New to the Cabine buying - by the time I check out numbers it's sold

I am new to trying to buy M1 Carbine. Missed out when CMP was selling ( CMP Carbine's you knew you were getting usgi parts and not repo's )
I did get a nice M1 Garand SG HRA from CMP in May of 2010
I had a good chance to buy a good Carbine at a decent price but was to slow.
My problem is by the time I look up parts it is sold.
I watch some sell within minutes and others that looks good to me nobody bids on so I must be missing info which other people know.
A question I have is which is better the adj milled rear sights or the adj stamped one.
I am not a collector but would like a good shooter with matching receiver & barrel, and all the rebuild upgrades & walnut wood.
I know most have mixed parts.
I read the forums here and on cmp every night from 7:30pm -12pm trying to learn & read the book I have, I know I need more books.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated as you guys are so knowledgeable.
THANKS
Dick

Watch the CMP trader section, you will find a good shooter there sooner or later. Ask for muzzle wear before you buy! Doesnt matter if the parts are matching for the type of carbine you seek.
IMO, milled vs stamped isnt anything to worry about, as long as it is in good shape.

Look to spend $650-850

Don't worry, a better one will come along. Don't rush.

What are you looking for? I have an extra CMP Saginaw with IBM barrel and a ME of 1.5 Awesome shooter. I am contemplating selling it. I wanted to keep it, but my substitute teaching work dried up. My Saginaw. Finished

THANKS
I will keep it in mind
Dick

Unless you really plan to do any collecting, the books themselves can be a real money pit. "U.S. Carbines, Wartime Production" by Craig Riesch, and "The M1 Carbine Owner's Guide" by Larry L. Ruth with Scott A. Duff can give you most of the info you need at a reasonable price. The next step up in books start to get really expensive.
Buying from a known good source such as you'll find here among established members and the same on CMP will help your chances of getting what you want.
Good luck in your hunt......
Phil

Hey Big D,
Everytime you check out a carbine you retain some of the information. As your knowledge grows identifing parts will become quicker. And sometimes you have to jump and hope. I have been burned many times and I looked at it as part of the hobby. If I had to win on every deal it would not be a hobby but work. Back in the old-dumb days, I had twenty carbines before I even knew there were carbine books. And they were wrong.

If anyone is interested, my Saginaw is back in the WTS section at $650. Because I did substitute teaching while on unemployment and looking for full time work (which was reported to to them whenever I worked- it just reduced my amount for the week), it made me officially "employed" an not eligible for the Federal extension of benefits now that my original claim is expended. If I had sat on my @ss and never worked, I could have collected the full 99 weeks! Because I tried to do the right thing and work when I could, I get shafted..... ARMALITE AR-180 for sale also.