High Wood Stock Value

[Singer B]

Are M1s with high wood stocks more rare/valuable than M1s with low wood stocks? I'm looking at a 1943 Inland, high wood with oval cut, type 2 barrel band, Inland barrel, flat bolt, adjustable rear sight, push button safety, no visible cartouche on stock other than the circle P on the grip. Sorry, no pictures since it is in a gun store that doesn't allow them. Thanks for your help!

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[floydthecat]

Condition always applies to both the action and the stock. All things being equal, high-wood stocks demand a premium. It may also depend on whether-or-not the right stock is on the right action. If the stock is mounted on a carbine that supposedly left the factory that way, it may enhance the value of the package.

[Singer B]

The stock is marked "OI" in the sling slot. Both the metal and the wood are in pretty good shape. I didnt see a cartouche on the right side and that, along with the adjustable sight but no flip safety or bayonet lug worry me a little bit.

[Bruce McAskill]

Carbine stocks like all other parts on a carbine are serial number dependent. An Inland with a type 2 barrel band and an adjustable rear sight can go together as well as the push button safety all in a type 2 stock. The flat bolt is questionable but possible. All depending on serial number range. The stock being apparently sanded does not bode well for being original as it left the factory.

[Singer B]

That's what I was thinking. Serial # is 831,xxx. They are only asking $600.

[tenOC]

That's the low end, so look for a reason it's on the low end. Look for a discoloration on the receiver from welding, especially easy to see on the left side. Look at the gas port for cracking around the piston nut of the barrel. Look for a cracked trigger lug on the rear. All that is easy to check once its out of the stock.

Also look at the stock for extraneous stamps from a rebuild process wherein they would add U, RA-P, P, circle P, CSAA, RSAA, BA, OG MR, etc. somewhere to the stock. Bavarian held stocks will have about 4 digits stamped in the left side cut out which matched the last four of the serial number of the action that was in the stock. That renders it less valuable.

Sometimes there's just a good price on the Carbine and you get a good deal. TO some people six hundred is still a lot of money when you can buy a lever action 336 or Savage bolt action for 350 retail.

[Singer B]

Excellent advice, thanks!

[jimb16]

That seems way too early for a type 2 band. I would think from that that the band might well be a cut off type 3. Also something you need to check out.

[Singer B]

That seems way too early for a type 2 band. I would think from that that the band might well be a cut off type 3. Also something you need to check out.

You were right. I went back today and looked at it again and it does have a type 1 band. I'm still a little worried about the band since it is stamped "UI" on the outside tang but it looks like the fake ones out of Carlsbad. Were the original Inland type 1 barrel bands marked "UI"?

[deldriver]

On an 831xxx, one would expect to see type two highwood stock, flat bolt, type one barrel band and a mix of slides and hammers. It could also have an SG receiver. I have had so many 6 digit Inland carbines that I think that's the only GI M1 carbine ever produced.