Anyone Know M1’s?

[CPTKILLER]

As a kid, M1 Carbines used to run about $80. Not anymore.

[O'Dell]

Don't worry about it Bawanna, I was just yanking your chain. If the truth be known, the wear on my Hi-Power came from the holster. It's a bit hard to shoot a pistol out of a F-4 at 25,000 feet - we carried more appropriate weapons. Of course, if I had ever been shot down, the Browning might have been useful.

That's me in the front cockpit - recognize me?

[Bawanna]

Oh yeah, didn't recognize you at first but sho nuff. What carrier was that? Tell me it's the Midway!

Again I'll revise my words in the future. I'm sure in the F4 if you'd had a rifle it would have been mint too. Not much use for it in your circumstances.

When I went to receive the M1 and the 1911 he told me it was an M1 Garand. As soon as I saw the bag come out of the duffel bag I knew it wasn't a Garand but I was still completely tickled and so happy he decided to let them live with me.

[RustyIron]

I got the 1942 1911 he carried out of the same duffle bag, also fully loaded since Korea. It's not quite as perfect as the M1 but it's real nice too.

Holy moly, that's a beautiful rifle. If you didn't tell us it was straight outta Korea, I'd swear it was refurbished.

[RustyIron]

Well I showed that to my buddy and he offered me $450. I just paid $250, so I jumped on it. Sorry Bawanna! If either of you want it I can make a connection for you!

Well he got a good deal, and you made a couple Benjamins. Refinishing like that would drastically reduce the value of an otherwise good original, so don't go kicking yourself thinking that the gun would have brought top-dollar.

For me, shooting the M1 Carbine is a real kick. Compared to other rifles, it's a little popgun. It's light, easy to handle, and I love the clackity-clack of the action as it fires.

[O'Dell]

Oh yeah, didn't recognize you at first but sho nuff. What carrier was that? Tell me it's the Midway!

Sorry to disappoint but it's the Kitty Hawk. The Midway was too small to carry F-4's until her modernization in the late sixties. Before that she carried F-8's. She didn't get back to SE Asia until 70 or 71 and my two tours there were over by then. I was on the Kitty Hawk and Constellation.

[BirdsThaWord]

Well he got a good deal, and you made a couple Benjamins. Refinishing like that would drastically reduce the value of an otherwise good original, so don't go kicking yourself thinking that the gun would have brought top-dollar.

For me, shooting the M1 Carbine is a real kick. Compared to other rifles, it's a little popgun. It's light, easy to handle, and I love the clackity-clack of the action as it fires.

I feel better hearing that. My friend knew what I paid, and he still was very happy at $400. Cool thing is that he will most likely shoot it some, before he re-sells it, giving me a chance to shoot it too! I just feel a bit bad that I missed Bawanna’s reply/offer. I usually honor the first acceptable offer on anything I’m selling, and his was a very honorable offer!

[BirdsThaWord]

I served on Independence (“The Indy”) and the Carl Vinson (“The Chucky V”). We swapped out Persian Gulf duty with either the Kitty Hawk (“The S@&tty Kitty”) or the Constelation (“The Conny”) a few times. I forget which, but then went aboard the other once while it was in port as my bootcamp buddy was serving on it. Funny how I’ve lost a bit of memory over time as to which was which and were we were at the time. Hmph!
Very cool that you piloted an F4! When I started out in engineering (aka “the hole”), I operated and maintained the pumps/hydraulics for the jet blast deflectors.

[Bawanna]

Only reason I suggested the Midway is I toured it when I went to my son's Marine boot camp graduation in San Diego. I met a docent or whatever you call them who was wearing a flight jacket. Turned out he flew off it during Vietnam. He was a great guy and we chatted a long time. I was hoping maybe you had crossed paths and knew him but I guess the odds were way out there with so many of you on so many ships and such a long period of time.

Across the bay we could see what he said was the Ronald Reagan and it did make the Midway look like a canoe. It was a big thing even a long ways off.

Always wanted to take off from a carrier but never wanted to land on one. Call me skeered.

[ltxi]

...... Always wanted to take off from a carrier but never wanted to land on one. Call me skeered.

Well, I'd just call you sane. Not that that's a good good thing, however.