Diamond-D marked bayonet lugs?

[rokwell]

Also for your thoughts/comments: S/N is 6,561,xxx... Barrel: marked 7 on top, has flaming bomb mark on side of gas piston, has winchester proof mark. Bayonet lug is marked with the Diamond D, and on bottom of lug appears to be marked 2 SA. Stock: low wood, no rebuild marks, no firing proof marks, no slingwell marks, only has late winchester CC stamping. Has the early bull nose handguard. Operating slide has milled area for M2, trigger housing has M2 recess cut, M2 sear, all parts are W marked including trigger. Safety is type 3 marked "EW". Operating slide stop is latest version with flange type edge. Bolt is round, no oil hole. Has T3 firing pin, extractor, ejector, and extractor plunger (all are latest version). What do you think? Some of these parts combos might deviate from the books? But to my eye they look to be an original combo? I can post additional pics if you like....

One other question: The recoil plate screw has a little X on it. Can anyone elaborate more about this? I've seen it before but don't know why it's there. Thanks!

[deldriver]

The Winchester M-2 trigger housing and parts could be original as Winchester used M-2 parts in their M-1 carbines. The same goes with your M-2 slide. What is the drawing number on the bottom? Does it end in a 1 or a 3? That will help determine if it's a converted type V or a true type VI. As far as the "x" marks go on the top of the screw head, those are common on late production Inland and Winchester carbines. They are thought to indicate the manufacturer of the screw.

I would only question the bullnose handguard as being original, but Winchester threw some odd combinations of parts on their later carbines.

Some pictures would be great. They will help determine what you have.

[rokwell]

Hi Deldriver! Thanks, I am going to get a picture of the slide bottom to post. It does have a number on the bottom...I believe it's the type VI number per Reisch's book, but can't remember that number. I did not know about the screws being marked for that reason, that's interesting. The handguard is marked with an A and a W . I posted a few pictures - see the first page of the thread for them. I will post a few more too. Thanks again!

[deldriver]

Hi Deldriver! Thanks, I am going to get a picture of the slide bottom to post. It does have a number on the bottom...I believe it's the type VI number per Reisch's book, but can't remember that number. I did not know about the screws being marked for that reason, that's interesting. The handguard is marked with an A and a W . I posted a few pictures - see the first page of the thread for them. I will post a few more too. Thanks again!

No problem...glad to help. I really like the later production Winchester carbines. They are both fairly rare and often in pretty good shape. I have seen them go for reasonable prices until recently when prices have risen so much.

BTW, I've seen that style staking on Winchester front sights before, so it could be good. Does the front sight have a slight ridge behind it or is it the "classic" Winchester thumbnail sight. I have seen so many later Winchester carbines with the first style sight I just mentioned that it has to be original to the rifles.

Very good pictures by the way.

[rokwell]

Here are some more pictures, this may illustrate the front sight, op slide, and trigger housing better. Deldriver, the Op Slide number is 7161843.

[deldriver]

Wow, all looks correct right down to the long channel stock. The slide is a legitimate Winchester made type VI slide, not a converted type V. The front sight doesn't have the characteristic rounded ears like found on most Winchester M-1 carbines. It does have the staking I've seen on other Winchester carbines though. Overall, I'm only wondering about the handguard and the front sight. I am perfectly comfortable with all of the other parts but those and again those could have been original to that carbine. Do you believe the front sight has been off? It doesn't really look like it, but there could be scratches I'm not seeing.

One way or the other, you have a very nice late production Winchester carbine.

[rokwell]

Do you believe the front sight has been off? It doesn't really look like it, but there could be scratches I'm not seeing.

.

There are no scratches on the barrel beyond the sight, there is a push mark or rub mark on the barrel behind the sight. There are a bunch of scratches on top of the barrel behind the sight under the lug into the rear, like people have removed the barrel band from the stock in order to remove the receiver/barrel/trigger housing from the stock to take a look at it. The previous owner has had it quite some time and thinks it a great example of a winchester carbine (me too). I am not cetain about that sight never being removed though, because I do think they can be removed very carefully without scratching the barrel. But - if it was a field replacement (I think that might be because there are no rebuild marks)...why would they take such care to not scratch the barrel. So I don't really want to say 'no - it has never been removed' - because I really dont feel I could say that about any front sight. What about the staking marks being disturbed or not, is that a better indicator of the sight being off? Maybe not? But I can say the receiver to recoil plate wear, and op slide to barrel wear certainly make it look to me like the receiver belongs to the stock, and the op slide belongs to the barrel. Beyond that I dont know. It is weird that it has a bull nose hand guard, and if someone switched that you'd think they would also switch the lug too. Anyway I like the late Winchester carbines, never had one which is why I added it to the collection. I wont touch anything with this one, I'll just put it in the safe....BTW what is the significance of the marking on the bottom of the lug?

[rokwell]

Okay last point. Take a look at the staking on the left side of the sight. I think that is the side in which you'd hammer the pin out and in. Does it look like the staking has been disturbed? If not I think it might curl around the pin a bit. Right? I am going to look tonight with a magnifiying glass to see what it looks like....

[BrianQ]

Your front sight has the characteristic profile of a sight made by Lyman. Lyman sights were used almost exclusively by Winchester.

[rokwell]

Update: I looked at the front sight, it had grease/dirt built up in the left side recess where the pin is. After removing that, from what I can see the staking is covering the pin, so I don't think it was removed. If so it's been re-staked. See pics. Anyway thanks a lot to all! I have not purchased the new Ruth book yet. Is there any discussion in there about the Winchester bayonet lugs? Just wondering. Thanks again!