View Full Version : Universal receiver and double springs
I just offered to clean up a neighbor's rusty and grime-encrusted carbine that he "...paid $90 for 40 years ago." SN is in the 100,000 range so I assumed it's an Inland. The top front of the receiver is stamped "Universal Hialeah FL". I searched "Universal" in this forum and found out that rec'r production was contracted out by Inland. Fine so far, but when I removed the stock, I found that it has two (2) side-by-side oprod springs (similar to an AR180)! My experience is with M1 rifles and I only have one carbine (single spring) so what is this rust-coated thing? Thanks.
Chaz
This carbine WAS made by Universal and NOT contracted out by Inland. It is a cheapo civilian model and not a USGI model. The 2 spring models were not totally reliable nor safe when new. Since it is already rusty and grimy I would use it as a wall hanger only.
http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html
A double recoil spring Universal also has the open cut op rod where the right lug of the bolt is visible. Very few minor parts interchange with the USGI carbine. The op rod was know to crack in the cutout for the bolt lug. Hard to find replacement parts if needed. Universal made several hundred thousands of these double recoil spring guns, 1960s-1980s. Been out of business for many years.
Not well thought of by many carbine people.
Have never heard Inland had anything to do with Universal. Inland was out of the carbine business when WWII ended.
This web sight is worth the read.
[url]http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.
Edit: And what Allen said.
Thanks because, as I wrote, I know 'nuttin' about carbines! On closer inspection after cleaning, it looks very strange (with curious welds) when compared to my Winchester. There is a 5-16-2016 post here by Calfed regarding "Universal Winding" making receivers for Inland and I thought there might be a connection with "Universal" in Hialeah. Poor Billy can add this to his other wall hangers.
Chaz
PhillipM
09-10-2016, 06:39
No connection whatsoever. It's a cast receiver made in the 70's. Quality is considered bottom of the barrel, but yours hopefully shoots well
"...yours hopefully shoots well"
I'd never buy anything like this. Owner said he used to shoot it. It was stored for years in a black plastic garbage bag in the corner of his shop (a metal building with concrete floor!). I was shocked to see the rust and filth when he showed it to me, and offered to clean it for him. Today I dismantled it and found it curiously different from my only carbine. Wiping off layers of crud, I saw the "Universal" stamping at the forward end of the rec'r and the strange double springs. I'll clean it, test fire it and then return it to him with the revelation that it was once Gen MacArthur's personal weapon and should be preserved without further use.
When I wrote that I know nothing about carbines, I meant that I do not collect them and therefore am not familiar with subcontractors and post-War copies. I really appreciate all of your clarifications.
Thanks, Chaz
When Universal started making carbine, the only thing they made was the receiver. The rest was USGI parts. As those parts were not obtainable they started to make their own parts and that is when the quality started down hill. The first approximate 25,000 were consider to be decent carbines. Then they started to make their own parts. By the time of their making slides and bolts and using the double recoil springs it was just about nothing left on them that was USGI and the parts would no long fit if USGI. Redesigned trigger housing and group along with a stock to fit the redesigned housing did nothing to add to the quality of the Universal carbine. By the end of production the carbines being made were considered to be very poor quality and of course parts are not available if something breaks as they have been out of business since the early 1980's.
$90 for 40 years ago was a big pile of money.
As mentioned, Universal's with 2 springs are not issue. Strictly commercial after Universal thought they could improve on the design. They didn't. And they used poorly made stamped parts. Like the Op Handle that tend to break.
Your's is what's called a Late Model Universal. Zero collector value and since it's rusted it's probably not worth doing anything with. Oddly enough, they do work and shoot fairly well until they do break though. Some issue parts will work/fit, but nothing internal. Mags and sights work just fine.
"...parts are not available..." Gunparts has some, but cheap they ain't. That Op Handle, when they had any(currently sold out and nobody will likely be making any), ran $89.95.
Chris W.
09-12-2016, 05:12
When I was repairing one for a friend, did a little research on them. The 2 spring universal ended up having a safety problem with several shooters being hurt by the slide letting go of the bolt and the bolt ending up in the shooters face. They were several law suits that added to universal's problems. At some point the company was sold to Johnson, but soon to go out of production. Those 2 spring models with the stamped parts are considered by many to be unsafe to fire. I'm no expert, but after reading that, I wouldn't put one to my face and find out the hard way.
Chris
After being sold to Iver Johnson the Universal was still made in Florida till Iver Johnson moved to Arkansas. At that point in time the Universal production was moved too and the employees were offered jobs in Arkansas which most refused. So Universal production ended and that was a good thing as those being made at IJ were of extreamly poor quality and a bit later IJ was sold. When that happened their quality started to take a hit too. It wasn't too much longer before IJ company was dissolved.
free1954
11-10-2016, 04:33
These are by far the worst m1 carbines ever made!
I have a carbine and my brother has an enforcer pistol for a long time now and they both fire and function just fine. so if you can buy one cheap enough they can be great shooters.
I have a carbine and my brother has an enforcer pistol for a long time now and they both fire and function just fine. so if you can buy one cheap enough they can be great shooters.
The price you pay does not relate to the safety of the gun. As it has been said before "sometimes they shoot just fine until they don't". The 2 spring models should be avoided. Shoot at your own risk.
If you use them as a shooter then just remember that once they break and they will, that your out of luck as to finding any parts for them. The vast majority of them will not take any USGI parts. If the trigger housing which is alloy wears where the pins are then it will cause malfunctions. You will have to try and find a replacement Universal made housing as they are the only ones that fit. Same thing with a stock and of course the redesigned slide which is the part most often broken. A good welder can sometimes repair one but that is 50/50 at best. There have been no Universal parts available for well over 30 years and there are less and less available each day.
Hard to find replacement eyes too.
free1954
11-11-2016, 05:43
If you use them as a shooter then just remember that once they break and they will, that your out of luck as to finding any parts for them. The vast majority of them will not take any USGI parts. If the trigger housing which is alloy wears where the pins are then it will cause malfunctions. You will have to try and find a replacement Universal made housing as they are the only ones that fit. Same thing with a stock and of course the redesigned slide which is the part most often broken. A good welder can sometimes repair one but that is 50/50 at best. There have been no Universal parts available for well over 30 years and there are less and less available each day.
I see parts for sale from time to time at shows and these guys still stock a bunch. http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/Universal-33547/Carbine-42460.htm?page=1
free1954
11-11-2016, 05:43
Hard to find replacement eyes too.
true
Chris W.
11-11-2016, 05:37
As said in my earlier post, bolts coming back into the shooters faces, and the resulting law suits put them out of business, or caused them to sell off. I don't care what condition a 2 spring Universal is in, I'm not holding it up to my face. It may not fail the next shot or in the next hundred, but one thing to be sure of is when it does, someone is going to get hurt very badly. Remove the firing pin, turn into a wall hanger, or better yet, destroy it so no one else can make that mistake. Think of it as a unexploded grenade, leaving it armed is eventually going to cause a problem. If a person wants a working carbine, I'd buy a US GI and spend thousands more on it than taking the chance firing a 2 spring Universal.
Chris
I see parts for sale from time to time at shows and these guys still stock a bunch. http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/Universal-33547/Carbine-42460.htm?page=1
The vast majority of the parts are out of stock. No major parts are available. Quite a few of the remaining parts were for the 256 Ferret and 9mm versions of the carbine that sold like our current President knew what he was doing these past 8 years. The parts in shows are coming from carbines that were not repairable and have been broken down to sell anything still working for inflated prices. That is the only source of parts left.
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