Auto Ordinance M1 Carbine

[mortar_guy78]

My son bought me the AO M1 Carbine as a coming home present for my last tour in Iraq (he's a good boy). I really dig it, but finding accessories and ammo is kind of a bitch. Does anyone know what the cheapest place to get ammo is? I've been using J&G Sales, but I'd like to know if there is anything a bit less expensive out there. Also, I'd like to get about 15 extra mags for it, as this is my primary weapon if the shit hits the fan. Yes I have a bolt gun, although I'd like to get a NEF Handi-Rifle in .270 (love those things) but that's another thread entirely.

I know a lot of people who dislike the .30 Carbine and think that you need an AK or AR variant, but for me the M1 is a great general purpose gun. It's got roughly the same ballistics as a .357 Mag, it's accurate to 150 yards (anything further away and I may not want to draw attention to myself anyway), and small enough to maneuver easily. Call me old fashioned, but I also like the solid wood stock and plain old iron sights. It's a rugged, combat proven design. I dig it a lot.

Then again, I may be wrong. It's happened once or twice. Any feedback? Ideas? Reasons I'm wrong about my choice of gun? I'm pretty gun savvy, but by no means a subject matter expert. I'm open to suggestions.

[Baseplate]

You already said it but ammo for the .30 carbine is a real bitch to get. Find someone who reloads is the best answer I can give you.

[mortar_guy78]

You already said it but ammo for the .30 carbine is a real bitch to get. Find someone who reloads is the best answer I can give you.

I'm planning on asking for a reloading kit for Christmas.

[RangerX]

http://georgia-arms.com/30carbine.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit-

Just realized your location. check here as well for potentially geographically shipping friendly offerings:

http://ammoseek.com/?gun=rifle&cal=163& ... sortby=cpr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mortar_guy78]

I'll be moving back to the lower 48 shortly, so distance won't be as much of a factor.

[RangerX]

I'll be moving back to the lower 48 shortly, so distance won't be as much of a factor.

I'm a junky. I always know where to get my fix. Georgia Arms is my dealer of choice. Sometimes my particular vice is in short supply, but they tend to come through with some kind of pick me up when I need it.

Ammo Seek always comes through, but usually it is the cheap stuff. Does the trick, but the quality & consistency is not always the same.

[mortar_guy78]

http://www.ammoman.com/index.htm

That one looks pretty good.

[colt1rgr]

Like vossman said, CMP Bro! Civilian Marksmanship Program, they advertise in all of the NRA magazines but you can also go to their website. http://www.thecmp.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They still selling beaucoup surplus .30s so they also offer ammo. I'd check there. They have couple locations, one of which is Anniston, AL (what use to be Ft. McClellan).

On a lighter note, despite their bad rep, those are sweet little rifles! Coming from your son makes it even cooler!

[mortar_guy78]

On a lighter note, despite their bad rep, those are sweet little rifles! Coming from your son makes it even cooler!

Yeah they are. I love the thing. It just feels great in your hands.

I thought about getting an AR variant, but I'm not a big fan of the design. I know that there are improvements out there, but I'm not willing to pay $2k for a rifle unless I win the lottery. The only argument in favor of an AR is that I'm so familiar with it that I could operate it in my sleep, and I figure I can get there with the M1. It's just a matter of drilling and developing muscle memory.

[C-MAC]

A friend of mine just bought some Federal .30 from this guy with free shipping.
http://www.ammoman.com/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He's in Jersey. But hey, nobody is perfect.

[rgrokelley]

Right down the road from my High School is a guy who was with the 101st in WWII. He was a 1SG, and I think his name was McCaffery or some such (I haven't seen him in a year). He wasn't in the much written about Easy company of Band of Brothers, but he was in the same battalion, in B Company.

I asked him about Bastogne. He just said it was cold. Really, really cold. He said that in the mornings, when the Germans might attack, everyone had to get their weapons ready to fire. For the guys with the M1 Garands it just meant uncovering the sights from whatever bit of cloth they had to keep the snow and ice off. For the M1 carbines they had to pee all over the bolt area to get it to free up from the ice.

If you remember that the M1 carbine was invented to replace the M1911, and not a rifle you are good. However if you are trying to get it to replace a rifle, then its not that hot.

[mortar_guy78]

I'm not looking for a full-size battle rifle. The way I figure, if I want to shoot something that far away a bolt action or a single shot, breech-loading hunting rifle (see original post about the NEF Handi-Rifle) will do fine. If the SHTF, I don't think I'll be looking at facing off against too many long range marksmen. Hell, I know civilians who consider themselves good shots who can't hit anything beyond 100 meters or so (which always makes me laugh). AR variants don't really do it for me, and the AK is great but from my experience the accuracy is for shit. I'd like to get an M-14 variant, but there are budget concerns at the moment, so I think I can make do with the M1 for now. Besides, I like it. Then again, I haven't tried to fire it when it has frozen.