need advice on blue sky m1 carbine

[mmppres]

hi guys i have a chance to get a blue sky marked m1 carbine which looks in great shape. guy wants to trade me for a old tractor i have for sale.got tractor listed for 400.00, what i need to know is this worth it. i do know most m1 carbines are not cheap. but this one is not orginal when its marked blue sky right. what do i need to check out on piece. thanks mike

Information

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[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Blue sky is probably the least desired marking on a carbine. I'm sure it is a mixed parts gun, most likely not worth even considering restoring. That being said, if it is only on the outside of the barrel and doesn't show on the inside it should be an OK shooter quality carbine.

You say you listed your tractor at $400. Most listings still have some play in their price. Will you take less if someone offered it? Whatever that number might be is what you will have invested in this carbine.

Without seeing pictures of condition, even at $400 I think that is a good price.

[Aragorn243]

$400 for any M1 is a great deal unless it is beat up, busted, etc. Blue Sky has a reputation because a few of their import marks were made too hard and they affected the barrel. The vast majority are fine. That is one thing I would check however before completing the deal. Not all are mixmasters either but they were used by the Koreans for many years and repaired, rebuilt, etc. I have an Inland that is either Inland or subcontractors used by Inland. No Korean parts.

[mmppres]

thanks for the info guys. from what i rember it was only marked on end of barrel near frount sight. I only have some fuel an time invested in tractor so it is a win win for me. gent bringing it over today an if i make deal will post pics latter. thanks mike

[imarangemaster]

At $400, you did VERY well! Welcome to the forum.

[Neal Myers]

The Korean Army didn't make their own parts for carbines. When US-supplied parts ran out, the armorers did their best to keep them running. They did some repairs that we would consider unsafe; e.g., they would weld a cracked/broken bolt lug. At the least, I would field strip it & check for signs of less than professional repair.

Neal

[imarangemaster]

When I was selling a lot of Blue Skies in the early 90s when I got the as a dealer for $139 each, I would occasionally find some that had M2 trigger guard, mag catch, slide, sear, and hammer (using a washer as a spacer). By now, I would say, most carbines have been thoroughly stripped of M2 parts and had them sold at crazy premiums...

[mmppres]

HI GUYS MADE THE TRADE TODAY IT IS MARKED INLAND WITH BLUE SKY ON BARREL. L.R.CO IN SIGHT SIDE. A NUMBER 59 ON TRIGGER GUARD. A NUMBER 10 IN SLING WELL ON BUTT STOCK. PLUS 3 CLIPS A COFFEE CAN OF AMMO, AN 2 BOXES OF NEWER AMMO AN A WOODEN BOX OF HANSEN AMMO ABOUT 10 BOXES OF THOSE, HERE ARE SOME PICTURES, THE TRADE WAS FOR A BOLENS TRACTOR WITH DECK, AN PLOW, I ONLY HAD COST OF FUEL TO GET TRACTOR.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps343abcfb.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps1c415c21.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps98644fd3.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps19b78c66.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps3403c36c.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps77e6643e.jpg

---------- Post added at 06:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 PM ----------

[imarangemaster]

The "10" in the sling well is probably "IO" for Overton for Inland. Both my Inland stocks are "IO". Heck, if I understand, you got 15 boxes total of ammo, plus a coffee can full, you got $400 worth of ammo alone!. As for the Blue Sky, it doesn't look like it is stamped too heavy.

The metal looks good. I would strip it down and soak the metal down in mineral spirits or acetone (I prefer acetone) and take a tooth brush to it to clean the gunk off. Then I would wipe everything down with a rag soaked in Breakfree CLP, or Mobil One. Check your recoil spring. It should measure 10 1/8" to 10 1/4" long. If it is shorter than 10" or 10 1/8", I would replace it. (about $6-$10.).

The stock looks decent, definitely a candidate to clean up. Here is an article from CMP (Civilian Marksmenship Program) on how to clean and refinish a carbine stock:
CMP Help: Stock Cleaning, Ammo, Mag ID Accuracy - CMP Forums This article is a "must read" for a new carbine owner!

You did VERY VERY well!

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

$260.00.......12 boxes of ammo at around $20 each plus what looks like 50-100 loose rounds.
$45-$50.......3 used mags

That means you have about $100 into the carbine. I'd say that was a good deal.