Picked up an Early Inland M1

[Randune]

The other night I answered an ad on the local gun trader for a M1 Carbine for sale $700.
I've been wanting one for awhile and I thought that price didn't seem too bad.

Upon inspection it is an Inland serial #46xxx with a barrel marked Inland General Motors dated 7/42. Bore is very nice. The rifle had gone thru the typical rebuild with late type parts. The only down side is there is a very faint import stamp under the barrel, overall a very clean little carbine. I ended up getting it for $675 and am very happy!

Question I have is it worth the trouble and expense to restore it back to the correct as possible original? I ultimately want it to look like it did when used in WW2. Or does the import stamp totally kill it?

Thanks for your input guys

Information

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[INLAND44]

It can't reasonably be done. Even with all the correct parts, a refinish would be required to get rid of the Parkerizing, restore the original surface prep and blue it with the correct solution. Even so, it would obviously be a restoration, so the costs of doing it probably would not be completely reflected in the new value. Sounds like you got a decent rebuild at a fair price that has more interest than usual because of the low number.
I don't remember the two blocks of numbers that included M1A1 carbines, but maybe yours is in the first block.

[Randune]

Thats kinda what I was thinking. I just want it to cosmetically look like it did. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't committing a sacriledge by doing so.

[imntxs554]

Take it from me, if it looks nice and shoots fine, just leave it alone maybe do just a couple of stuff or maybe not. When i got my first WW2 '45 Inland it drove me mad trying to to get it correct cause its pretty much impossible, but i love it and done what i done and even though i tried to get it correct it looks better but in the end it shoots the same as it did when i bought it. Enjoy your Carbine and have fun. Happy Shooting

Frank

[shadycon]

Beware if you start buying replacement parts as their are a lot of fake parts out there!!!GK