CMP downgrades the condition of their rifles by quite a bit. I have several rack grades. None of them are even close to being in the condition mentioned, although one of the stocks was very dirty. One of the carbines was like-new from the re-arsenal process and all had excellent-plus bores.
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AO M1 Carbine
- Thread starter PaiN
- Start date
Holy Hell!!! 
These rifles are great shooters! I can't believe some of you have bad to say about the AO M1 Carbines...you either have not shot one or have some unfounded bias. Your loss....period
I picked it up today and brought it too a friend's farm/private range for some "free" shooting. This rifle was good to go out of the box. I started with 50 rounds of Wolf to break-in but the thing was grouping tight as a drum at 50y with irons. So we started testing my bud's reloads(he had some crazy stuff in .30carbine) some of the SWC and HPs it didn't like, but it ran all ball and SP perfectly. This Carbine's handling is unbelievable, its as easy to shoot off-hand as supported. Just over 150 rounds in, Dr. ReLoad..![[angry]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/008.gif "Angry [angry]")
forgot powder in a round and it squibed. I didn't have a rod so we spent the rest of the the time with pistols.
Back home the stuck round came out easily.....These AO clones are a quality, highly accurate rifle....the wood is even very nice looking
some quick pics I took:
These rifles are great shooters! I can't believe some of you have bad to say about the AO M1 Carbines...you either have not shot one or have some unfounded bias. Your loss....periodI picked it up today and brought it too a friend's farm/private range for some "free" shooting. This rifle was good to go out of the box. I started with 50 rounds of Wolf to break-in but the thing was grouping tight as a drum at 50y with irons. So we started testing my bud's reloads(he had some crazy stuff in .30carbine) some of the SWC and HPs it didn't like, but it ran all ball and SP perfectly. This Carbine's handling is unbelievable, its as easy to shoot off-hand as supported. Just over 150 rounds in, Dr. ReLoad..
forgot powder in a round and it squibed. I didn't have a rod so we spent the rest of the the time with pistols.Back home the stuck round came out easily.....These AO clones are a quality, highly accurate rifle....the wood is even very nice looking
some quick pics I took:
Like too many things, "they don't make them like they used to". An old USGI M1 carbine will have better quality parts, will be more reliable, etc. Repros are usually made as cheap as possible. If someone made a brand new M1 carbine today to the quality of the original USGI, it would probably run you around $1500-$3000.
For instance I bought a quality forged M14 (M1A) with genuine USGI parts and the fit and finish is superb, the action smooth and the rifle is accurate. Many people prefer the Springfield Armory's but the difference is like night and day really.
Holy Hell!!!
How can someone incur a "loss" when they can buy a gun that is likely superior in quality for the same amount of money? (and in some cases, even less money... ) I'm having trouble rendering that idea in my brain.
I will certainly concede it DOES look a lot better than some of the earlier AO's I've seen... the wood has certainly improved, and they don't have that crappy ghetto heat shield on them anymore.
-Mike
gee-wiz...."loss"....Because if you discount this rifle you "loose" out on a great shooter at a good price.
Since I started this thread some of you have been attempting to make me feel like a fool for wanting and buying this rifle....Luckily, I took it with a gain of salt, went with my own research and actually having had put my hands and eyes on the AO M1 Carbine prior to buying my own.
What I got is well worth the $700 I paid.....I am more than happy with my decision, if you are not, feel free to keep it too yourselves.
Quality wise, all GI brands are pretty much the same. They were all built to milspec and all parts are totally swappable.
Collector wise, the NPM or SP would be more desirable.
USMA-82
NES Member
I agree, that looks 100% better than what I expected. And I remember the first time I sighted in an AO carbine with the metal heat shield - the damn thing was so out of spec, I couldn't see the front sight!
Maybe AO has taken some of the negative feedback to heart, and really did some product improvement.
As far as a choice between the 3 manufacturers - they are all pretty much the same. There is a reference in "War Baby" that the Underwood barrels were maybe a little better in the longevity and accuracy department. But in my mind, any USGI M-1 Carbine is a keeper!
An alternative to CMP is buying your carbine from Charles Hadley of South Portland. He shows up at many of the gun shows - usually with three vertical racks of carbines.
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