OT - what sighting system for a M1 Carbine

[rjohns94]

Ok, so I have traded into a M1 carbine with the idea I wanted to put a rail on it and put a sighting system on it for fast acquistion. I installed the sight rail today and now to think about what to put on it. Certainly i cold put a regular low power variable, a holographic sight, a red dot sight, or some combo low power variable with illuminated dot sight.

My thoughts were I don't want to spend all that much money on it. The rail cost me $93 bucks (i have it mounted already). I was thinking of an aftermarket paratrooper stock ($200) and so I wanted to keep the price down.

Bass pro shops has their line of 30 mm, 4 moa reddot sights for $50!!!! definately in the running.

those chinnese made armored scopes, come nitrogen filled, seem to get good comments and could be a combo variable power and illuminated red dot center if I wanted.

I have even seen the variables with a laser .


Use for the gun - heck I don't know. probably a shooter, maybe a home defense rifle with some of those HP rounds they have. Can't use it in PA for anything since its semi. So perhaps plinking, HD. Let me here your thoughts. The factory sights are still on the carbine and are suitable, I'm just playing around and having some fun. I just don't want to invest $500 for an Eotech sight.

[mescalero1]

Low power fixed scope.
Learn to shoot it long and short, both eyes open.
Fixed scope will be lighter, more rugged.
Thats what I do on mine.
A word of caution,
people who see you shoot, after you become proficient;
tend to stay away from you.

[cnjarvis]

With that thing, you can just use your eyeballs. I hear they make pretty good clubs.

J/K!!!!

You might consider something like THIS

The ARFCOMmers seem to like them well enough.

[Ysabel Kid]

This is what Y2K has mounted on his:



IIRC, the scope mount was maybe $30. Scope wasn't much more, and it works just fine!

[alnitak]

Here's the rail Mike has:

[awp101]

IMO it would be worth at least trying out one of the BSA 30mm red-dots. Mine has held up for several years, mainly mounted on my Buckmark pistol. The .30 carbine shouldn't be that much more recoil and if does go out there's two good things about it: they usually only run $30-$40 and from what I've read, if they're going to die from recoil they tend to do it pretty quickly.

[junkbug]

Just as an aside to hunting with the M-1 Carbine. I remember seeing solid gas pistons for sale that would turn the carbine into a manually operated straight pull, and thus technically legal to hunt with in semi-auto hunting restricted states. But I haven't seen one in many years.

I would like one myself. The local indoor range has recently upgraded and now specifically allows M-1 Carbines. I want to temporarily alter to straight pull in order to conserve my precious brass. Anybody see one for sale lately?

If I were to put a sight rail on mine, I would mount a long eye relief red-dot illuminated sight of 1x to no more than 2x. I believe "Cheaper than Dirt" has imported ones relatively inexpensively. If I liked it well enough, I could upgrade later.


Sean

[Rusty]

I've thought a couple of times I'd like to have one for the wife but when ever I see one at a gun show they want $600+. Not really what I had in mind.

[Ben_Rumson]

Junkbug
Just as an aside to hunting with the M-1 Carbine. I remember seeing solid gas pistons for sale that would turn the carbine into a manually operated straight pull, and thus technically legal to hunt with in semi-auto hunting restricted states. But I haven't seen one in many years.

I would like one myself. The local indoor range has recently upgraded and now specifically allows M-1 Carbines. I want to temporarily alter to straight pull in order to conserve my precious brass. Anybody see one for sale lately?

I haven’t seen the pistons for a long time but if you buy a spare slide and grind away the zone the piston slaps against you will have the same thing... IMO that method is better than replacing the piston because removing the staked in retaining nut garfs up the threads on the nut, plus the threads in the piston nut housing may need to be chased..then you have to stake the nut back in place.

[Blaine]

Well, they did Yeoman duty with factory sights in three or four wars....... At close in combat range...20 - 40 yards???....do you need more? I do like Red Dots, but my Burris Speed Dot might be more than you're wanting to spend..they are the real deal, tho.

[AJMD429]

I have a TruGlo which is basically like this, but without the side-laser...



$79 at Optics Planet - http://www.opticsplanet.net/yukon-sight ... 13002.html

I kind of wish I'd gotten it for this gun...



Next time I need a sight, I think I'll test this one out.

[AJMD429]

This is what Y2K has mounted on his:



IIRC, the scope mount was maybe $30. Scope wasn't much more, and it works just fine!

Y2K - that's a KID...! KIDS should be playing video games, or something, NOT owning GUNS...

...particularly MILITARY-STYLE guns...

...semiautomatic ones...

How awful. We can't raise a generation of individuals who are RESPONSIBLE enough to own firearms, and who are INDEPENDENT enough to throw of a tyrannical government. That would be horrible! What would George Washington or Thomas Jefferson or Alexander Spooner think...?

Hmmm...... now that you mention it, they'd think it was pretty nice...

But, they'd think their parents were BAD parents if they only equipped them with wimpy little .30 Carbines, instead of REAL guns like M1A's.

Y2K - you and your sister need to DEMAND that your dad get you M1A's, or at least Garands . . . just don't let him get away with some old 'surplus' Garands that have shot-out barrels. You need GOOD ones...

(If he's a really NICE dad, he'll either get you each M1A's, (maybe M1 Carbines for 'toys'), or better yet, get you each Garands, and help you re-barrel them in .308 Win with nice new Douglas barrels. If he doesn't have the tools to do it himself, I'll bet he can find someone who does.)

...sorry YK - sometimes a fellow parent just has to intervene...

[Ysabel Kid]

...sorry YK - sometimes a fellow parent just has to intervene...

I'm trying to figure out why AJ wants to see my wife divorce me!!!

[O.S.O.K.]

I've got a Bushnell Red Dot on one of my AR's that has three different reticles that works very well. My favorite reticle is the dot in a circle.

Bushnell has been making these for many years and I've found them to be very good scopes.

Midway has this model for $85:



http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=310814

[donw]

i have a soft spot for the M-1 Carbine:

i trained with an M-1 Carbine that had an infra-red scope. it was used for our perimeter. it was an EXCELLENT close range weapon...our qualification was at 100 yards...light, easy to handle, reliable under all battle field conditions and, VERY accurate.

it seems to be overlooked that this warrior (the M-1 Carbine) served reliably, tenaciously AND successfully, up to and including Vietnam. it was one of the favored weapons selected by the paratroopers who invaded Normandy and the islands in the pacific among other successful campaigns.

since the M-1 carbine has become somewhat of a rarity to find reasonably priced, (i recently saw one at a local Big 5 sporting goods store priced at $999.00 )

since that is out of my price range, i purchased the Ruger P9, 9mm carbine instead...i installed a tasco pro-point red dot on mine...

a red dot fits within the design and intent of the M-1 as being a CLOSE range, reliable, effective, semi-automatic carbine.

it's interesting to note that the state of California tried to outlaw them and the M-1A/M-14 but it was finally decided that since it did not have a "pistol" style grip, it was not considered an "Assault weapon". think about all the "assaults" they took part in...Okinawa, Normandy, Inchon, Tarawa, Sicily...the list goes on...so much for the brilliance of the state legislators, huh?

[awp101]

rjohns, another option is the ATN Ultra Sight:

http://www.amazon.com/ATN-UltraSight-Mu ... hisProduct

Czech made IIRC and I didn't think of posting it before because I thought they were no longer made. It seems I was wrong... 11 brightness settings, 4 reticules, Weaver base and I've used mine on a Buckmark pistol, Buckmark carbine and an AR with no issues.

[COSteve]

Deleted

[mescalero1]

rjohns,
trust me.

[Ben_Rumson]

COSteve
A totally different option is just to train snap shooting with it. Back in the 60's, the Army trained us to sight along the bbl for snap shots at close targets rather than using the sights. After a bit of practice, you'd be surprised how well you can do. I like the look and balance of the std M1 Carbine and so even though my eyes are old, mine stays the way it was first delivered.

Yeah Steve ... I was thinking the same thing yesterday but didn’t have time to post.....I got the same training too back during the days of dub ya dub ya Nam (Electric Strawberry here).. l like the capability to instantly zap a target the size of a head of lettuce (or smaller)at 10ft to 20yds and sometimes way beyond... got most of my training on the M14..Here’s a link about the program, http://www.i-kirk.info/misc/quickkill/qwikill.htm , other links within this article will help.. My M1 carbine is my HD weapon.. No stock pouch on it... pouch ruins the balance for me... No sling on it either to get snagged.. I like it with the 15 round better than the 30...I too like the standard stock better and the weapon is actually HEAVIER with the folder on it...

[COSteve]

Deleted

[mescalero1]

When things go " bump " in the night, seems that carbine winds up in my hands,
must be Darwins theory of natural selection.

[firefuzz]

Here's the rail Mike has:

If I wanted to dress out a Carbine I like this set up. Keeps the weight of the rail and sight between the hands for better balance. One of the small reflex-type sights would be my choice. For me there's not another gun ever that balances and handles like the little M1 Carbine, fast..sweet..and sexy. Probably the reason Ruger styled the 10/22 along it's lines.

Rob

[COSteve]

Probably the reason Ruger styled the 10/22 along it's lines.

Absolutely no doubt about it.

[rjohns94]

Mescalero1

what ammo do you use for things that go bump in the night?

[awp101]

rjohns, another option is the ATN Ultra Sight:

http://www.amazon.com/ATN-UltraSight-Mu ... hisProduct

Czech made IIRC and I didn't think of posting it before because I thought they were no longer made. It seems I was wrong... 11 brightness settings, 4 reticules, Weaver base and I've used mine on a Buckmark pistol, Buckmark carbine and an AR with no issues.

Found a pic with it on my 5.5" Buckmark:

[mescalero1]

I still have plenty of the old Hornady 110 grain flat nose hollow points, they open up nice.

[rjohns94]

Ok, thats what I just picked up along with some green box soft points. thanks

[mescalero1]

Be prepared to be pleasently surprised.

[awp101]

For me there's not another gun ever that balances and handles like the little M1 Carbine, fast..sweet..and sexy. Probably the reason Ruger styled the 10/22 along it's lines.

Rob

And now you can make your 10/22 look like an M1 Carbine:
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/sh ... p?t=328581

[mescalero1]

I have two 10-22's
I will wait for the sight adapter and handguard without the cutout.
That will be cool.

[awp101]

The wheels in my head are turning right now, which means that's not your computer squeaking.

How big of an issue is the muzzle blast of a .30 Carbine in a HD scenario? I know the Ruger BH I had in .30 Carbine was a bear and the added bbl of the Carbine will help that but I'm curious. More or less than a factory .357?

[rjohns94]

it would be similar to my .357 levergun, though I haven't shot it indoors with no light.

I chose two optics for the Carbine. A low fixed power 40 mm scope and a russian halo sight. I shot it with the halo sight yesterday and it was a blast. really quick acquisition of target and fast follow up shots. Have to admit, I don't think it was much faster then the open sights, though I do tend to take longer letting the open sights settle in. Must be my years of target shooting. I got an aftermarket paratrooper stock in on Friday and broke out the dremmel tool to get it to accept the rail mounts. that done, it snapped together just right and I am pleased with the feel of it. I have one 30 round mag up the spout, two 15 rounders in a mag pouch mounted on off side of stock. They add weight but for a grab and go, its pretty kewl. Would make a neat close in ground hog rifle if I could use it in Pa. But I can't . Oh well.

[MrMurphy]

I'd keep it stock, or upgrade to an Aimpoint H-1.

I wouldn't bother with the cheaper scopes if your life may be on the line.


While I'm not an M1 carbine guy, (Have multiple ARs, etc) it's killed it's fair share of bad guys around the world. Audie Murphy used one. Etc etc. If it was at hand, I'd definitely use it, i just wouldn't pick it first over some other rifles. Loaded with softpoints it will certainly get the job done.

The irons still do the trick for most work. Maybe an upgrade to an XS front sight blade (not sure if they make one for the carbine).

[COSteve]

Deleted

[Ben_Rumson]

How big of an issue is the muzzle blast of a .30 Carbine in a HD scenario? I know the Ruger BH I had in .30 Carbine was a bear and the added bbl of the Carbine will help that but I'm curious. More or less than a factory .357?

I’d say significantly less than a 357 as far as noise goes , and way way less as far as muzzle flash goes. I see and hear this in a darkened indoor range.. Keep in mind though I'm wearing ear plugs there..
I still keep a pistol under the pillow but the M1 carbine is within reach from my bed..given time enough I go for my carbine.. I went to the carbine for HD because I can't practice enough with my pistol to feel confident enough with it in a bad situation, but with the M1 carbine I can snap it up in a heartbeat and be pointed at a target with confidence.. especially in low light.
FWIW Take your unloaded pistol, assume your stance with it facing a nearby wall, post or fence, inch forward until the muzzle touches the wall, still maintaining your stance...Have someone hand you your unloaded carbine and shoulder it.. You may be surprised to find the carbine muzzle three, four or five inches farther back away from the wall.. With a six inch barreled revolver and the eighteen inch barreled M1 carbine and my six foot frame the shouldered carbine comes out right at tad over four inches shy of the wall.. I not saying its shorter or faster than a pistol... But I know the carbine doesn’t stick as far as my pistol does with my two handed hold and I’m confident I’ll be on target with the handy lil M1 carbine...It aint bad from the hip either!

[awp101]

Thanks guys! I'm doing some evaluating/re-evaluating and the carbine has been in my mind.

[2ndovc]

Love the .30 Carbine.

Mine has accounted for a pile of varmints.
The original sights are supprisingly easy to see in low light.



jb