How do I tell what is the proper stock for my Carbine?

[Mark W.]

I have a Blue Sky imported Inland that came from the big Korean Armory dump some years back. I bought it at a local gun show to give to my father inlaw to pay him back for giving me a M1 Grand That came from the DCM via his VFW post.

He had the Carbine for maybe a dozen years before I got it back. In the mean time he used a rasp to remove the stamped serial number in the stock as well as thinning the wrist. The Stock now has a tremendous amount of damage to the bottom of the forestock I don't remember being there when I bought it.


At any rate he's off being his *** hole self in a nursing home and I have the carbine back.

The barreled action is in very nice shape and I believe was refinished by the importer.

I would like to scare up a nicer proper stock for it. But even though I have had and shot carbines since I was a kid it appears I know nothing about the stock variations etc.

So what I have is Inland Carbine #9645XX it currently has a type II barrel band with the bayonet lug.

Anyone know what identifiers I should be looking for when shopping for a new stock?

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[painter777]

Hello Mark.... Welcome to the forum,
A original stock can cost more than some Imported carbines are worth.
Not knocking the Import, it's just that early Hi-wood Inland stocks with real markings can be pricey.
You could always put a later Type III Inland Lo-wood stock on it for far less money, especially one that no longer has the Crossed Cannons acceptence stamp. Or consider a M2 potbelly stock which can be had fairly cheap and make for great shooting stocks.
If it has a bayo lug it's not a type II band, it's a Type III bayonet band.

Give our best to your father in law. Nursing homes are no picnic.

Regards,
Charlie-painter777

[Tired Retired]

Mark,

Welcome to the forum. These guys can teach you alot here. I always learn something new every time I do a search of past posts to find an answer to a question I have.

As far as stocks, Charlie-painter is probably the expert on refinishing firework back into collectable stocks. He is very right about "high end" collectable stocks costing alot of money. Before you spend any money on new wood, you may want to seriously think about what you are going to use the carbine for.

If you want to shoot it a lot, one of my best shooting stocks in a M-2 potbelly I picked up from Cheaper-than-Dirt for $29 with metal included. I stripped it, sanded it to remove an imprinted serial number (it's an SA, Charlie), and then soaked it in BLO. Best $29 stock I ever bought and it shoots great groups in at least three different carbines (IBM, SP and NPM).

If you want an eye-candy stock, you may want to set a price range for yourself. WWII Walnut Type III marked for Inland's can be had for $100 (with cracks) and UP - and I mean UP! You don't want to know what a Type I highwood with no cracks and strong cartouches runs...

If you are going to make a "Genuine Rebuild" carbine, I would honestly consider starting with a different carbine. Yours is an import plus it has been refinished. Not counting a correct stock, you will dump more money in it "rebuilding" it than it would be worth when you are complete. You would be better off buying a different carbine with correct parts and adding to it. CMP is a good place to start and a few guys have gotten a couple of great collectors with luck of the draw.

No matter what you choose, you will find alot of "ole' farts" (they hate that name!) on this site that will bend over backwards to share knowledge and help you. Welcome to the forum!

That is just my two cents worth...

[imarangemaster]

+1 on using the type V potbelly stock. In had an I cut highwood (type I) stock on my CMP rack grade Inland. I replaced it with a post ww2 Springfield Aromy pot belly and shrunk my group size bt 1/3! You get the best groups from type 3 bands and potbelly stocks. As far as correct, it is correct for a postwar rebuild like yours.

[Mark W.]

OK so the original stock would be a hi wood marked for Inland?

And since my carbine is not a highly collectable version (I knew that when I bought it) you guys are suggesting I look for a M2 Pot Belly in good shape and work with that.

SO that brings up another question. Can the profile of the potbelly stock be reworked so that it is the same as the M1 stock?

As to any wood working needed I spent 14 years as a Custom Knifemaker and I have done various types of wood working since I was 8-9 years old. Including building a couple Plains rifles (mountain man type muzzleloaders from blanks)

So any touch up would be a fun weekend project.

[Tired Retired]

Mark,

I wouldn't want to re-work a potbelly stock. The thick shape of the potbelly was in response to the weakness of the previous styles of stocks - especially the removal of the cross-wise bridge in the middle. The extra wood provides the needed strength during firing (especially heavy firing). For some reason unknown to me, that extra strength also seems to help with accuracy - at least when I shoot.

If you want to have the profile of a M-1 stock, just get you what is called a Type III stock which does not have particular desireable collector appeal.

You may want to try Whatacountry. I have had a good experience with them in finding a buying a hard-to-get handguard. He also has collector and "damages" stocks which may be up your alley.

What A Country, Inc. - Stocks: M1 Carbine


Again, I think it all comes down to what you want to do with your carbine. You can buy a $30 great shooting stock or you can dump $700 into parts and a collector stock. Its all up to you. Thats the fun part of having a Carbine - you can always be doing something!!!

[Mark W.]

Yea I'm not looking to create a collectors piece but I do take a lot of pride in my firearms and like a nice looking piece. And this one is wood wise pretty beat. The rifles main use is plinking and home defense. Maybe a little hunting for rabbits once in a blue moon.

Now it's pretty sad to have on the rack next to my M1 Grand and other rifles since the worst of it the bottom of the forestock is what shows in the rack.

I think I'll look for a deal on a low dent pot belly and go from there.

[shadycon]

Welcome:I have purchased a couple of nice stocks on Ebay, an OI with cart. for under $20.00.Had a cracked bottom, a little glue and good to go. Also an LB with no problems for under $40.00. Keep looking,bargains do come around.

[Mark W.]

Man that lower Carbine is just what I would like mine to end up looking like. I'm not to conserned with all the proof marks and such and would be more then willing to do a little refinishing to get it.

[LeagleEagle]

If you don't mind a repro I noticed that Dupage trading has high wood i-cut stocks for $65
http://www.dupagetrading.com/rifle-s...ne-stocks.html