Where can I find info on this gun? It has a small metal shield in the stock, barrel says Underwood 6-43, "P". US Carbine caliber 30 M1 on receiver. When he picks up guns for the boys I always try to find info for the gun, usually from the seller but this guy knew nothing about what he had... Where do I go looking?
That weapon is the WWII Standard M1 Carbine in .30M1 Cal... Makes a nice semi-auto PopGun for a youth, or Lady. Undrwood, winchester and IBM all Made these during that war. Universal bad a semi-clone, for the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Momma killed a 350# Black Bear that was raiding her Smokehouse with one, about 15 years ago. No one told her that a M1 Carbine was to small for Black Bear. One shot, one very nice Black Bear Rug.... after the $700US Taxidermist Fee... He now lives on the top Bunk, in the spare Bedroom...
Underwood was a type-writer company conscripted into manufacturing small arms during World War ll, as was most major manufacturers. There are tons of information on them all over the internet, including the military manual on the weapon. .30 M1 carbine was used from WW ll through Viet Nam and is still in many National Guard Arsenals. Replacement parts are readily available, ammunition is still easy to find and the market is flooded with 30 round magazines bought from South Korea. Many will say that the carbine is under powered and it is compared to the .30-06 but do not discount it and do not believe the BS about North Koreans quilted jackets stopping the round. The ballistics virtually duplicate those of a .357 Magnum cartridge and nobody ever spreads BS about it bouncing off an over-coat. The weapon is light, easy to learn to operate, and very reliable. It is an excellent choice for women and children, as the recoil is almost non-existent. Enjoy your new toy. I have several made by Winchester, Remington-Rand, General Electric, US Postal Meter, and Saginaw but I don't have an Underwood. All the parts interchange between ALL the different manufacturers except for M1 Carbines made by Universal which are not and have never been a US Military carbine but a cheap civilian knock-off that sells for less than half the price of a genuine one. They were mostly issued to officers and REMFs that needed a lighter weapon.
Cool info! Have 2 young boys and each one has their own now so both are very happy! Thanks for all the detailed info, enjoy knowing all we can here.
As an aside, the US M1 Carbine only differs in the selective-fire M2 carbine by seven relatively common interchangeable parts that require no modification to the firearm whatsoever.
Love my M1 Carbine. Power of .357 at 100 yards. The wieners that bad-mouth an M1 Carbine are repeating crap from Korea where an M2 was hosing the sky, not killing the enemy, watch the intro of "Heartbreak Ridge" and you will see what I mean. No one complained about the M1 Carbine in Europe. Excellent arm for its intended use. No such thing as a Winchester M1 or Rock Ola M1, as all were designed to be assembled from parts. IBM made good trigger groups, Winchester made good receivers, Underwood made the best barrels, etc. All M1's are parts guns. The FUN factor of an M1 Carbine is unequalled.
I have two Winchester M1 carbiness, guess I need to send them back. I gave a Rockola to Jerry last year for Christmas but it was one I built from a barreled receiver I bought from CMP.
Did you say seven (7) interchangeable parts that are "commonly available"? Can you tell me what those parts are and where to find them?
A Ruger Blackhawk in .30 carbine may be a good companion handgun for that M1 carbine. http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?Keywords=ruger+.30+carbine
I had one of those but got rid of it because it hurt my ear, even with plugs and silencios. Loudest darned gun I ever owned or maybe it was just the frequency but that thing was painful to shoot.
You could buy a legal M1 to M2 Conversion Kit for $6500.00 They are sold at the site below and can be transfered through a Class III FFL http://www.westernfirearms.com/wfc/m2?set=09,4ff41ad6
here is the ATF ruling : http://www.atf.gov/publications/down...-chapter-2.pdf The “combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun” language refers to a group of parts designed and intended to be used in converting a weapon into a machinegun. A typical example is those M2 carbine parts that are only used to permit fully automatic fire in a US Carbine M1 or M2. M2 Carbine conversion kit The above parts consisting of an M2 selector lever, selector lever spring, disconnector lever assembly, M2 disconnector, disconnector spring, disconnector plunger and M2 hammer are classified as a machinegun. These parts are used specifically for fully automatic fire and have no application in a semiautomatic carbine. While other parts such as an M2 sear, operating slide, trigger housing and stock are used in the fully automatic carbine, these parts are also appropriate for use in semiautomatic M1 carbines. Therefore, the M2 sear, operating slide, trigger housing and stock are not a combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun. Other commonly encountered
My M1 Carbine is the IMI M888 commercial gun - supposedly uses some GI surplus parts. It was a much less expensive option to get a good new carbine at $475, vs. the local gunshow prices of $650 for a gun that looked to have been left onthe battlefield a few years, then given a cursory wipe-down. Good surplus carbines fetch $800 or more here, depending on manufacturer. The Israelis make good guns. I still need the sling, oiler and buttstock mag pouch, and some GI 15-round mags. I do have a four-mag pouch with four repro thirty-round mags and the surplus M1 Carbine carry case in green canvas.
