Universal M1 .30 Caliber Carbine 3rd Generation

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DennisCA

New member
I have a chance to buy one, the information I've gotten from the buy it was made in around 1978 in a place called Hialeah, Florida .
I've got a couple of questions:
He's asking $300 for (plus a couple mag's and a bit of ammo) - worth it?
Any issues with the gun I should know about it?
 
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Sevens

New member
I had one -many- years ago that I regret selling. Know that a Universal will never, ever have the collectible "value" that a GI carbine has and that some folks have claimed shoddy workmanship on them, but the one I had (Deluxe) was absolutely a runner.

At $300, I see very little risk, I would definitely buy that rifle.

Do know going in that handloading the .30 Carbine round is definitely annoying, but as you handload .22 TCM, you are patient at the load bench. ;)
 
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taylorce1

New member
I say buy it!

I bought one for $200 a few years back. It runs flawlessly and is a pure joy to shoot. If it breaks and can't be repaired I'll sell it for parts.
 
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Doc TH

New member
M1 carbine

Seems reasonable, if you are assured that it functions well. Surplus GI's seem to be very dependable, the after-market commercial makes somewhat less so. But the GI's are now very high priced in comparison. The carbine, at a little over 5 lbs, is a very handy personal defense weapon at short and moderate ranges. It was used by the Brits' SAS in late and post WWII, and continued in use up to the Vietnam era. Israelis allegedly still have them available for reserve and police use, and until U.S. police depts. started getting surplus M 16 and some M 4's (who'll turn down a free lunch?) they were often used as patrol rifles. Jim Cirillo was very high on them in the NYPD stakeout squad.
 
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gyvel

New member
Hialeah, although a separate city, is essentially a suburb of Miami, FL, and predominately Cuban.

Universals have always had spotty reputations and many are made with substandard parts (i.e. cheaply cast aluminum trigger housings instead of forged steel, etc.). Other shortcuts were also employed in their manufacture.

If it works, enjoy shooting it. If it breaks, you haven't lost that much.
 
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Ibmikey

New member
If you buy it also get a large bottle of Tylenol for future headaches. As previously stated the later Universals are problematic and use totally different parts of dubious quality than found in a GI.
 
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4V50 Gary

Staff
Some Universals were built with surplus parts. As the surplus parts became scarce, the later ones had some real crappy parts and I won't touch those.
 
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jaughtman

New member
I had one.....

That I bought for $185 back in the late 1980's - beat the heck out of it, it ran good with FMJ, fun to shoot, not accurate at all. And a dealer at a gun show gave me $350 for it just last year. So, buy it and shoot it - if it is a junker you should be able to at least get back what you paid for it. Probably more.

J
 
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Ibmikey

New member
I would not buy something that will disappoint, but instead would spend my hard earned bucks on a real Carbine that I would be proud to possess. I guess the fact that I do not sell my weapons would also motivate me to buy only once and enjoy. A Universal of any vintage is not on my things to have list, shot a couple of Raccoons with a Dec. 1942 Carbine yesterday!
 
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Brit

New member
Seems like the majority say buy it, if it works? You have not broke the bank. I have a GI original, a little beat up, I can not see any sign it has been fired, sat in Germany for years, in a Police armoury.

Did not know the SAS favored them, light and accurate enough for their kind of work I suppose.

I would imagine with soft points, would be kind of effective. The South Korean mags I bought? Crap.
 
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Gunplummer

New member
Had one years ago. Sold it and do not regret that. Had a lot of feed problems with it even with all the good magazines back then.
 
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Smoke & Recoil

New member
My Hialeah uses lexon magazines...do others Hialeah owners have
this magazine too ?, steel military magazines will not work in it.
Okay, don't knock my Hialeah, I also have a military M1 30 cal.
 
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bamaranger

New member
enemy

I think it was Mas Ayoob who said that a Universal .30 carbine was a good weapon for your enemy to have.

If I wanted a .30 carbine, I's hold out for an import GI (there were many, just a decade ago), or I'd grit my teeth and by a Kahr.
 
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Skeets

Member in memoriam
+1 forShock.Put out thenow word and start a real"gun hunt".KoreanWar Vets are very,very helpful.In fact I my Oct.'42 Winchester was found hiding in a Vets closet.Good Luck! :D
 
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Brit

New member
Is it still possible to obtain Mil Spec magazines here in the US of A?

If it ever becomes possible for Security to carry Rifles, I would imagine the M1 Carbine would be a prime candidate. Looks kind of harmless? compared to an M4.

A thirty caliber round, a soft point, at over 2000 fps, would outstrip a 9mm, plus the 15 round capacity magazine, not so intimidating as a banana shaped 30 rounder. The whole package, would suit me. Especially in such areas as the guarding of technician's, working on outdoor ATM machines.
 
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