M1 Carbine Value

[JimP]

Hi to everyone!

Although I've been reading for a while, this is my first post.

i've run across a pretty neat carbine that I'm thinking of buying. Its an Underwood with many early features - flip sight, push button safety, flat bolt, narrow barrel band w/o bayonet lug and pretty nice highwood stock (cracked unfortunately.) The metal finish is very worn, but the bore looks great with strong rifling and no obvious pitting. I don't have a muzzle wear guage, but an M2 ball round show about 3/16" of copper when inserted.

Everything has a nice, even "patina" and looks like it was born there. I haven't had it apart, so I don't know what the origin of individual pieces might be.

Could you guys give me a ball park value in today's market?

Thanks very much!

Information

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[JimP]

Forgot to mention...no visible import marks.

[Rustship]

Pictures, take some pictures and post them. Someone will give you a ball park figure.

[JimP]

Rustship,
I wish I'd had the foresight to take some pics when I looked at it. I'm set to buy it, but just wanted to get a ballpark idea of worst case so I dont pay too much. I guess in my mind, worst case would be a mixmaster with some early features and a worn finish.

BTW - nice Nova. I've got a 70 SS396 L34/TH400.

Thanks!

[Rustship]

Thanks,

Mine is a 69 468ci, and a 250hp shot of Nitrous and my wife says I drive like a grandpa, which I am.

[mar53]

It sounds like you are describing a CMP service grade Underwood with some early parts on it and a high wood stock that needs some repair. Assuming all the parts are USGI and not repros might be worth of somewhere between $500 on low side to $1000 plus on high side. If all parts are correct for the serial, and the stock is repairable more towards the high end. If Mix master and junk stock, then maybe towards low end. JMO

[JimP]

Thanks very much. To be honest the only thing that concerned me was the metal finish. There's not a lot left. Also, I think your comparison to Service Grade is probably accurate, although the metal finish isn't anywhere near as nice as what I've seen of pics of SG carbines or the SG Garand I bought a while back.

Really, how big of a deal is the metal finish to collectibility? I suspect it earned its wear honestly and I don't think I could bring myself to re-park it.

[usgicollector]

Unless it is a super torn up carbine not a whole lot if all original IMHO. I reparked an IP when I first started to collect carbines and regret it to this day. I would rather have a worn finish gun than a reparked one any day.
Dave

[JimP]

I took the plunge and brought it home.

First the non-matching -
Inland trigger housing - not sure yet on internals
Operating slide - haven't taken apart, see either an M or W on lower side - Winchester?

Receiver - Underwood - SN 1407xxx
Barrel - Underwood 4-43
Handguard - IU
Stock - In sling well - PU (maybe FU - hard to tell), slight cartouche - can barely make out the GHD - pretty grain, very minor dings, crack is going to repair nicely
Barrel Band - UI
Front sight, rear flip sight, recoil plate, bolt - all stamped "U"
Came with UI and IS magazines.

Everything seems to be really tight - not loose and "rattley" like many I've held.

One thing I noticed with the action out of the stock is that the protected areas are basically the same color as those that are exposed and are much lighter that the dark phosphate I'm used to. Were rifles of this era finished with a different process? The finish is actually much lighter than it shows in the pictures.

I think I'm in love.

Jim

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

From the two pictures it looks nice.
it will be interesting to see what's inside.