Carbine Ads in Shotgun News, 1960-1975

I was looking through some old Shotgun News magazines as part of some research, and I decided I would also look for interesting M1 Carbine advertisements that might provide snapshots in time as to what people were thinking who owned M1 Carbines at the time, or who wanted to purchase an M1 Carbine. Keep in mind that these ads begin 56 years ago, when surplus M1 Carbines were not yet distributed by the U.S. Government. Spare parts, on the other hand, were apparently commonly available. This fact is seen in the advertisements, and also noted by Larry Ruth in his section on Commercial Carbines in War Baby II.

The first ad is from April 1, 1960, by Bullseye Gun Works in Miami, FL, which was the predecessor to Universal Firearms. This ad was published only 2-3 years after the company began, and it offered newly manufactured M1 Carbine receivers in any quantity desired. This dovetails well with the surplus parts that were available, as well as the inclination at the time to customize or sporterize military rifles. This ad would have enabled you to start with a receiver, and build out your Carbine in any way you wished.



The next ad is by Rowen Becker Co. in Waterville, Ohio, from 3/15/62. It offered a receiver, as well as aluminum trigger frames.



In the April 15, 1964 issue, I found 3 ads of interest. “Carbine Clips” is the first ad, by a company in Park Ridge, IL. These sound like surplus military magazines, but there is also a 5-round magazine offered, so probably not. Some were offered with pouches, in a variety of different combinations.



The second 1964 ad is from SARCO, and it offers surplus military parts, as well as a sporter front sight.



The third 1964 ad offers original G.I. manufactured M1 Carbines for $69.95, which seems a bit high for the time. The ad notes that they are “Not D.C.M. castoff, and not re-welded receivers. (DCM was the Director of Civilian Marksmanship, predecessor to the CMP) If anyone has insight into the DCM castoff comment, I’d appreciate your insight.



The February 1, 1966 issue of Shotgun News contained 4 items of M1 Carbine interest.

More Carbine magazines from the previous company in Illinois, but under another name…



A $99.99 commercial M1 Carbine with a sliding stock, and vertical foregrip, from Eastern Firearms Surplus in Edison, NJ. I’m not sure if these were Universal guns, or by another company. I need to do some checking to see if they were of Iver Johnson manufacture…



The next one is a case study in firearms styles of the 1960’s, and was offered by the Johnston-Tucker Company in St. Louis, MO. They offered to convert your M1 Carbine for $25 into either .22-30, or .256 caliber, or you could purchase one of 3 different M1 Carbine sporterized models from their lineup. These included an “M1 Sportsman,” “Aristocrat,” or a “Thumbhole Sporter” model.



Johnson Arms offered a “Spitfire” M1 Carbine, in 5.7mm for $59.95. I believe these were converted GI M1 Carbines.



Powder Horn, in Mt. Pleasant, NJ offered brand new GI M1 Carbines in original cosmoline and wrappers for $99.95 in the July 15, 1968 issue of SGN. Lesser conditions could be had for $79.95 and $89.95.



Western Reserve Arms Company offered new, commercial M1 and M2 Carbines (M2’s to law enforcement only), presumably Universal manufactured, in their SGN ad from September 15, 1969.



Jumping to 1975, I found this ad for a $15 aluminum folding bipod, from Roland Walter Johnson, in Hastings, NB.   (Same place where SGN was published)



This post is intended as a fun trip down the Shotgun News memory lane, and to provide glimpses of perspectives associated with the M1 Carbine from those times.

If you enjoyed this, please feel free to click on the “Thanks!” button in the upper right hand corner. I can do more, if there’s an interest.

David Albert
dalbert@sturmgewehr.com