Thinking of buying an M1 Carbine for my father for christmas. I am not having good luck on a decent USGI model. Are the new production Auto Ord/Kahr, Inland or Rockola guns any good?
Or am I better off waiting for next year in hopes of finding a good specimen of the above USGI?
I am totally out of my wheelhouse here... mostly ARs and 22 rifles for me.

If your budget can take $1700, Fulton Armory's are excellent.

I would prefer to be under a grand. Part of the problem with the availability of USGI. I didn't realize prices had gotten that high.

Don't bother with the cheaper new production M1 Carbines. Go big (Fulton) or go USGI.

If you're wanting something under $1000, I'd suggest being patient and keeping an eye on the M1 Carbine Classifieds section at the CMP Forums. USGI carbines are posted regularly, and you should be able to snag a nice USGI Inland or Winchester carbine for $800-$1000. (You have to be quick, though... Carbines for sale don't tend to last very long.)

http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=88

The Trader section of the Gunboards forum is another source for somewhat frequent M1 Carbine sales.

https://forums.gunboards.com/f...nd-WTT-listing-board

I'd also suggest waiting for a GI Carbine. I see them quite often at local gun shows. Look them over carefully before you buy one. The prices lately have risen quite a bit but you should be able to find one well under a Fulton Armory Carbine.

wolfe 21,

I would think long and hard before I purchased any Kahr product. Their customer service IMO is lacking

They were completely in following their warranty to the letter, one year to original purchaser. Gun was purchased in 2009, a Thompson 1972-A1 semi auto Tommy Gun.

I acquired it in 2012 and did not take it to the range until 2016. It was unfired when I got it. Extractor PEELED out of the groove machined in the bolt, bolt fractured on both sides. My thoughts together with a machinist friend was improper heat treating, metal embrittlement. On many of the forums this fracture was an ongoing problem. I called and politely asked for some consideration on warranty, nope and nope due to the date and ownership trail. Was quoted minimum charges as a starting point with my paying shipping both ways.

On their FB page I expressed displeasure as the CSR would not pass me to a manager. I did get an PM back stating that I could send it both ways at my expense for "consideration" with no promise of any assistance.

If they had offered a 50/50 split as this is a known problem I would have been happy to do so but they offered me nothing. I ordered a bolt, an extractor and the two lock pins (even though they charged for two different part number pins they sent two of the same, I used one of the old ones again instead of going around with them) and had my LGS have the smith install and tune it. Total it cost me under $300, they wanted $65 IIRC per hour to
inspect and repair it, one hour minimum. Plus shipping.

Your results may vary, I have recently read on a couple of the forums that Kahr is stepping up and working with their customers now. Maybe they would have covered my work, maybe not. But after my conversations with them and their perceived attitude I didn't feel like taking the chance.

I guess I'm waiting for next year then. Appreciate the advice. Now, to figure out plan b...

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
I guess I'm waiting for next year then. Appreciate the advice. Now, to figure out plan b...

A local gun store posted an Underwood for sale last week for $1050. The gun is still showing on their app and they usually keep that updated pretty well. I've bought from them before and they are GTG.

Shoot me an email and I'll get you their info.

I agree with the other that say get a GI M1. I sold a nice Inland on Gunbroker last month that brought about $850. You can still get nice one's in that price range.

I would buy a USGI just for provenance. Someone your fathers age would take more pride in owning the real deal and looking at it more.