First ever M1 carbine

[Kickwrench]

Greetings Gentlemen: Picked up by barter today my first ever Carbine. Very good condition Inland ,with a barrel date of 1-44. Now trying to do what research I can,albeit perhaps too late. I have read where import marking is a significant retraction in value. Is this true? If true how significant? Mine has Blue Sky marking stamped on barrel. All else seems original. Thank You

Information

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[floydthecat]

Blue Sky gets more bad press than any other import, based on what I read. Their deep roll-mark has been reported to result in bent or damaged barrels, but you can also find many shooters that are doing quite well with their Blue Sky. Import marks seem to degrade the value of a shooter-grade by around $100 on the market, but some simply won't touch an import at all. Some guns returned home from loaner countries with no import marks. That scribble on the gun has nothing to do with how it may function. If your Blue Sky functions and prints the target well...enjoy. It's a shooter and no place near being considered for any collector value....except to you.

[Snowman1510]

My carbine is a Blue Sky, functions just fine. Nothing mechanically wrong. My Carbine was reparked. I don't k ow if it was by them (I heard they did that) or by the South Koreans when it was rebuilt. None the less it made my stampings look faded but still readable.

[INLAND44]

Is it an Inland by chance? They were using 1-44 barrels around February, 1944, around number 4,9xx,xxx.

[Kickwrench]

Is it an Inland by chance? They were using 1-44 barrels around February, 1944, around number 4,9xx,xxx.

Barrel is marked Inland mfg division General Motors 1-44
Receiver is marked Inland Div. 4943701

[BruceHMX]

Congrats on your first. Post some photos and shoot it.

[painter777]

Welcome Kickwrench,
Now would be a good time to grab a good starter book. One like the US M1 Carbines, Wartime Production.... by Craig Riesch.
https://www.amazon.com/Carbines-Wart.../dp/1882391438

If you want to know about where your muzzle wear is and don't have a proper guage, you can Check the muzzle for erosion using a USGI M2 ball 30-06 round. Between 1/8" to 1/4" of gap between case mouth and crown is good.

Use the SEARCH here to find links that may answer questions or supply pictures you might be looking for.

I own 1 Import, also a BLUE SKY. It eats a M2 round to the Brass! But is fun to shoot, saves wear on more collectible Carbines. And surprisingly still pretty accurate.
Here's a link to a range day with my S'G' Import:
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=61219

Be safe and enjoy your carbine

Cheers,
Charlie-Painter777

[painter777]

Picked up by barter

Not knowing the $$ Value of your Bartering.......... I ran over the M1 Carbines currently being offered by Cabelas in all stores. With their asking prices, known to be high, plus sometimes questionable 'Restorations' sold to them and their lack of detailed pictures/descriptions.. From what I seen, the best buy of the bunch at $899.99 is this Inland Blue Sky: http://www.cabelas.com/product/inlan...t=m1%2Bcarbine

Here's the rest of their Carbines, you have to sift thru the NEW commercials to get to the USGI's:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/searc...rary&x=24&y=15

I'll try looking over Gun Broker completed auctions later after the race !

Charlie-Painter777

[Kickwrench]

Thanks to all for the replies, will take all to heart. Intend to continue research.

[jimb16]

" It eats a M2 round to the Brass!"
Most likely it has been counter-bored. This was done to many carbines that had muzzle wear due to the use of steel cleaning rods. It restored accuracy to otherwise perfectly good barrels.