Why are prices so high?

[Major Tom]

When it comes to M1 carbines? What is the 'attraction' that causes the prices to be exorbinate? Just curious.

[Art]

There are several things.

The little rifles are just a bucket full of fun, lightweight, very handy, easy to shoot and great for plinking, vermin control and self defense, so always in demand.

There will never be any more USGI carbines. Of the 6,000,000 + manufactured my guess is that half or close to half were "expended." The last large stock to come into the US was from the CMP which was also the last chance to get one at "popular prices." My CMP Inland was $400.00. So part of it is the supply drying up.

The same problem exists with SKS carbines. I bought a really nice Rooskie early version SKS for a couple of hundred bucks in the late 90s. Now they are going for three times that.

The repros are expensive to manufacture, therefore are expensive to buy, and often inferior to the 70+ year old originals which I believe also drives up the cost of the USGI variants.

Exorbitant is an iffy word. A fair price is what a willing buyer is willing to pay. If people stop being willing to pay $800.00 - $1,000.00 for a nice shooter grade Inland the price will come down.

My devalued $.02.

[Allen]

It seems also that countries that bought or were given carbines tend to keep them so that reduces what could have been a USGI surplus.

Commercial manufactures either built an inferior product or just couldn't stay in business long enough.

They ARE fun to shoot along with the SKS and AK47. I bought a milled Chinese SKS in the 90's for $129. It is pretty much in mint condition. Had the Catawba wood stock with yellow paint on it. I stripped and refinished it and is showing nice grain now. I don't care for the magazines on the SKS though. For that reason I prefer the AK and the AK variants. AR's can be fun too.

Other comparable makes perhaps are the Ruger 44mag carbine which is no longer made and the Ruger Mini 14 and Mini 30.

Another thing about carbines is that those of us who buy one usually end up with several thus drying the stock up also and what is out there is what is out there. As mentioned above "they aren't being made any longer".

[barretcreek]

Wanted a Rock Ola when they were $129+10 for select condition and another 10 for choice of manufacturer. When the supply of surplus ammo dried up so did my wanting one.
Something which can use cheap commie 5.45 or 7.62 ammo would be a nice substitute. Handy and light. 'Ranch Rifle' is a good name.

Just checked Ammoseek. .30 Carbine is twice the price of 5.56, .300 Blackout, 7.62 X 39, so the price of the guns may start to drop.

[Art]

Midway USA has commercial .30 Carbine FMJ available for about $41.00 for 50. Boxes of 50 5.56mm NATO were about $35.00 for a box of for M193 ball. So yes, the current military cartridges are always going to be cheaper than obsolete military cartridges. All in all though, .30 Carbine in price per cartridge isn't too bad in the current universe of ammo prices. There is still 7.62x39mm Russian ammo available from some sources but their won't be anymore cheap Russian imports so when the current supply runs out expect the price to go up.

Spelling, redundancy

[smoky]

Ya know, Carbines are a great little gun and they can get the job done when needed. They are liked for all different reasons. The first one I saw was when I was in Germany as a dependent in 1953, my step dad would bring one home every night. When the DCM started to sell they were about $20. the your door. When I had a little money they were about $150 That's when I could get one. Then they were $600 at gun shows and that's for real nice ones. There are still a couple of carbines I would like to have But now I am retired , it's hard to spend the money there asking. $12-14-1800 out to 2500. This is gun show price in the NW, and some are not that good.
Good luck to you guys that are looking
Best regards

[Allen]

Now is a good time to thin your herd.

I can't remember the last time I shot any of mine.

[smoky]

I just found a add from McClain ammo that they have in stock South Korea surplus 30 M1 carbine ammo , 1080rds in strippers clips, bandoleers and ammo can (FOR $300. 00 ) $330 shipped to you. Hope this helps you that are looking for some. I would post a link but don't know how.

[Allen]

I just found a add from McClain ammo that they have in stock South Korea surplus 30 M1 carbine ammo , 1080rds in strippers clips, bandoleers and ammo can (FOR $300. 00 ) $330 shipped to you. Hope this helps you that are looking for some. I would post a link but don't know how.

Wow. Never heard of this place. Thanks for the info.

This is for brass cases and boxer primed as well----an unheard of price these days. Just the primers and bullets would cost more than this.

I almost hit the buy button though and noticed a 4 can min order is required. More than I want to spend on ammo for just one make of gun right now. I'm sure I'll regret it later. Actually it states "minimum order; 4360rnds" Which = 1090 rds per can so a 5 can order may be the min but probably a misprint.

https://mcclainammunition.com/

[lyman]

Wow. Never heard of this place. Thanks for the info.

This is for brass cases and boxer primed as well----an unheard of price these days. Just the primers and bullets would cost more than this.

I almost hit the buy button though and noticed a 4 can min order is required. More than I want to spend on ammo for just one make of gun right now. I'm sure I'll regret it later. Actually it states "minimum order; 4360rnds" Which = 1090 rds per can so a 5 can order may be the min but probably a misprint.

https://mcclainammunition.com/

mighty tempted to buy and flip one bando at a time,


re the carbines,

like all milsurps the days of cheap or rather inexpensive guns are gone, even Arisaka's have risen in the past few years,

between Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan and whatever else on TV that brought some attention to them (don't scoff, it is a thing, look at Enfield No 1 Mk III prices when 1917 came out,,,) the market has gotten pricey,

add 10 makers, various subcontractor variations, and an avid (and very OCD) collector base, prices in general have exploded,

reasons I have heard,
besides IP's being rare, esp in good shape, and matching

IBM guns bought by Computer nerds, gotta have a Computer or Cash Register gun (kinda like the Garand Tractor folks )
Rock Ola, juke box guns bring a premium (I sold an all correct, tho stock sanded badly, RO 12 yrs or more ago for $2500 and thought that was crazy)
S'G' (S prime G prime) get some folks in a lather and the dollars start flowing,

and more,

even imports if 'restored' or in good shape with correct bits, are bringing good money now,

the days of the sub $1K USGI carbine are just about done