Auto - Ord carbines

Ive got a decent national ord m 1 carbine that I bought at a show last year from a guy that was selling his stuff to eat. Tonight he calls me and now has a job and some $ again and wants to trade it back to him for a "brand new" Auto Ord carbine. His story is that his dad gave him the one he sold me and he would like to get it back. Everything I'm seeing about the AO is not good,propriotary parts,poor qc,pickey about mags, an so forth. The NO will take any mag Ive got and only had one ftf but it does have an aftermarket folder on it that I dont like.Thing is, I'd rather live with the folder and have something that goes bang every time as opposed tosomething new that is only good as a club sometimes! Please give me some advise here!

thanks,
john

I'd take cash and use it to purchase a CMP M1, neither carbine is a lifetime keeper in my opinion; if the seller is being honest it's the right thing to do. Good luck, tough decision.

My LGS has sold three of the AO carbines. And all three have come back for issues.

Jim

Mule,
A tough spot, agreed.
Heart wants to say (if true) get his Fathers gun back to him.
But you can't short change yourself.
I've never used a NO, but have heard more negatives than positives about them.
I'd agree with the Sarge, owning a GI would be the best bet, but they are getting pricey.
Any idea what a 'New A O' is worth?
As in re-sale, to upgrade to GI.

Good Luck,
CH-P777


Jim,
I must haved stayed up tooooo late.
Took me about 10 minutes to figure out LGS...... must stand for Local Gun Shop.
I bet your a TEXTING FOOL !! :thup:

Cheers,
Charlie-painter777

Charlie,

I have never sent a text message. I have a flip top LG phone that is 7 years old. I checked my minutes, I use on average 4 minutes a month. My wife on the other hand......
I don't like them.

But you are correct on LGS. I think I picked that up on the 1911 forum. Hope that wasn't 10 minutes of sleep you lost. :D I have been going to this shop for over 20 years. I check out and help with the carbines they get in.

Jim

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by painter777

Jim,
I must haved stayed up tooooo late.
Took me about 10 minutes to figure out LGS...... must stand for Local Gun Shop.
I bet your a TEXTING FOOL !! :thup:

Cheers,
Charlie-painter777

---

I can't TEXT either and get by just fine. Drives me nuts watching the kids today walking like zombies while texting.

What to do about this NO vs AO is the question.
I don't need to be side tracking this post more than I already have.

CH-P777

I know my best bet is a GI,but thats not on the table now.I also know that getting the NO back to him IF his story is true,would be the right thing to do, but I have no way of knowing that. It COULD be that the whole thing from day one is a scam and he just wants a better piece than the AO ,which he may have picked up on the cheap at another show.
Ive searched around and havent seen any good comments about the AO's.At the "carbine club" they say that parts are "special" for the AO and that "hand fitting will be required". Dont most of the parts on my NO interchange with GI?
This is a hard call from a moral standpoint,but I have no use for a wepon that needs constant attention and is not reliable.

mule

My general nature is to be cynical, I read your posting again and I'd be very careful of a guy who knows enough to be selling at a gun show and has military repro's from two manufacturers that raise the immediate RED FLAG to a knowledgeable buyer. The NO works to your satisfaction, but you'll be very lucky to ever get what you paid for it when you're done with it, don't trade for a similar product you have researched and know has problems. Money only and at least what you paid for it, more if you have anything invested, I picture this guy as one just looking for a mark. He may be on the level, but the opinions you've received so far should be fair warning.

It's good that you asked because there are many who are unaware of the reputation for those non-GI carbines. I think most of us would admit that at some point in our life we would have bought something we later learned was not a wise investment. You are at least enjoying the NO so you are ahead of the curve at this point.

Again, Good Luck

Just saw an Underwood for sale on Jouster for $650, that's GI, compare to what you have or are being offered....food for thought.

Sarge,I'm inclined to agree with what you are saying.Since I bought the NO,Ive picked up several more mags and a few hundred rounds for it. I think the best deal for me would be to offer to sell the whole deal back to him for what Ive got invested,then look for a decent GI.Maybe keep the ammo and mags because they would work with a different carbine. I think if he really wants it for the reasons he stated,he will do it,if not I'll know why.

mule,

That seems more then fair. Let him sell the AO and bring you cash.
If it does have a family tie, he should be willing to pay you, what you paid him. The other mags and ammo you picked up will work fine when you do get a GI carbine. I do not see a reason in trade and receive something that will cause you trouble down the road.

Jim

Let's see.... Ticket on the Titanic or a ticket on the Britannic... which do I sail on???

I agree with those above about the cash sale.

Explain that you will be glad to reunite him with his father's carbine, but you have no use for the A.O. Ask him for cash - if he keeps or sells the A.O. is his business.


N.O.'s have a LITTLE bit better reputation than the A.O., but you will do yourself good to put any cash you get on the sale-back on a USGI.

Just my two cents...

AO carbines are AWFUL! I had one, and it took three tries to get wood that fit it from customer service. It would not feed reliably from even 15 round GI mags. I sold it to a re-enactor who plugged it for blanks, thus saving a USGI from that fate. Have him sell the AO and pay you cash.

Yes I would sell it back to him for the original sale price,maybe a few bucks more but that would depend on if I was more intimite with the situation to make that decision. Keep the ammo and mags and pick up a shooter GI Carbine for around 600.00 to 700.00 GI ones will increase in value. Those two non GI models are pretty much in the stagnate category as far as any appreciation is concerned.

Just to clarify, I am not a USGI carbine snob. Plainfields (especially early ones), National Ordnance, and even earlier Universals can be decent little rifles. I had a VERY early Universal with mostly GI parts, and it was a great shooter. I am just appalled by Auto Ordnance carbines terrible quality control, and shared that experience on the old Culver Carbine forum, back in the day. Besides mine, I worked at a gunshop part time on weekends. We sold two, and both came back on warranty for chronic FTF, FTE, and FTF(ire).

I guess he doesnt want it as bad as he says. I offered to sell it back LESS mags and ammo and he "cant afford that". guess he should have called me before he picked up the AO. Thanks for all the input!

I think he was trying to take advantage of you and that his story was BS. Probably figured out the AO doesn't work and the one he sold you does. If it was true about his dad giving him the rifle he'd at least exchange contact info and ask if you'd reconsider an even return when he DID have the funds. Enjoy your rifle, you're happy with it and I'm sure you'll add some more when you can, let us know when you get some friends for her.

A Sgt/ on my Sheriiff's office had a National Ordnance carbine. Except for the receiver, everything was GI. I don't think it was one with the milled 1903 barrel, as it was parked, though I do not recall what maaker was on the barrel. It was a good shooter, and he qualified on the 100 yard long gun course every time.

when someone comes to me with a problem and tries to make it my problem, I usually say no. He sold his Dad's carbine, he has a problem. Now he's passing it on to you to solve for him. It may not even be true. Admittedly it isn't much of a big deal as both guns are not GI, but he may just have made himself another problem by buying an AO, and now has two problems for you to solve for him. I would do whatever is best for you and not him, selfish? Maybe, but you just bought a gun, not some guy's problem or his life story.

I've got an AO carbine. It works fine for me. I use Pro Mag mags, which work fne. It eats Tulammo without fail. I did have to work the wood a bit so that it didn't feel like it was about to fall off. Overall I like the gun. Now if the person I bought it from came to me and wanted it back for the same money? I wouldn't even hesitate. I'd put a big bow on it and take the money and put it towards a USGI M 1 Carbine.