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Inland M1 Carbine
I am new to the forum. I recently purchased an Inland carbine. It has barrel date of 9/44 with no import marks. It is in excellent shape. It does have M2 stock because it has the slot where selector switch would come out. It also has M2 round bolt and magazine stabilizer for 30 round magazines that you would expect M2 to have. The front sight has RIA stamped into it. It also has RRA and BA arsenal rebuild stamps as well as 2 p proof stamps. The magazine release has underlined M. The stock also has a very small SA stamp that can be seen after the forearm wood is removed. My questions are 1. When did M2's first come out? 2. Is there possibility of stock being original to gun since it is M2 style stock? 3. What does underlined M on magazine release stand for? 4. Round bolt arsenal addition? 5. RIA on front sight original or arsenal rebuild addition?
I have not disassembled completely to get codes off of internal parts.
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More info
How about serial number range, type of rear sight (and markings), and type of barrel band (and markings). Those who know more than me will need that info. The underlined M mag catch is a M2 style, and was not introduced until 30 round magazines introduced. I believe at first only used on factory M2s and M1s upgraded to full auto by Division armorers in the field. Was added to some M1s in postwar rebuilds.
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The bolt isn’t an M2 bolt, no such thing BTW. The round design was introduced to correct some of the deficiencies with the flat bolt design. If your serial number corresponds with the barrel date your carbine would have originally had a round bolt. The underlined M on the magazine catch indicates it has the additional support leg. The underlined M was later dropped being unnecessary since it is very easy to ID the type catch from the presence of the support leg.
If the barrel has two proof P marks, which is fairly common, that means it was proof fired twice, once by the barrel manufacturer prior to assembly then once again as a completed carbine.
The RIA front sight is a post WWII addition, during a rebuild.
