New Guy, New Carbine, would love some info

I recently inherited an M1 Carbine when my father-in-law passed away. Since it is an heirloom, I am interested in learning all I can about it!

I am assuming it is an arsenal rebuild, but a google search has been.... confusing. I thought I would bring it to the experts and hope to learn!

Here is what I have (Pics linked because of size)


Receiver: Quality Ser# 1575659
Rear Sight: I.R. Co 7160060
http://i.imgur.com/h28JIjX.jpg
Front Sight: No markings
Barrel: Rock-ola
http://i.imgur.com/na1Vt1c.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hCtbybH.jpg
Stock: Unmarked except a 'J' in the sling cutout (Replacement) and a crossed cannon cartouche on the right side of the comb
Safety: Flip
Mag Release: M
http://i.imgur.com/ghIINKU.jpg
Barrel Band: MMQ
http://i.imgur.com/0CRDNru.jpg
Bayonette Lug: CQ
http://i.imgur.com/zcSmbs2.jpg
Recoil Block: PJ
Bolt Face: W
http://i.imgur.com/CyDMMPu.jpg
Operating slide: PI inside, and B with a serial number outside
http://i.imgur.com/CyDMMPu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vNJPtgf.jpg
Trigger Group: Unknown cartouche/mark on the outside and the hammer has a B/R in a square border
http://i.imgur.com/olnQX6M.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QJNACp9.jpg

Hope that helps! Like I said, any info would be appreciated. I plan on keeping this and passing it down, so value is not an issue, but it would be nice to know what it is worth, or if it would be worth it to try and rebuild it back to new with the correct parts etc.

Been rebuilt before or after Korea. Trigger housing and slide are Inland.
Rock-Ola barrel should be original to the receiver. It may should have a date two inches below the front sight.
Bolt is Winchester refinished
Rear sight, late war or replacement. With your early number. it would be a replacement. It would have had a flip rear sight.
It would have had a narrow type 1 band not the replacement type 3 band.
Stock is a replacement.
Hammer is a replacement. Quality parts would have a Q in the code letters for the most part.

There is no date on the barrel, even after cleaning and using a light to add relief for faint markings... zip. Does that tell us anything? Replacement barrel?

For the rest, I appreciate the info!

Preacher,

Welcome to the carbine forum. Lots of information and helpful guys here. Bubba-7 has already posted some information for you. We also have a search feature in the task bar to help find past posts on different subjects.

As stated your carbine appears to be a normal rebuild.

You mention I am interested in learning all I can about it! Might I suggest besides our forum, picking up a book or two. They can vary in price from $20 on up depending on how in-depth you want to go. If you just want to learn about your particular carbine, maybe just answers here will meet your needs.

I hope you enjoy the forum.

Jim

Welcome to the forum! It is full of very friendly and knowledgable people.

After sometime in mid-1943, the Rock-ola barrels were not date marked. Rebuilds are what are referred to as "mix-masters." That is not a bad thing, though. While purist want one "as issued" from the factory, 95% of all carbines went through one or more rebuilds, (either late WW2, post war, or after Korea) to upgrade them with parts of improved design (sights, barrel bands, bayonet lugs, safeties, mag catches, etc). These were then re-issued through the Vietnam War, so even mix-masters are "as issued" military weapons. It is a testament to American wartime production that virtually every part, from any of the manufacturers and subcontractors can be switched with any other.

At 70, these weapons are still going strong. Many are still in use in different parts of the world, and at home with Law Enforcement and civilians as a defensive arm. With commercial JSP ammo, it gives a 110 grain bullet at 1950 fps for almost 1,000 ft pounds at the muzzle. I have carried an M1 carbine as a patrol carbine for much of my Law Enforcement career, and still carry one sometimes in my security contractor job in the mountains. I have personally killed deer with one, and there are many hundreds of thousands of enemy combatants in the wars and insurrections over the last 70 years that are on the wrong side of the dirt because of the carbine.

Enjoy your piece of History!

Thanks to you both for the welcome!

While I have never been especially interested in MilSurp weapons as a class (Not disinterested, just more focused on other categories), I find I enjoy a gun more when I take the time to learn the history. I have a few collectors pieces that I researched thoroughly and it certainly adds to the whole experience.

The M1 is one of several I inherited and I am finding the whole thing fascinating. I had no idea that almost 7 million of these rifles were made, and reading about all the places they have seen action is awe-inspiring! That there were so many primary manufacturers, not to mention subcontractors, makes me wonder how anyone keeps it all straight.

On one hand, any gun owner would be thrilled to find out their weapon is collectible or special in some way, but on the other, I find that I am glad it is a shooter since I am loathe to give up space for another safe queen! :)

Anyway, thanks again for the welcome and I look forward to reading more about this rifle and its history!

Probably an Inland (Packard for Inland) Type V slide with the drawing number on the bottom. The 'B' is probably an in-plant inspection mark and various letters will be found on them. It most likely has the improved 'slanted' cam that rests over the receiver ring when the slide is closed. This was to delay bolt-opening just a milli-second or two for better operation. As already established, you have a rebuild with upgraded parts for enhanced reliability/accuracy. This is exactly what you want if you plan to shoot it. Be aware that carbines were sighted-in to be fairly high at 100 yds with the rear sight aperture on the '1-1.5' (lowest mark). You could see as much as 12" high. Once you establish where it's shooting, you can measure from the point-of-impact to point-of-aim and place a stick-on circle at the lower aiming point. In this way you get used to how low to hold it for target shooting. Or not - some carbines were owner-corrected for this purpose by installing a new front sight and adjusting it to suit. The military did it that way because they were teaching the '6:00 hold', where you would put the front sight on an enemy's belt buckle and get a torso hit. Also, in this way the target is not obscured by the sight blade.
For windage, the new sight was installed with the aperture centered, then fired. The sight base was then shifted to line up the shots and staked in place. At least that was the right way - in reality you can find the sight base to be a little off or grossly off, requiring using the windage knob to get on-line, throwing the aperture well off the center of the sight. Ideally the centered aperture should be on the index mark with the shots falling close to or on the vertical centerline.
If it shoots too low, the front sight blade needs to be shortened - there is a procedure for this in the Ordnance manuals but basically the sight is carefully filed, keeping a small angle toward the muzzle. You would do this at the range, taking only a small amount off at a time, then checking it by firing. Ammo specs are crucial in this procedure. Lower-powered ammo is going to shoot lower and vice-versa for mil-standard, so you would never mess with the front sight without being very sure of what you were doing.

Thanks for the tips! It will be a couple of weeks before I can get out and fire it, but I will keep them in mind!