (although they call it by a different name, something like the “Rare Firearms Room”)
I believe one AWB (Feinstein’s?) specifically names the M-1 Carbine and Mini-14, among others.
I got mine from the CMP awhile back. $595? something like that. Looks like they only have auctioned ones. They take a long time to ship and the initial process is longer, but otherwise a great source if they get some more in.
I’ve been toying with the idea of putting a paratrooper folding stock on the IBM. I’ve also thought about changing to the flat bolt because I think it’s prettier. Of course I’ll keep the original parts if I do make the changes. This is a low-priority thing though.
I ordered a paratrooper stock. Unfortunately, I also put in a bid on another one before I knew this company had them that I could buy outright (for $90 less). Oh, well. Maybe someone will outbid me. And if not, I like the grain of the wood. I can always sell the spare.
I didn’t order the flat bolt, as attractive as I find it. I can’t bring myself to change the original bolt. (I may change my mind.)
When I first got into guns back in the eighties you could buy all the parts to convert an M1 to an M2 (full auto) at gun shows. No paperwork and the parts were pretty cheap. They would only work with some M1s, non-Universals I think. I think you had to remove a little wood to allow for the selector switch.
I recall reading a conversion booklet, and IIRC there was some machining that had to be done.
Of course, even back then you had to jump through all of the federal hoops to legally convert an M1 to an M2. Personally, I like the M1 just fine. I wouldn’t be able to afford to shoot an M2. Last I checked, cheap ammo was about 50¢ a round – $15 for a couple of seconds of rock’n’roll with a 30-rd. mag. That would get expensive fast.
