north store finds

[hillbillyricky]

just picked up a IBM with small AO under serial number, is this a harder find?? also bought a NPM with marlinn barrel, saw 3 others with marlin barrels for NPM did they provide for only them and is this a WWII barrel??

[cafdfw]

Yes, they are more rare and were subcontracted by Auto Ordinance.

This is the stamp on my IBM.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/cafdfw/IBM1024x768.jpg

[Bruce McAskill]

Marlin made barrels for the government Free Barrel Program. They and Buffalo Arms barrels were considered to be the hardest to work with as well as having high rates of rejection. But any Marlin or Buffalo Arms barrel that is installed by a maker were fine so if your barrel is original to your carbine it's OK. All of the Marlin barrels were only produced during WW2. Marlin and Underwood barrels were the ones most often found on NPM carbines. hth

[JimF4M1s]

IBM didn't make many guns to begin with. So having a variation on one is a plus.