Not the best carbine and I'm sure it's not correct or matching but it was the first military one I picked up. I had a couple of universal carbines I picked up before this. At the time (about 2002-03 I think?) You could buy a universal at the flea market for $100-$150. You would see them a little higher but you about once a month or so one would pop up for well under $200. Think I paid $75 for my first one but it was poorly sporterized. I was perpetually broke so that's what I could afford. Anyway the point is the $300-$500 USGI carbines where outside my price range and although they did pop up cheaper than that I was never lucky enough to be there when they did. I found this one out there back around that time. I had just sold some bottles (I was digging old soda bottles and selling them at the time) and had some extra cash and the he wanted $350 for it but I only had $300. He was nice enough to take $300 and I picked up my first military M1 Carbine and went home broke... As usual haha. I wish I was more experienced back then. He told me his uncle or father brought it back from WW2. The sling and mag where with it when I got it so you're seeing it just like I picked it up. He mentioned what unit they were in and basically gave me the whole history on it but I wasn't paying very much attention. I was just wondering where I could find a bayonet lug for it and if I could find one of the cheap fake paratrooper stocks. Glad I never got around to destroying it but still pretty mad about not paying attention to him and writing down what he told me.

Just on the face of it, I’d bet you have an as issued carbine. That thing looks gorgeous. Hard to say for certain though with out it in hand. For the price you paid you did very well. If the internals check out and there’s no evidence of restoration I’d says it’s worth at least 2k. The slings looks original as well. 

8 minutes ago, Connor Bills said:

Just on the face of it, I’d bet you have an as issued carbine. That thing looks gorgeous. Hard to say for certain though with out it in hand. For the price you paid you did very well. If the internals check out and there’s no evidence of restoration I’d says it’s worth at least 2k. The slings looks original as well. 

I'll pull it and shoot some pictures of the internals. As I remember not everything had a Q on it. 

Here are all the markings I could find. A lot of them do not have a Q.

Wow, looks like you did good.  Whatever you do don't put a bayonet lug on it but hey it's your carbine but you will lower the value.   Looking forward to seeing it out of the stock  

I just picked up a 9-43 Quality HMC with a buffalo arms barrel

Looks like the slide and trigger housing, bolt are not Quality but thats easy to fix if you want,  Dog leg hammer is a plus.

How do the rear sight stake marks look and the barrel band impression inside the barrel channel on stock look?

18 minutes ago, Dirt Detective said:

Looks like the slide and trigger housing, bolt are not Quality but thats easy to fix if you want,  Dog leg hammer is a plus.

How do the rear sight stake marks look and the barrel band impression inside the barrel channel on stock look?

I don't see any stake marks on the rear sight. Maybe under the spring? 

Very nice - all the early features, push button safety, flat bolt, flip rear sight, high wood stock  ...

A great looking carbine! Please, please, do not put a bayonet lug on it as it will lessen the value - and make me cry!

14 minutes ago, kfields said:

A great looking carbine! Please, please, do not put a bayonet lug on it as it will lessen the value - and make me cry!

Haha, don't worry. I've had this since about 02-03 and still haven't put a bayonet lug on it. I ended up buying another one that already had a bayonet lug right after I got out of the army so around 08. It's a junker but it's got a bayonet lug.

Oh good!!!

As far as stake marks, from what I can see the sight looks good.  and the band marking on the stock is what you want to see.  Nice collector grade carbine,  Worth six times + what you paid. :)  Check on the back of your spring tube, I bet that has a Q on it.

7 hours ago, kfields said:

Oh good!!!

I bought it because it had a lot of the same early stuff I like from the quality hardware and was cheap because the receiver was trash. Can't really see it from the picture but someone tried to weld the rear sight on so it's junk. Still shoots good though. 

Beautiful carbine!  I wouldn't change a thing on it.  Too many original guns have been messed up by people trying to make them "correct".  Our knowledge of what parts should be on a given weapon is far from complete.  Besides, you can't get much more correct than the way it was brought home at the end of the war!

Are you saying the receiver was "trash" because of the welded on rear sight? ...or is your 2nd carbine the one with the trashed receiver?

14 hours ago, Ben@HI said:

As I remember not everything had a Q on it. 

And they shouldn't. 

Go over to the Carbine Club's website and also the forum.   Look at the data sheet used by the club and you'll get a sense of the the differences within the various parts.  As long as the parts interchanged, the manufacturer's differences between each other's parts and over time where all acceptable. All manufacturer's subcontracted parts, and traded parts.

 

http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/parts.html

 

http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/forum/

 

Filling out the data sheets is also a great way to learn. 

 

The adjustable sights were usually held in position with a punch staking.   In theory the adjustable sight and the later barrel bands help accuracy, at least a little.

The quality hardware is fine, the other one with the bayonet lug is the one that was welded on. They tried to weld the back of the rear sight directly to the receiver. You can still read the numbers and winchester but it's ugly. 

Ahh, got it. I love those carbines . 

Bruce Canfield has a nice little write up on Vet bring backs of U.S. weapons.  https://brucecanfield.com/blogs/news/weapons-and-veterans

I would hesitate on replacing any parts right now. Many contractors swapped parts amongst each other. So it’s perfectly normal to find carbines with markings from different contractors. For example, my IBM has a NPM rear sight. In late 43 I believe NPM sent IBM 20,000 rear sights. If you have War Baby By Lary Ruth, there is info in that book on who shipped who parts during the war.  I do not have my book in hand but I can get to it this weekend. 

Nice  Carbine!  Thumb's up.

 

Chuck.

On 10/17/2022 at 6:58 AM, Ben@HI said:

Not the best carbine and I'm sure it's not correct or matching but it was the first military one I picked up. I had a couple of universal carbines I picked up before this. At the time (about 2002-03 I think?) You could buy a universal at the flea market for $100-$150. You would see them a little higher but you about once a month or so one would pop up for well under $200. Think I paid $75 for my first one but it was poorly sporterized. I was perpetually broke so that's what I could afford. Anyway the point is the $300-$500 USGI carbines where outside my price range and although they did pop up cheaper than that I was never lucky enough to be there when they did. I found this one out there back around that time. I had just sold some bottles (I was digging old soda bottles and selling them at the time) and had some extra cash and the he wanted $350 for it but I only had $300. He was nice enough to take $300 and I picked up my first military M1 Carbine and went home broke... As usual haha. I wish I was more experienced back then. He told me his uncle or father brought it back from WW2. The sling and mag where with it when I got it so you're seeing it just like I picked it up. He mentioned what unit they were in and basically gave me the whole history on it but I wasn't paying very much attention. I was just wondering where I could find a bayonet lug for it and if I could find one of the cheap fake paratrooper stocks. Glad I never got around to destroying it but still pretty mad about not paying attention to him and writing down what he told me.

Just on the face of it, I’d bet you have an as issued carbine. That thing looks gorgeous. Hard to say for certain though with out it in hand. For the price you paid you did very well. If the internals check out and there’s no evidence of restoration I’d says it’s worth at least 2k. The slings looks original as well. 
On the offnote, Iwas wondering if it's possible to install a modern AR 15 handguard on M1 carabine? Would it even be doable with adjustments?

For the price you've paid it looks absolutely stunning!

Those early feature carbines continue to increase in value, and they're getting harder to find in the condition yours is in. It's a beauty. Congrats!

Beautiful carbine!  My personal opinion is if you find one as close to original issue, that’s great, but since they have been used and repaired, and had parts replaced no doubt, as long as they are not rusted, or pitted, and function properly, that’s all that matters.  I love these carbines, and they are fun to take to the range.