New Inland M1A1 stock set. Review with pics.
Received my Inland M1A1 stock assembly with handguard set for range use. The stock looked great out of the box with no visible problems. Dropped my receiver into the stock and the fit was very snug, a tighter fit than the original.
I had to tweak it a bit in 2 areas: The handguard forward lip and buttplate edge but only very minor tweaks.
It cost a little over 2 bills. That is more than some I have seen on the net but the quality seems worth a few extra bucks. Have nothing to compare it to though.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6986-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6987-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6988-1.jpg
The glue on the back of the leather rubbed off easily with a fingertip. Very neat job on the leather.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6989-1.jpg
The hand guard is a 4 rivet type but the 2 forward rivets are just holes. The support plate only has 2 rivets in it. Also I noticed that the sight channel is very high, almost too high. You can still see through the peep rear to the front sight but any higher and it would have to be modded.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6990-1.jpg
A bit of extra room in front of the magazine well. Hopefully that won't be a problem. No fore and aft movement though.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6991-1.jpg
The recoil plate cap fit was almost perfect. Right side was a bit off in the back but acceptable. No big gaps.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6992-1.jpg
The wire stock looks well made and very close to the originals. The buttplate had a very rough cast edge which I filed down a bit since it was gouging the wood when folded. Now it just rubs.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6994-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6997-1.jpg
Metal on the back of the leather side shows in the flash but not in the other pic. It is parked color not white.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6998-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6993-1.jpg
The barrel band was too tight and wouldn't close enough to get the screw in.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_6995-1.jpg
I used a file to removed a small bit of wood from the circumference of the hand guard front lip and then it fit better. Had to take a bit off and test, then a bit more and repeat a couple times until I could get it closed. Not much had to be removed, less than a half mm.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_7000-1.jpg
Still not perfect but ok. Have to wiggle and work the barrel band into position. I could take a bit more off but I will wait to see if the wood compresses or shrinks a bit. Tight is better than loose here I'm guessing.
I would recommend this stock set. Very happy.
I'll post an update after a range test.
3 Attachment(s)
M1A1 Stock used by Inland & Auto Ordnance
The wood stock and handguard are made by Altamont Company in Illinois for both Inland and Auto Ordnance. They use someone else to manufacture the folding part of the stock.
The thickness of the rivet heads are unique to these stocks.
Attachment 74826
Initially Inland's M1A1 stocks were the same as Auto Ordnance. Those stocks, and those still used by Auto Ordnance, the handguard often doesn't align with the stock properly with parts of the handguard sticking out over the edge of the stock. Inland has been correcting this with theirs. Inland also stains the wood with the darker walnut stain where Auto Ordnance uses a much lighter stain.
Inland is now taking it a few steps further by having the metal finish darker than before and with those still used by Auto Ordnance. The buttplate had a copper color color to it, likely due to the make up of the metal used for the buttplate. Metal with a higher quantity of nickel requires a different temperature to get the dark gray/black color. Inland's newer finish appears to cover the copper color.
Below is what they look like disassembled. This example was purchased from Auto Ordnance as a replacement stock. The leather is glued onto the side plates and the exposed area around the oiler opening is sticky. The example below the leather had cosmetic flaws.
Two notes. First, the overall length of the wood of the forend and handguard have been slightly shorter than GI. This only becomes apparent if you switch out the handguard with one from another manufacturer and try to mount the barrel band to it. Second, if you are considering buying an M1A1 stock you might want to also have a look at those being sold by Fulton Armory. They use the correct brake line rivets. The finish isn't as dark. They are GI dimensions. Most commercial M1A1 stocks require a small amount of handfitting to the carbine.
Attachment 74827
Attachment 74828
Jim