weird .30 carbine

[sachel.45]

i was at the gun shop today and they had a really neat .30 carbine it was made by inland but it had a manlicher(sp) stock with a steel muzzel cap it also had the top handguard that looked like the factory one and to top it off it had a lyman 2.5x scope with the post recitle(sp) it was priced 750 is this a good price? also did some one make the stock or was it a factory option. it was a really cool rilfe really light to it would make a dandy coyote rifle i think

[mauser98us]

stay away at that price. You have a sporterized carbine.No collector value. The scopes worth about a hundred, If it's an american made lyman, the rest is just a shooter and the cartridge is pretty pathetic as a sporter

[mannyrock]

Sachel,

   Sure the rifle has no collector value, but I'm betting that you are not buying it as a collector piece, and just want an interesting shooter.

   If that is the case, and there has been no modification to the action, barrel or any other metal, and the action has not been drilled and tapped, and all of the metal is in very good condition, then I don't think it is too horrible of an asking price. 

   The scope is worth $100, so basically they are asking $650 for an Inland M-1 Carbine with a sporter stock.  You could buy a standard replacement stock for what, $125?  And then you would have paid $775 for an Inland M-1 Carbine.  Not a bad price, considering that the asking price for M-1 carbines with mismatched parts and numbers is now about $950 at every gun show I visit.

   And remember, the $750 is just the asking price.  I'm betting you could get it for $650.  A rifle like that could sit on the store's rack for a long long time. This would reduce your price for conversion to a standard M-1 to just $675.

   On the other hand, if the action has been drilled and tapped, then this comes under the category of "Somebody bought a $950 gun, spent $250 on custom modifications, and ended up with a  $400 gun."  I just wouldn't pay more than $400 for it.  And, if you ever need to sell it, it could take a long long time.

   The .30 carbine round is such that you really can't get much more power etc. by reloading it.  So, check the standard ballistics on it, and realize that this is what you would end up with.  Personally, I think the .30 carbine would be fine for varmints, out to 125 yards or so, as long as you are not trying to shoot prarie dogs.  (Probably doesn't shoot flat enough for varmints that are that small.)

Regards,

Mannyrock

[jmayton]

I agree with mannyrock.  I have a early Universal (military action with a commercial barrel and fire control group fitted into a military stock) that has little collector value.  But it is fun to shoot and easy to reload for.  I shoot 110gr soft points at around 2000fps.  That's good out to 125-150yds for game 125lbs and under.  I have a friend that has scoped his and hunts deer with it.  His loads are similar to mine and he says they work just fine for deer.

[mcwoodduck]

It sounds like one of the rifles from the Original Movie the planet of the apes.
Pictures would help.
So while it has no military collector value it may have movie collector value if you can trace it back to one of the actors or to a movie prop house.

[bckskin2]

Believe it or not I remember when you could buy an M1 thru the mail for next to nothing. I remember sport stock like that advertised in Guns & Ammo etc. If you can get it for a good price it could make a fun plinker. An old timer told me the reason the carbine had such a losey rep for accuracy was the bedding.
Remember it was a replacement for a pistol. Think of it as a long barreld pistol with a sholder stock or a 10/.22 that grew up.
Have fun!
Jerry

[SHOOTALL]

I have a scope base that does not require drilling so that may not be a issue . Where is that gun ? I saw one like it at a few shows in Va. some years back .

[bckskin2]

Back when you could buy M1s thru the mail there was a 'scope mount that replaced the rear sight, I bet that's the one. Gun Parts did have the sights & stocks. You might be able to turn that back into a mis-matched GI. If it shoots OK I would say buy the parts, but leave the 'scope and sporter stock. That way if you want to sell it it might be more saleable. Try to see if the dealer is willing to come down. Point out the cost of the GI parts. Hopefully they didn't re-finish. A guy in G&A built a sporter on a Winchester M1 he got for $20.00 from the DCM in the '60. I wonder what it would be worth now if he had left it alone!
Jerry