The M1 Carbine was one of the most widely produced of all U.S. Military rifles and served during World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War. Millions were produced and at one time surplus models were not only commonly found, they were inexpensive. Today, things are different. A well-used, vintage M1 Carbine is expensive, and the cost will vary dramatically depending on which manufacturer produced the M1 Carbine and the model. I collect, but I shoot what I collect, and that’s why the M1 Carbines from Inland Mfg. and Auto-Ordnance are important to me—and other shooters who favor the M1 Carbine.
The Inland Mfg. M1 1945 Carbine and Auto-Ordnance M1 Carbine Paratrooper are reproductions of carbines built in the mid 1940s. The Inland is a copy of the last style of Carbine built for the military. The Auto-Ordnance (A-O) is a copy of the Model M1A1 designed for Paratroopers with a folding wire stock. These reborn Carbines offer a lot for collectors, competitive shooters, and home defenders.
The Inland Mfg. M1 1945 Carbine is made with an investment cast receiver mated to an 18-inch barrel with 4 grooves and a 1:20-inch twist rate. Features that make the Inland historically accurate are numerous and include the type 3 bayonet lug and barrel band, a rear sight with a siding ramp, and a push button safety. Original M1s had a flat bolt—basically the top of the bolt was milled flat. Late models used a round bolt to reduce manufacturing time.
These features are also incorporated into the Inland carbine. The walnut stock is also referred to as a “low wood” stock, which means it is relieved next to the operating slide. Early M1s had wood nearly covering the slide and the wood was prone to splitting in this area. From a historical perspective, the Inland was a good copy of the original carbine.
The A-O is a reproduction of the Model M1A1, which was a model variant specifically designed for paratroopers who required a shorter weapon. Like early original M1A1s, the A-O had no bayonet lug and the stock was close to originals—even down to the brass rivets that attached the leather cheek rest to the wire stock. Sights were per the original—a simple flip up aperture with a two settings, one for 150 yards and the second for 300 yards. Windage was drift adjustable.
The stock does not lock in an open or closed position. A detent keeps the stock in position, and when I fired using the stock, I could easily knock it out of the open position. This is a feature of this older design. The rest of the stock was plain walnut, and pistol grip was thick and filled my hand.
Magazines are easy to find and inexpensive from $8 to $35 depending on manufacturer and capacity. Carbines were originally issued with a 15-round magazine, and 10-, 15- and 30-round magazines are the most commonly available.
There is no shortage of .30 Carbine ammo. I had on hand quite an assortment: Hornady Critical Defense with 110-grain FTX bullets, Hornady 30 Carbine with 110-grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullets, Aguila 110-grain FMJs, and steel-case TulAmmo also with 110-grain FMJs. If you see the trend, the .30 Carbine’s sweet spot is the 110-grain bullet.
These modern reproductions are lithe and fast handling. Using the Inland Mfg. M1 1945 Carbine at 100 yards, the Aguila ammo performed well and I fired my tightest 3-shot group which measured 2.05 inches. The TulAmmo ammo and Hornady Critical Defense also gave good accuracy averaging close to 2.75 inches. I was quite pleased with the results since I was using iron sights and a MIL SPEC-style trigger. The trigger is a single stage with some creep that broke at 6.1 pounds. Typical service style trigger.
Recoil is mild with not a lot of muzzle blast. At 25 yards, fast follow-up shots were quick since recoil was minimal. Since the rifle is only 36 inches long, it is easy to maneuver.
In my opinion, the Inland is well suited for CMP M1 Carbine Matches. These matches are fired at 100 yards in 4 stages with slow and rapid fire and from prone, standing, sitting, or kneeling positions.
At 25 yards, I shot a near perfect, 3-shot cloverleaf with the A-O using the inexpensive TulAmmo. Recoil was more noticeable with the A-O, since the cheek piece on wire stock was not as comfortable. I was able to shoot a 2.0-inch 3-shot group at 100 yards with the TulAmmo; 2.1-inch best groups were obtained with Aguila and IWI. On average, I achieved 2.3- to 2.8-inch groups at 100 yards with three shots.
With the stock folded, I fired from the hip and found it quite easy to walk in hits on clay pigeons set out on a bank at 25 yards. The A-O was also light enough that I could shoot it one handed. It is a fun carbine to shoot.
As a home defense weapon or truck rifle, the new breed on M1 Carbines from A-O and Inland Mfg. are good choice. There are less expensive options available, but they are not M1 Carbines.
Are you a M1 Carbine fan? Which model is your favorite? Share your M1 story in the comment section.
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I have a Universal m1 carbine. Good shooter. Bought it in 1976 from a fellow I worked with. Barrel is in good shape and shows very little use. Gave $ 60.00 for it.
serial # 148150
I fell into infatuation with all Small Arms from WWII, and, my first M1 Carb was a rebuilt Junker. It worked out pretty good, and I eventually swapped it. Big mistake. My second one was a Universal, that was supposedly a military rifle, but was a Universal. Not a bad little gun, and, I took my first, and only, whitetail with it in Louisiana. I eventually traded a Mauser bolt rifle for another GI M1, but, not one to learn my lesson, I sold it when money got tight. I finally ran across an Inland, from WWII. Hell will freeze over before I sell or trade this one…
What is the value of an M1 Carbine in A1 condition from Rockola Arms would be worth ?
I love to shoot my carbine. I paid $50 for mine back in 1975. Taught my wife to shoot it before we married. I added original mil-spec peep sights, sling, and Oiler. It’s a great little gun.
I am not a collector, I bought a Universal M-1 carbine at Western Auto in 1972 because it was cheap, $100. As a farmer we were plagued with wild hogs so I want something better then the single shot shotgun my dad made me use. It killed plenty but they got wise so I got a 30-06 to reach out farther.
It spent 30 years in my closet, two years ago I pulled it out and went to my back yard range ( a great advantage to living in the country. I put a magazine in it, chambered a round, aimed at my target and bang, it did take a second to chamber the next round but some air tool oil fixed that. The firing pin took a while to free up, sometimes it would just go click. With my new glasses I could not see through the iron sights so I put a red dot sight on it. My gun must have some defect with the ejector because a scope or any sight the projects over the ejection port causes the spent case to bounce back down. I got a mount that goes in the rear sight dovetail so the sight is behind the port. Even then I had to take a Dremel and cut away some of the mount to clear the charging handle.
I’ve bought and sold a number of M-1 Carbines. In MD, for legal transfer, the gun can’t have a mag holding more than 10 rounds, and the folding stock is prohibited. I’ve only kept one Inland that I know is a bring-back; my preference is for bring-backs. Everybody makes inexpensive ammo for them, and they’re fun to shoot a lot. My only question in light of this article is how good the IWI (Israel) ones are.
Bought and sold them in the good old days every make, Inland division of GM. Ford, Singer, Rem, and even some parking meter company. Going prices in the 60s were 30 to 40 dollars.. Went to a gun show and bought one at one table for 32.00 dollars, walked over to another table and bought a conversion kit for 10 dollars, Went home and installed it and had fun for about 200 rounds, Then sold them separately since it was illegal to sell them installed. Wish I had put a few of those great little rifles away.
I had an General Electric Mfg M1 for years. I ended up trading it for another firearm. It didn’t shoot well at all.
I have an Inland/ General Motors Mfg’d. M-1 Carbine. I got a deal 30-40 years ago but don’t remember what I paid for it.
I have killed a few wild hogs w/ it & last year I got a new deer hunting place in thick cover. The only places to hunt are around 30 yards distance. I tried my .270cal. but couldn’t use it that close
w/ a scope so I pulled the carbine out of the safe wiped it down & bought some JHP .30 cal. with which I shot 4 deer last year, all head shots. At 78 years young the peep sight was difficult to see thru but I managed. I do love that little weapon even more now. 1 shot 1 kill!
My one and only deer was a young spike, dressed about 90 pounds. I used a Universal M1 Carbine and using a cast bullet handload, dropped the buck at about 5 or 6 yards as he was eating berries. One shot, in the head, put him down clean. This is the second M1 I have owned, and I got it to have a deer rifle for my wife. The first was a parts gun I assembled. It shot better than I was capable, and I rue the day that I swapped it off. My third carbine was an old military gun that I traded a surplus Mauser bolt action for. After retiring from the military, jobs were not so good, at first, so I sold the little carbine for next to nothing. Sure wish I has kept THAT one, too. So, when the opportunity to buy a carbine that had been a personal weapon, used in WWII, I jumped on it! It was used by an Army cook, behind the lines, in the Pacific. A couple of years ago, I was surfing Gun Trader. com, or something, and I stumbled across an M1 carbine that was chambered for 9MM Parabellum. Intrigued, I bought one, made by some Italian manufacturer, and was cheaper than any other carbine I have seen since the 80’s. It doesn’t shoot very well. Maybe it’s the reloaded ammo, maybe just the gun, or, more likely, the poor performance is just me, getting old, but it’s a fun gun, and easy to shoot, just like every other carbine I’ve seen. I guess I’ll have a look at these new ones. I do wish I could find all this cheap ammo everybody is referencing, though…
I have a National Postal Meter produced M1 in Great condition. I love it!
I wanted a carbine that I wasn’t afraid to shoot. The vintage carbines should probably not be fired much. So I opted for a new one from Fulton Armory. These are very well made and mine is quite accurate. It has become my favorite rifle.