Universal Mil-Spec M1 Carbine - 1st year production WWII parts !

Today on Classic Gun Reviews I talk about my 1965 Universal Firearms made M1 Carbine with many wartime production parts. This is a sweet rifle!
Correction: I mentioned barrel maker for the Universal Carbine was maybe in CT but in fact was manufactured by Small Arms Mfg in PA, predecessor of current day E.R. Shaw barrels and used by several different commercial carbines manufacturers of the time.

[@scottdrake8306]

I also have an early Universal m1 carbine. It's serial number is 4486, so very early! I really appreciate you making this video. Like you, every video or review I've seen involved later production Universals and we're largely negative. Mine is identical to yours in the video complete with bayonet lug, cloth sling, and it also has an aluminum trigger guard. I appreciate the info on what parts were or were not war production. I knew I had a nice one, but when people hear Universal, they assume it's poor quality.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Wow, that is really early, probably late 1963 or earlier. These are great guns that I never hear anyone talk about, like you said most people think all Universals aren't good. I found this one in my local gun store for the same price as a later one. Since these are older guns and autos, the springs are often not any good so they malfunction and people think the gun is not good when they only need to replace the springs. Sounds like you have a really nice rifle.

[@Eboat63]

Thanks for the video. I have an early one too, 25xxx range. Has the underwood bolt. Just now doing the wolf spring swap. Finding [cozmalene] around all the springs.

[@paulstuhrenberg9165]

I have #91xx Universal and it’s my favorite shooter. Nice video

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Thank you! Congratulations on owning such an early M1 like mine.. they are impossible to find now and worth a good bit of money compared to the later skeletonized carrier etc.. I replaced the recoil spring and mag springs and now it's been flawless in operation.

[@8incheskok]

I have a new in the box one, serial number about 26000. Im just hanging on to it and using my later model one for fun.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Wow, an unfired early GI type.. nice. It was probably made around 1963 or 64.

[@haroldmordt4421]

A good and informative video. Just today bought a Universal carbine off of Gun Broker. My new gun is a 1963 built with a factory scope mounted and an x prefix on the serial number. They called these presentation models. Apparently, there are no records as to who was presented these guns. My gun is #300.Dont have it in hand yet but appears to be a clean and very presentable piece. Bayo lug is present also and GI sling. Stock has that dark brown look as most war era stocks have.Thanks!

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Your welcome and thanks for watching. Wow, congrats on finding that early Universal M1, great find. It'll be such fun to shoot I bet. I never heard of that one, but then again they made so many great many variations, fun to collect. In my book War Baby Comes Home, all about commercial M1's,they have pictures of the all stainless steel models, and other cool variations. Cheers!

[@haroldmordt4421]

Wish I could find a copy of War Baby 2 that I can afford! found 3 copies on Ebay, but all are in the $200-$300-dollar range. Must be out of print. So, you don't have any info on the x prefix carbines? I only know from reading on the Internet. We all know everything on the Net is true, right? Not! Thanks for your reply!

[@VCBird6]

After doing a bunch of research, I'm picking up a Universal with serial number 26xxx so hopefully early enough that it shouldn't have too many issues It sure looks like a GI rifle to my eye

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Congrats on finding an early Universal. I love mine. The only thing i needed to do was buy a Wolff recoil spring to fix the malfunctions i was having.. I think most the old M1's need a new recoil spring to function well.

[@SuperMarshall2009]

I have a near twin to your Carbine, SN not too far off - only mine was legally converted to an M2 in the 60s and has similar construction - steel M2 Trigger Group of course. It wasn't uncommon for Police Officers, Agencies and individuals to have these converted to select fire during the period of riots and turmoil of the 60s. Agencies would not be able to afford the very new AR15s or M16s but Carbines were on hand and not too difficult to convert. The wood on these is exceptionally pretty. If you clean out the trough of the stock on the inside where the piston area is (usually black with carbon) It will likely be stamped BWI for Blanton Woodworking Industries - Who evidently Universal funded to start making their gun stocks. They have some of the nicest Walnut figuring of any M1 carbine ever in my opinion. They are Sleepers and people that scoff at Universal as a whole often overlook these early gems.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Sorry for the late reply, i just noticed your comment. Thanks for the excellent post with great information.. I wasn't aware of the history of some of the Universal walnut stocks. I'll have to look inside my stock to see if those initials are there. I think the later Universals gave a bad rep for those who aren't aware of the 1st gen guns.

[@drums911]

Thanks for the well articulated video! I have a 3 yr old Auto-Ordnance M1 with a number of Fulton Armory replacement parts and a used Universal bolt on the way. One other upgrade I'd like is a flip lever safety to replace the R-L push type. Do you know if this would be a simple "re & re" swap?

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Thank you! The Inland and AO reproductions both seem to be faithful reproductions of the original, and weirdly both have push button of the early carbines instead of the lever. It should be just a swap like the original, but can't be sure.

[@renelopez2244]

I'm wondering if the paratrooper stock sold on numerich surplus will fit that piece?

[@hughjanus8126]

Saw a gen 3 in a gun store for three hundred ninety nine clams, front site was gone and had a holographic site on it lol, idk if it was worth it or not

[@ClassicGunReviews]

It depends on what year it was made and how much it deviates from the original. If it has skeleton bolt, dual springs, etc it may not work well or be dangerous,

[@regularguyfixes3142]

I have a m1 but it has the metal vent guard on top not wood. I'm looking to convert the wood to synthetic and saw your other video on that. Not sure if it will work or not. Have you found any other stock conversions?

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Other companies have made synthetic stocks for the M1 Carbine for reasonable prices but most are discontinued now, like Ram-Line and Champion... I can't find other folding stock options except the $600 wood one repro from wwII. You didn't mention whether you have a GI original or clone or a universal. I can't find any options specifically for the Universal, I believe they're aren't any available because of the varying dimensions of the Universal carbine through the years.

[@regularguyfixes3142]

@@ClassicGunReviews universal gen 3. Has the metal vent cover and a slide locking toggle switch. There is a black synthetic still made folding stock. Takes lil grinding to make my model fit it seems.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

@@regularguyfixes3142 That's great that there are options for it.. mine took almost 4 hours to do! I didn't want to go too far and have it loose so I took my time. Now it's much more compact and the grip was a big deal for me main reason for going with the synthetic... M1 wood stocks grips area is too big to grip securely and slippery as well. Good luck on your upgrade!

[@adventuring2427]

Can you do a disassembly video of your first-generation Universal. I have a 160xx serial number. I would like to see what your spring guide rod looks like. I think mine is messed up.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

I would but there are lots of videos of WWII M1 Carbines being disassembled. Mine is identical to these. If yours is different then you don't have a GI M1 carbine by Universal. What is the serial number of yours? Put XXX instead the last 3 digits of serial number for security, I can look up when yours was made and determine generation. The spring guide is actually a long tube in the bolt carrier. Last of the Universals M1's had 2 recoil springs.

[@adventuring2427]

@Classic Gun Reviews its definitely 1st Generation only 5 digits 16xxx

[@ClassicGunReviews]

@@adventuring2427 Yes, nice early M1 GI configuration! The only difference between our M1s and the WWII ones are the aluminum trigger guard, but the internal parts of the trigger are still GI config.. the outside diameter is a little larger but not the large rectangular aluminum trigger guard of the later Universals. I don't have time to disassemble mine and do a video of it, but ours are identical in part specs etc so if you watch any WWII M1 Carbine disassembly video it will look identical to yours. Here is a link to M1Carbineinc website that has lots of info on your carbine - www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html

[@adventuring2427]

@Classic Gun Reviews will do, and thank you. I'm think I'm going to change the trigger housing out for a usgi one.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

@@adventuring2427 Your welcome. Congrats on owning such an early Universal M1. Great idea.. I was going to do the same thing, they are about $125 for one so I haven't picked one up yet.. whats nice is all the parts will fit into the new housing. I probably won't do it now since I put the M1 into a Choate folding stock and the aluminum housing is a little thicker than the GI one so it might look or feel loose in my hand fitted choate stock. I have a video on my channel of the Universal in a choate folding stock.

[@esanchez8277]

Did you get the 10% extra power spring from Wolff?

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Yes

[@jacobtwersky4089]

Any idea how many universal was making a year in those early years. I just got one with 26,000 serial #! Looks pretty much the same as yours. Must be made close in time

[@ClassicGunReviews]

I forgot how many per year average they made.. i think it was about 10k .. so maybe in the 3rd year of production around 1966ish

[@M1car-bean]

The m1 carbine is 80 years old now

[@bdobson1616]

i have a 56xx havent fired it yet.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

wow that's an early one! 1st year production.. go shoot it ! It probably needs a recoil spring, magazine springs and possible another spring or to to function properly, Congratulations on owning one!

[@mrhamburger6936]

That is not the first design that Universal put out the first design had 100% GI Surplus parts the barrel is even marked with the year and even has a genuine GI stock on it trigger housing different than the one that you have the only difference is the receiver is Universal a friend of mine father owns one of the first ones he purchase it brand new

[@ClassicGunReviews]

True, but my Universal is from 1st year production, not 1st design. Even though the design of mine is still the same as the one you mentioned. Only the parts are different it doesn't change the design. The design of mine is same as GI. I think you mean different versions. My gun will accept all GI parts. They did start to change the design of parts as the decades went by, until internally it was quite different. I read that the GI barrels went really quickly they didn't have many, next the trigger housings they ran out of. I guess the barrels were pretty much worn out by the time they ended up as surplus. I can take a GI bare trigger housing and put it in my M1 with my trigger parts it would fit fine.. They're pretty expensive though at around $100 or more, and this gun is working perfectly so I'm not going to change anything at this point. Amazing guns, wish I bought a GI one before the market went crazy on them.

[@sparty94]

i have 11632, right in front of you.

[@ClassicGunReviews]

Wow, congrats on owning of these early M1 Universals... I just saw a later Universal in a gun store this week and they're getting $650 for those!

[@soldier4christ339]

I have the exact same rifle is it possible to swap out the top hand guard with a ventilated hand guard?