C & R guns

[Gatordev]

I don't know much about older guns like the .30 cal family other than what I read here, so I figured I'd ask this here...

I found these for sale on Calguns:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showpost.php?p=7122774&postcount=1

and

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showpost.php?p=7122819&postcount=2

The second rifle looks to be in awesome shape, but that said, how do these prices compare to reality? And yeah, I know, it's the internet, but let's assume the guns are in the condition they're actually listed as.

This is more out of curiosity than anything else, but I know the M1 Carbines are all but gone from CMP and the few that are there are pretty high-priced.

 

[Rocketman]

I'll comment in general on the "unfired paratroop" carbine. I'd be shocked if any WWII weapon was in un-fired condition. Un-fired since rebuild maybe but not unfired. Not sure how the seller knows it's a paratrooper carbine either. I thought that they all came with folding stocks and even the one's with folding stocks are suspect because anyone can add a stock. I don't know this as fact but if this rifle was truely unfired I'd think it would be worth a lot more than $1,000.

I'm very comfortable buying most weapons on the web. Usually you find that your purchase will be in better than described condition. I can't think of a single time where I've been disappointed in the condition of a rifle I've bought on-line, especially from a dealer or individual selling on a gun web forum. That said I'm always careful about buying "collector" weapons and paying collector prices for guns on-line. The age of digital photography has improved your chances of making good choices here but unless you know what you are doing you have to be careful with "collectors". Not so much with being intentionally ripped off but sometimes the seller really doesn't know what he has so you'd better know. I always laugh when I see someone selling a "collector" gun that their grandfather "brought back from the war". If it can't be documented, it's not a bring back and isn't anything but another surplus weapon with a neat story attached.

 

[sickboy]

You can tell that both of them are postwar carbines, or at the very least rebuilds. I'd ask for the serial number just to confirm that they're wartime. That's just me.

 

[Gatordev]

I'll comment in general on the "unfired paratroop" carbine. I'd be shocked if any WWII weapon was in un-fired condition. Un-fired since rebuild maybe but not unfired. Not sure how the seller knows it's a paratrooper carbine either. I thought that they all came with folding stocks and even the one's with folding stocks are suspect because anyone can add a stock. I don't know this as fact but if this rifle was truely unfired I'd think it would be worth a lot more than $1,000.

I was having a hard time believing it wasn't fired as well. And I'm with you about the price if it was unfired, that's why I thought it was either odd or too good to be true. Thanks for the sanity check.

You can tell that both of them are postwar carbines, or at the very least rebuilds. I'd ask for the serial number just to confirm that they're wartime. That's just me.

For $850 or $1000, it's more effort than I'm willing to make, since the guy is (I think) up in the Bay area and I'm not super-excited about driving up there. That said, if you wouldn't mind, educate me a bit on how you can tell their post-war based off the pics.

 

[sickboy]

For $850 or $1000, it's more effort than I'm willing to make, since the guy is (I think) up in the Bay area and I'm not super-excited about driving up there. That said, if you wouldn't mind, educate me a bit on how you can tell their post-war based off the pics.

Late in the war the style of rear sight changed from a flip sight to a more adjustable one like those both have. Same thing with the bayonet lug. The thing is there was a lot of rebuilding going on after the war, so the best way to know is to check the serial number.

The different sights.

 

[Gatordev]

Gotcha, that makes sense.

 

[Sapper!]

Not that I'm a gun expert but that Carbine isn't a paratroop at all. They had folding stocks if I am not mistaken. The other fellas hit it on the head, check SN. But this is what I wanted to post up to justify my late post on this one, check about 9:25 into this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9S9gDcTPuU&feature=relmfu

 

[Gatordev]

The Carbines are still for sale and I was mistaken, they're in LA/OC area. I finally posted a question about serials and their time period but haven't been back to check a response (maybe tonight or tomorrow).

By the way, in that video the older gentleman behind the counter is Leon, career AF (retired an E-6 I think) and shot for their team. He took care of us when we showed up in our green pajamas to buy some guns.