Friday, March 04, 2005

M1 Carbine Questions...

...that arrived out of nowhere following the last post. There are apparently a lot of M1 Carbine fans out there! Who'd'a thunk it?

Here are a couple of quick histories of the little gun, and here are some answers to questions.

1) As near as I can tell, the 5.7 MMJ wildcat and the 5.7 Johnson are the same cartridge masquerading under different names — in any case, a necked down .30 Carbine cartridge.

2) Yes, as a matter for fact, you can still get Carbines in the 5.7 caliber. Try Fulton Armory for a "lovingly restored" version. Fulton also offers a 5.7 barrel for $169 and installation services if you've got a Carbine stuffed in the gunsafe.

3) IAI, the Israeli company, had 5.7 M1 Carbines for sale a couple of years ago (I handled one at a SHOT Show a while back). Here's an ad from 2003, but I can't find them now and there are posts to the effect that the company is out of business. There are still IAI versions (usually the .30 caliver versions) around for sale...here's one for sale currently at gunsamerica.com.

4) The best news for M1 Carbine fanciers is that Kahr Arms is now producing an M1 Carbine through their Auto-Ordnance division, which they purchased a couple of years back. Kahr did a hell of a job overhauling A-O's Thompsons (one of my all-time favorite guns; watch for a SHOOTING GALLERY special on 'em!); the currently available versions are very nice. The Carbines I saw at SHOT this year were excellent, and after this post I'm thinking of getting one for myself and putting it through the wringer. Unfortunately, there's no 5.7 version yet.

5) And, yes, there are WWII original M1 Carbines around for sale, but I have not seen an original 5.7 for sale in the proverbial coon's age, which is actually two years younger than me. And PLEASE, if you've got a WWII vintage M1 Carbine in excellent condition, don't modify it! Ship it directly to my FFL dealer, and I will, in return, send you my thanks.

3) Quality Cartridge is offering components and loaded ammo for the 5.7 MMJ. Redding lists both forming dies and reloading dies, and I'm sure all the other major reloading companies can provide you with dies. Tank's Rifle Shop does a lot of work on M1 Carbines and offers a 5.7 case-length gauge, an indispensible tool for reloaders. BTW, here's an article on the .30 Caliber wildcats from The Gun Zone that's definitely worth reading.

I think the interest in the little Carbine is that it has always had the potential to be an excellent self-defense rifle while flying under the "assault weapon" nonsense. I've always heard that the old New York Police Department Stake-out Squad made excellent use of the .30 Carbine loaded with hollow-points (I'll ask Stake-out Squad legend Jim Cirillo when I talk to him for the show in May). Essentially, you're getting jacked up .357 Magnum ballistics in a rifle that has barely any recoil. Five, 10, 15 (the mainstay) and some original 30 round magazines are readily available (read this article before you buy 30-rounders!). There are zillions of accessories; heck, you can even get an Airsoft M1 Carbine for simulations!

I'd really like to see an M1 Carbine in 5.7 X 28...that would be, as Cartman is fond of saying on South Park, hella-cool!

16 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:37 AM

    Huzzah on the M1 Carbine for defense. My car gun is an IAI M1 with a 15 rnd mag full of hollow point ammo. Good little rifle, very handy and very effective at medium to short ranges.

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  2. Anonymous5:01 PM

    Warning I would recomend that gun buyers should stay away from Universal Carbines. I have owned several and was not too happy, they look nice but tend to misfire and double feed.I got rid of them as soon as I could. The IAI carbine is a niffty rifle,the rifle is well made.Nice little home defence fire arm. You can also buy a Ruger blackhawk cambered in 30 carbine and pink with a pistol and rifle.

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  3. Anonymous5:03 PM

    If anyone is interested surplusfirearms.com prints a good little guide to assist in tear down cleaning and reassembly of all M1 carbines

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  4. Anonymous7:36 AM

    I made a mistake on the address, it is Surplusrifle.com not surplusfirearms.com V/R Mauser

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  5. Anonymous7:39 AM

    Anyone have a carbine with the folding stock or paratrooper version.Also is the detachable flash supressor legal,I have seen several at gun shows.I have heard yes and no....

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  6. Anonymous4:08 AM

    Spent part of my Saterday out on the range , iai carbine worked great.Any truth to the fact that the company IAI is out of business...If so did another company possibly buy them out.

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  7. Anonymous5:20 PM

    If you find a Universal Carbine look for the machined reciver and single recoil spring and you'll be all right. Other than that a vintage is the best and then the new ones by Auto Ordnance/Kahr arms. They are fun, great little guns and I laugh at those who think they have no stopping power.

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  8. Anonymous10:27 PM

    Ok- #1 Universal carbines are essenstially the same as the mil spec versions made by various companies for USGI use. They took the mil spec design and made two small changes in internal parts.
    I own two Universal made .30 carbines and have not experienced many problems at all in several thousand range rounds fired.
    #2 Agreeing with last poster who laughs at people who dont think the carbine has stopping power. More muzzle velocity and power than .357 magnum. Granted its a small piece of lead getting thrown, but thats what a 15 round mag is for :-)

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  9. Anonymous12:11 PM

    CHAZ I JUST PICKED UP A M1 CARBINE @ A GUN SHOW IN OR AND I WAS WOUNDERING WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE BRAND UNIVERSAL AND CAN YOU STILL GET PARTS FOR THEM.
    DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THE M1 CARBINE SELL FOR?

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  10. Anonymous3:32 PM

    I bought a folding stock M1 today at the gun show in Melborne FL , I paid a lot of money for it but I'm not sold on the idea that that its the deal deal or not how do I find out?

    I was happy unitl a self proclaimered expert said after looking at it that it was not the real deal, Inland Carbine etc, but that the stock was'nt right for a paratrooper? it looks the same as any I have seen on the internet?

    made 6-43 Inland serial # 607###.

    Clean everything works very smooth, I paid $1000.00 for it.

    What do you think?

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  11. Anonymous2:50 PM

    Clint Fowler Rifles specializes in building match-conditioned M1, M1A and AR15 rifles, producing the accuracy levels needed for today's Master Class and High-Master Class Shooters. Clint Fowler also does inspections & maintenance, restorations & refinishing, repairs, and all phases of accuracy work.

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  12. Anonymous9:01 AM

    At a gun show in Virginia saw a new M1 for sale and they had on the tag Savage Arms ? Can't find anything on it at company site.

    Chewy

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  13. jayman1:28 PM

    I have an Plainfield .22 cal M4. Ever hear of one? If so hit me up. Jayman146e@aol.com

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  14. Anonymous10:50 AM

    Does anyone have pictures showing how to mount a Weaver Mount, Side Mount Base U for the M1 Carbine? I just got this on eBay and the instructions leave a bit to be desired. This came in original packaging, BTW. The company is 40 years out of business, so, no help there.

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  15. Don Harmon8:50 AM

    My problem is that my M1 carbine throws the brass cases straight forward and far, where they vanish into the dust and thousands of old steel and aluminum cases in front of the firing line wall at my rifle range.

    No matter how hard I look, I only find ½ of my carbine brass (at best.) I am a reloader, so collecting my brass is important. New carbine ammo is expensive, too!

    A brass catcher placed on the side, would conflict with the operating rod handle movement. Farther to the side, the catcher would not work because of the forrward direction of ejection.

    Obviously, I cannot place a catcher in front of the muzzle, either. Finally, raking the impact area would not help. It is thick dust with those thousands of old casings.

    Do you know of a solution?

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