M1 carbine identification
Im looking for a bit of help here. I have a US M1 .30 Carbine. This thing has been stored for decades in a sealed trunk. I have been trying to price it along with the whole kit it came with and have had no luck so far.
I have looked all over online but so far it has been mixed responses.
markings:
barrel: Inland division, general motors 2-43
stock: bomb and crossed cannons.
receiver: 7 digit serial number 498xxxx
It came with:
(1) 30 round mag, (3) 15 round mags, sling, oiler, bayonet, rifle bag that looks to be made for the carbine, M2 flash hider.
every number I could find inside and out all match. There are no import stamps. It does have the "I" cut in the stock, 2 pins on the upper hand guard.
Looks like it has seen very few rounds, the barrel is immaculate.
any ideas as far as background, collector value?
Look for markings under the rear sight. That will tell you who made it. Then you can find out what it's worth. Marking will be in front of ser. # under rear sight.
That is a Inland serial number. You can post photos if you want a good estimate. If all the parts are Inland then the value would go up. A ball park estimate would be $600 - $800.
Inland division of General Motors built this rifle in Feb of 1943. Value will depend on the actual condition of firearm. If you were close by I might look at it.
Many years ago (1960's) I was stationed in Ethiopia. My duty weapon was a M-1 carbine made by Inland Division of GM. It was about 25 years old. You would pull the operating spring out of it, hole it up by the barrel and shake it. It would fall apart on the table. This is how I tore it down to clean it! Man was that thing loose!
Nice little piece. Prices now vary a lot due to condition and who made it. Now, if you had a Winchester....the price goes UP!
Who made them?
Military contractors
Inland Division, General Motors (production: 2,632,097), sole producer of the M1A1 Carbine. Receiver marked "INLAND DIV."
Winchester Repeating Arms (production: 828,059) Receiver marked "WINCHESTER"[64]
Irwin-Pedersen (operated by Saginaw Steering Gear and production included with Saginaw total)
Saginaw Steering Gear Division General Motors (production: 517,213 ) Receivers marked "SAGINAW S.G." (370,490) and "IRWIN-PEDERSEN" (146,723 )
Underwood Elliot Fisher (production: 545,616) Receiver marked "UNDERWOOD"
National Postal Meter (production: 413,017) Receiver marked "NATIONAL POSTAL METER"
Quality Hardware Manufacturing Corp. (production: 359,666) Receiver marked "QUALITY H.M.C."
International Business Machines (production: 346,500) Receiver marked "I.B.M. CORP."
Standard Products (production: 247,100) Receiver marked "STD. PRO."
Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation (production: 228,500) Receiver Marked "ROCK-OLA" [65]
Commercial Controls Corporation (production: 239) Receiver marked "COMMERCIAL CONTROLS"
As you can see....a lot of them were built! This list does not include the many that would eventually be built under license over-seas. M-1 carbines are still being used by some forces today.
wow, thanks for the info! I took some pics of it last night. I am a fairly new to the forum and haven't figured out how to post pics yet.
The primary factor in pricing M1 Carbines is originality. Most carbines at some point made their way back to an armory and were rebuilt and updated. To find an M1 carbine that did not go through the rebuild process and has all the parts that it had when it left the factory is a rare thing. For a 1943 Inland, the front band should not have the bayonet lug attached. The rear sight should also be a flip up sight not an adjustable one. So far, you have the right I stock and the 2 pin hand guard. There are differences to the hammers and all other parts for the most part. There are some good books out there that will explain all the differences. "US M1 Carbines Wartime Production" by Craig Riesch is a good one. It is basic but has all the information to understand how to tell if the gun is all original.
http://www.amazon.com/Carbines-Wartime-Production-Revised-Expanded/dp/1882391438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319502096&sr=8-1
If the gun is as it left the factory, then you are looking at $600 in good condition and $1500 in excellent condition. If it is a rebuild in good condition somewhere around $500. Inland made the most M1 carbines at 2, 625,000. So they are the least collectable of all the makers.
Hope that helps.
Originally Posted By forever4:
Many years ago (1960's) I was stationed in Ethiopia. My duty weapon was a M-1 carbine made by Inland Division of GM.
ASA?
