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Universal Firearms, Hialeah, FL

sneekpete
I know that this company made M1 Carbines for several years and sold out to Iver Johnson.
This company also imported a line of rifle scopes from Japan. Does anyone have any information about these scopes? Is anyone an ex employee of Universal that might help? Thanks, John
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7 comments

Date Votes
  • mark christian
    Universal scopes were all imported from Japan and offered decent quality for the price; typically retailing between $20-$40 depending on the features. The entire line was discontinued in around 1982 or 83 when Universal changed hands and when the US Dollar became so weal against the Japanese Yen that it was no longer economical to import these scopes. They are still good glass, but even in nice shape; fifty to sixty bucks is about all they are worth today.
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  • b0400879
    Sounds like a fairly ordinary scope @ today's quality/prices.

    We know Universal's Carbine knockoffs are total krapp.
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  • Bill DeShivs
    No, "we" don't know that. Universal made carbines from GI spec. guns to guns that used very few GI parts. Most worked extremely well.
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  • sneekpete
    I stand corrected - the carbines made by Universal were "similar" to the M1, but certainly were different.
    My interest is not in the rifles, but the rifle scopes that were imported. More specifically where in Japan did they come from? Thanks
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  • givette
    quote:Originally posted by sneekpete
    I stand corrected - the carbines made by Universal were "similar" to the M1, but certainly were different.
    My interest is not in the rifles, but the rifle scopes that were imported. More specifically where in Japan did they come from? Thanks

    Research Tasco. Best bet, as they were quite diffuse in their models.

    Now the carbine..you stand corrected again. Early (one spring) carbines were identical..so much so, that my Universal has USGI parts in it installed by me, as a drop-in fit (without alteration). Best, Joe
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  • gumbydamnit
    quote:

    Now the carbine..you stand corrected again. Early (one spring) carbines were identical..so much so, that my Universal has USGI parts in it installed by me, as a drop-in fit (without alteration). Best, Joe


    Hey givette,
    I have one new in the box,model 1003, my father bought it 20+ years ago off of another guy. How do I tell how old it is and if it is good one?
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  • givette
    quote:Originally posted by gumbydamnit
    quote:

    Now the carbine..you stand corrected again. Early (one spring) carbines were identical..so much so, that my Universal has USGI parts in it installed by me, as a drop-in fit (without alteration). Best, Joe


    Hey givette,
    I have one new in the box,model 1003, my father bought it 20+ years ago off of another guy. How do I tell how old it is and if it is good one?

    Operating handle should completely obscure (cover) the right side locking lug of the bolt. If you can see the lug on the bolt through the operating rod, stop right there. You have a 'non USGI' Universal. If you don't, then remove the barrel group from stock. If it has one recoil spring running down the right side, you're good to go.

    After determining the carbine as an early version, and if you have the aluminum trigger guard, a steel USGI one can be fit with some slight polishing of the pin hole on the trigger guard. Get all USGI internals (hammer, trigger, etc) if you are doing the swap. Best, Joe
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