M1 A1 Carbine how old?

**crites1234** · 05-12-2012, 07:59 AM

friend of mines gun cannot find a date stamp looked it completely over
in front of chamber
universal
hialeah, fla.
cal.30 M1
pat 3.382.766
number behind sight
321418

**Adrian Stevenson** · 05-12-2012, 08:34 AM

Universal M1 Carbine Production History

Universal Firearms Corp.

Cheers, Ade.

**samnev** · 05-12-2012, 04:53 PM

Your friend has a commercial non GI carbine. Follow Ade's address and write the company for production date. That assumes they are stii in business.

**crites1234** · 05-12-2012, 05:38 PM

thanks you guys

**Wagriff** · 05-12-2012, 06:27 PM

I'm guessing mid to late 70's.....maybe 1980?

**Richard_J** · 07-17-2012, 12:34 PM

I also have an Universal M1 Carbine, I'm not sure of the age but I have been in contact with the 'Carbine Club' in the US, and was told that the rifle with the next serial number to mine was in New Zealand and was sold on behalf of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
I will post my serial number tonight when I get home.

Edit it's 370421

**MarkV** · 07-19-2012, 08:08 PM

My son has the one I bought back in 1975. Early Universals had a mix of commercial and surplus USGI parts. As they expenmded the surplus stuff they switched to commercial. The Universals are, IMHO, one of the better commercial versions on M1 Carbines.

I didn't notice if anyone else mentioned it, but the M1A1s were the folding stock versions of the M1 Carbines designed for airborne units.