Blue Sky 30 carbine?

[Redneckbuckeye]

Have a question as to what a blue sky 30 carbine is worth ball park in good shape.

 

[DragonGunner]

Anywhere around the 400 to 700 $ area....the last of the CMP Carbines were going for 695.00 for Service Grades which are very good condition....its kinda a tough call, it all depends on the condition an what parts are on it.....I recently purchased a excellent WWII Inland, 1942 with original barrel it great shape for 388.00....

 

[TheDude]

Do you your homework on these first. Ive read bad things such as stamping for import warping barrels etc. Good luck

 

[451_Detonics]

The Blue Sky guns do not have a great rep, I would say of the ones I ordered I had a 40% return rate back to my distributor. I would say a value of $500 tops and check it over very carefully...if at all possible test fire before buying.

 

[sloughfoot]

My one and only 30 carbine was a Blue Sky. I bought it for $300 and when a fella at the range asked me what I would take for it, I said casually, $800.

I about hit the floor when he peeled off 8 one hundred dollar bills.

I told him it wasn't worth that much and after all, he was watching as I couldn't keep shots on paper with it at a hundred yards. He said I don't care, I have alway wanted one. Of course I gave him all the ammo and mags I had for it.

Boy, did I get lucky to get rid of that awful little rifle.

That is what I know about Blue Sky 30 Carbines. I lived happily ever after.

The End

 

[r3126]

Have a question as to what a blue sky 30 carbine is worth ball park in good shape.

There is no such animal as a "Blue Sky" M1 Carbine. Blue Sky is/was a company that bought carbines from various countries the US had armed, imported them back to the US and sold them to various companies who sold retail. There were/are several outfits that do this: Blue Sky, CAI and others. They are required by law to stamp their name on the gun - usually on the left side or bottom of the barrel near the front sight.

There were 11 prime contractors who produced the 6 million plus carbines (12 if you count Commercial Controls who only produced 264). They were: Inland, Winchester, IBM, National Postal Meter, Saganaw S'G' (GM), Saganaw SG, Irwin-Peterson, Underwood, Rock-ola, Standard Products and Quality HMC.

The value of each gun is based in part, on the prime contractor, condition of the gun, the number produced by that contractor, original features remaining on the gun (all, or nearly all have undergone at least one rebuild thereby mixing parts), and other intangibles.

A CMP or nonimport gun is valued higher by collectors - for whatever reason- than one bearing an import mark thereby setting the tone for pricing.

To cut to the chase, the gun is worth what you are willing to pay for it not what a seller wants to get. A good quality CMP gun will go from $600 +/- on up to the thousands. An import marked gun might go for $100 +/- less than the CMP guns.

Oh, there are a couple of civilian companies that have produced their version of the M1 Carbine using their own produced parts or government produced parts. They are significantly less expensive than either CMP or import guns - much less desirable yet fill a very real nitch in the market - some are really good shooters.

I am a very small time collector of the carbines and have researched them a bit. If you really want to talk to someone knowledgeable see Bryce at Premier Arms in Brownsburg

 

[Redneckbuckeye]

Thanks for the info, I am not looking to buy one, already have it, but maybe selling, lost my job so I need to get rid of a few guns. I just had no idea what the value is. Thanks, I will try to get a hold of Bryce.

 

[Redneckbuckeye]

It is and Inland according to the stamp on the barrel.
It has 8-43 also stamped on the barrel
Is that a desirable make?

 

[r3126]

The barrel marking will not determine the prime contractor or maker of the rifle. The prime will be marked on the bridge of the receiver, just behind the rear sight. The Inland barrel was, obviously, used on the Inland receiver but was also used on the Irwin-Peterson, the Quality HMC, the Saganaw S'G', and the Standard Products rifles.

If you know how to disassemble the carbine, do so and look on the parts for any markings. Knowing them can tell a lot about the rifle.

I doubt that anyone can give you as much as a "ball park" figure regarding the worth of your rifle with the very limited info you have provided.

 

[Redneckbuckeye]

It is marked Inland DIV under rear sight.

 

[Flintlock]

You'll get a much better response if you post pictures of this gun.

 

[Redneckbuckeye]

Mobile Photobucket

 

[CarmelHP]

Inland made the best quality carbines in my opinion because they knew what they were doing and made them by the millions for the war effort. They're the most common manufacturer and therefore command less collectors' premium usually. Most of the Blue Sky were well worn South Korean or Israeli surplus. Usually ugly wood and metal with the importer's mark stamped into the barrel with a vengeance so severe that the metal flowed up around the letters. Blue Sky's are usually are the bottom price rung because of that.

 

[CarmelHP]

Mobile Photobucket

The pictures are dark and tiny, but it doesn't look too bad. What are the markings on the 30 rounders? Probably reparked, may be an M2 stock but can't really tell from the pictures.

 

[Redneckbuckeye]

The 30 rounders only have made in the YEA on them. What is the m2 stock?

 

[r3126]

As best I can determine, you have an Inland Corporation produced carbine from the mid to late 1943 period. It has been through at least one rebuild as it has a type 3 barrel band and a type 2 or 3 rear sight. I can't really determine the condition of the rifle from the pictures.

Inland Corporation produced 2.6 million of the 6.15 million carbines made. It is not one of the more highly desirable carbines.

Posts 2, 3, 4 and 6 provide some guidelines for you to price your rifle.