Recommended M1 Carbine appraiser in central MD?

rtruhn · Apr 25, 2018

I bought a sweet M1 Carbine a while back and I would like to find out whether it has significant historical value or instead is just a shooter. No interest in selling; I just want to know what I have. Willing to compensate an expert's time.

Honestly, I am hoping for the latter. I don't want to besmirch a historically valuable rifle by putting on a scout rail, change stock, etc.

Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.

lazarus · Apr 25, 2018

I mean, I’d start with looking up the serial number and manufacturer. A small amount of digging can give you how many each manufacturer made and what month and year corresponds to your serial. Odds are good it isn’t any more valuable than most other M1 carbine and there are millions of them, unless you think there is something out of the ordinary about it, like it appearing to be an actual paratrooper stock.

rtruhn · Apr 25, 2018

lazarus said:
I mean, I’d start with looking up the serial number and manufacturer. A small amount of digging can give you how many each manufacturer made and what month and year corresponds to your serial. Odds are good it isn’t any more valuable than most other M1 carbine and there are millions of them, unless you think there is something out of the ordinary about it, like it appearing to be an actual paratrooper stock.

I have a couple of resources to check out, but sometimes determining what's "matching" - or not - is a challenge. It's in an ordinary wood stock, so that's not a concern.

As a frame of reference, I know I have something historically valuable in my "Bavarian Return" NPM, and I wouldn't mod that. I'm just trying to confirm I'm not committing a similar crime against history by augmenting the Underwood...

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Apr 25, 2018

Carbines are a specialty all their own...more than ten manufacturers, different stocks (folding, original design or "pot belly" type, I-cut), flip sights or adjustable, push-button safety or flip-safety, bayonet lug, flat- vs. round-bolt, low-cut vs. high-cut hand guard, etc. Most Carbines will fall into the government arsenal update type but completely originals are out there. There's also those that have been made "correct" by previous owners but still not original.

Carbines with DCM or CMP paperwork tend to be worth more than an import with the importer's mark stamped on it. I have the Quality Hardware Carbine my dad bought through the NRA back in the 1960s with its paperwork...he paid a princely sum of $17.50 + $2.50 postage. I also have an IBM Carbine with the "AO" mark which was made under subcontract for them by Auto-Ordnance.

Do some reading on them and learn as much as you can. M1 Carbines is every bit as much of a specialty as collecting GI 1911 pistols and can be just as bewildering.

Blacksmith101 · Apr 25, 2018

Head over to the CMP Forum and go to the M1 Carbine section. There are some true experts over there. Don't worry they don't bite.
http://forums.thecmp.org/

rtruhn · Apr 25, 2018

Thanks for the suggestions. I have the M1 Carbine Owner's Guide in front of me, but I don't trust myself to accurately evaluate its provenance. The CMP forum is not a bad idea at all.

lazarus · Apr 25, 2018

Blacksmith101 said:
Head over to the CMP Forum and go to the M1 Carbine section. There are some true experts over there. Don't worry they don't bite.
http://forums.thecmp.org/

CMP bites though (I am saying half jokingly). I saw a couple of people post Garand order updates a few days ago that they mailed 3/12 and were getting theirs and now the last couple of days people have been posting on mailing 3/9 and just now getting DBU emails.

I mailed mine 3/19. So I may have a couple more weeks to wait, hopefully with one in hand and not a couple more weeks to even hear a peep.

I am/was hoping to have it before I have eye surgery 5/10, but it is looking like if I do, it’ll be too close to it for me to have time to get to the range. If after that’ll suck as I probably won’t be able to do more than sign for it and put it in the safe till almost the end of May before I’ll be able to even strip it down and oogle it appropriately.

:sad20:

Matlack · Apr 25, 2018

Post pics here, plenty of knowledge on this forum.

Pinecone · Apr 27, 2018

Blacksmith101 said:
Head over to the CMP Forum and go to the M1 Carbine section. There are some true experts over there. Don't worry they don't bite.
http://forums.thecmp.org/

This is what I did and would do again.

ID what you have (type of stock, type of rear sight, etc), and post.

But most all carbines have been arsenal reworked, so a mix of parts.

Blacksmith101 · Apr 27, 2018

lazarus said:
CMP bites though (I am saying half jokingly). I saw a couple of people post Garand order updates a few days ago that they mailed 3/12 and were getting theirs and now the last couple of days people have been posting on mailing 3/9 and just now getting DBU emails.

I mailed mine 3/19. So I may have a couple more weeks to wait, hopefully with one in hand and not a couple more weeks to even hear a peep.

I am/was hoping to have it before I have eye surgery 5/10, but it is looking like if I do, it’ll be too close to it for me to have time to get to the range. If after that’ll suck as I probably won’t be able to do more than sign for it and put it in the safe till almost the end of May before I’ll be able to even strip it down and oogle it appropriately.

If you had been buying from them and their predecessor back when waits were 6 months or a year you would not complain today. It will come and you will enjoy it for many years.

Jimbob2.0 · Apr 27, 2018

M1s are tricky but far from rocket science, the factors that will drive big prices are:

- Maker (e.g., Rockola + vs Inland -). Irwin Pederson is the holy grail.
- Features early features such as no bayo lug, flip site and pushbutton safeties bring premiums. Except for the rarest manufacturer most post ware rebuilds with their bayo lugs and slide sites will be priced between $800 and $1200. Get one that's pre-rebuild and WWII accurate you are talking $1200 to $2000.
- Subcontractors such as AO, Singer etc will make some difference.
- History this comes down to documents, papers, provenance.
- Even the lowest grade USGI carbine will sell for greater than $700.

Other than that USGI carbines are a pretty mixed bag but track within a fairly standard range of prices. No shortage of them, that's for sure, but they are disappearing deeper into collections.

rtruhn · Apr 30, 2018

Matlack said:
Post pics here, plenty of knowledge on this forum.

I'd be happy to, as soon as I figure out where I can post them online so I can link to them. Thanks for the suggestion.

Threeband · Apr 30, 2018

You can post the photos right here.

Matlack · Apr 30, 2018

No need to host them. Use the picture icon to upload them to your post.

platoonDaddy · Apr 30, 2018

I would send email & ask Charlie Maloney charliesarts@comcast.net his web site states he is retired, don't let that stop you.

Web: http://www.charliemaloney.com/aboutme.html

rtruhn · May 1, 2018

Matlack said:
No need to host them. Use the picture icon to upload them to your post.

what sorcery is this? When I click on the picture icon, I'm prompted to enter a URL. However, it may be that attachments work okay. Let me know if other elements might be significant.

rtruhn · May 1, 2018

platoonDaddy said:
I would send email & ask Charlie Maloney charliesarts@comcast.net his web site states he is retired, don't let that stop you.

Web: http://www.charliemaloney.com/aboutme.html

That's extremely helpful! Thanks.

platoonDaddy · May 1, 2018

rtruhn said:
That's extremely helpful! Thanks.

If you do reach out to Charlie, please share your experience.

lazarus · May 1, 2018

I mean the parkerizing looks like it could use a little oil, but looks great otherwise.

Pinecone · May 2, 2018

The bayonet lug and adjustable rear sight means it is either a very late one, or arsenal reworked.

Original ones did not have the bayonet provision and had a flip over L rear sight.

Not that this is bad.

But again, I would post, with pictures, over on CMP Forum M1 Carbine section.

They will give you a good idea of what it is worth.

I was happy, they came back in the $1K plus range, for the one I picked up for $800, with accessories, so mags, ammo, and spare parts.

Recommended M1 Carbine appraiser in central MD?

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