WTB Inland Paratrooper

Welcome to the forum.  I see you've posted in Buying Your First Carbine.  As you can see there's a great bunch of knowledgeable folks here to help you in your endeavor and again welcome.

Example of type 2 M1A1. http://s13.photobucket.com/user/porsche27/library/4-44%20M1A1

I'm open for suggestions on what type to buy - would like to be around $2500

Kudos, you're on  the right track asking questions and learning before jumping in. For 2.5k, you should be able to find an arsenal or perhaps even a CMP  paratrooper. The CMP site stores old auctions and you can look them up under the "Completed" tab here:

http://cmpauction.thecmp.org/catalog.asp?catid=363&n=M1-Carbine&view=&show=closed

The tough part is learning the difference between the different types. Once the type is identified, it's about condition. M1A1's are susceptible to cracking. Typical crack locations are on the rear of the stock, Forward either site of the recoil plate and on the stock's underside. I've shot mine one and will never do so again. One could easily find a repop or commercial stock and dump the action in it to shoot. The leather usually doesn't hold up very well.

Other things to look for:

The leather usually doesn't hold up very well and sometimes, you'll see it and the rivets replaced. Sometimes, restorations use old purse leather and commonly available rivets off the internet.
The butt plate drawing number should be hard to read.

Here's a primer with more info about M1A1's.

http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/modelM1A1.html

Not sure.

CMP prices are usually pretty crazy. If I remember correctly,, none of the CMP returned M1A1’s were in original condition.

Since I started collecting, the CMP had sold some really nice paratroopers. My favorites are the ones drenched in cosmoline.

WJH1958 wrote: There was an Inland Paratrooper #4339 from CMP auction that went for $9201.00 what might be the story on this gun for that price?

Most likely just a bidding war between some guys with deep pockets having a competition to see who could donate the most money to the CMP that day.

https://hibid.com/lot/47175878/wwii-1943-inland-30-caliber-m1-paratrooper-carbine?miles=50&zip=&q=m1+carbine&g=true&filter=&status=

Hibid auctions has an auction coming up with a paratroop carbine. Take a look if you wish.

Cheers

Make some contacts at local shows with people who set up at them. Let them know you're looking. I got from one of these people who picked it up at a show 2 hrs away and sold me the stock because it was on an Underwood. Before I got that one and before I knew how to evaluate a real one myself, a complete one was at our shows for 1350 and nobody bought it for 2 shows. I waited, crammed for verification clues and never saw it again. Eventually one walked in our local show and I was the 2nd to spot and handle it. Highwood with an all original early dogleg action, but not original to that stock. Stock had type II band marks, some cracks and fake hinge, but price was very good.