M1 to M2.

I think I am studied up on original M2's. It would be nice however to talk to an ace on the conversions ? The M1's converted to M2's. When, how, why, where etc. I am finding a few here which is boring wtmr I think. Cheers, Mikey.

Unless you are a Class 2 or Class 3 Manufacturer, I would not even attempt to make A M2 Carbine out of a M1 Carbine. Doing so will get you a free ticket to Club Fed (As in Jail) for 10 years and you'll forever lose your ability to own fire arms.

Mike is in New Zealand not the USA.

Yes, and those guys are allowed to have that sort of thing. Mikey, I don't quite understand the question. Are you wanting to build one from scratch or convert an existing M1 to M2? If you just need the history then most of that is here in the stickies at the beginning of the carbine forum I should think. Otherwise we could direct you to some exellent publications on this.

Inland started making the M2 in April 1945 and Winchester a bit later. The conversions were being done during the Korean War as fast as the parts could be made and sent out. After that things slowed down a bit on conversions till the build up and beginning of Viet Nam with many carbines being sent there and many being converted to M2's again. The conversion of carbines to M2 were done at just about every level from the US armories down to the company level. It was not a hard thing to do and quite quick to do.

The hardest part was relieving the stock for the switch and trip lever, and that was done with varying degrees of competence on the unit level. The depots and arsenals did a nicer job. I remember something about conversion kits being available on the unit level - I guess this kit would have included a new trigger housing, either assembled or not. The conversions started in late WWII and continued as long as the carbine was in service. The great majority of carbines with the selector switch were marked 'M1'. You will find some hand-stamped M2, some re-stamps to M2 and of course some roll-marked M2. Nearly 20 years ago I was looking through a lot of carbines on sale at a gun shop and encountered a hand-stamped M2 (in M1 trim, of course). I was very tempted to get it but that is a no-no here. The M2-marked receivers are considered machine guns in the USA regardless of function.

Mike, I thought you already had one or two M2's in your collection.

I am sure they are fun, but i would hate to have to pay the cost to feed them! That's 30 rounds down range in the time I usually fire 2 or 3... what a job relaoding a day's worth of ammo.

I would love to shoot one! Maybe I can get mine to bump-fire.

What are the laws in Virginia? Maybe you can try one out at a range or shooting club.

I thought i posted this, but it disappeared:

I fired several M2s, and really liked them. Back in the 80s, I converted several at the PD to try as entry guns. It was ridiculously easy to do. I liked the M2 with the M1A1 stock better than the UZIs we had at the time.

I prefer a regular M-2 stock. Less movement, more stable.
But then again space constraints are not an issue. I am not wanting to put it in the trunk of a police car or behind a seat as I am guessing you did?

During the time I carried an M-1 Carbine a s a LEO long gun, I too preferred the fixed stock for the trunk weapon. I did use an M1A1 stock for awhile, but went back to a fixed to have the Type I stock pouch on it rather than having two 30s taped together, On the M2, the M1A1 was really slick as a compact entry weapon, and maneuvered well and fired folded in hallways, etc. Now the conventional wisdom is that stocks should be open and shouldered, the weapon fully presented and ready. Folded stocks and firing from the hip are definitely OUT!

Thanks for the replies, and I apologise for my delayed response. I'm having internet problems. I guess my question is ...... When they converted M1's to M2's, did they just grab any old receiver that happened to be lying around and make it into an M2, rarity didn't matter then ? For example I have an Inland lined out to Underwood with a 2 overstamp. And yes you are right, I have some more, but I think none of them are originals. I guess I am making the mistake of thinking like a collector and not like some guy in a arsenal who was required to convert this to that, and very quickly. Cheers All. Mike.

Mike, They grabbed any carbine they had on hand and made them into M2's. No thought to maker as all the receivers were for the most part the same. But most of the conversions were done with the standard machined trigger housings. I have seen one that was done on a type 4 fabricated housing but it did not seem to be as supportive of the spring for the selector as the milled housings and just about every type of milled housing was used to make conversions.