Late War Inland Carbine - from Philippines?

[jjspearson]

I recently purchased an M1 Carbine from Royal Tiger. It is an Inland serial number 6,908,236 with an Inland barrel dated 2/45. So it is a late war Inland Carbine, likely completed in February/March, 1945. It appears to be all correct as it left the factory. There is no indication that it was re-arsenaled. It does have the Inter-Ordinance import mark on the bottom of the barrel. It is supposedly part of the batch of WWII rifles re-imported from Ethiopia. However, it has some distinctive carving on the stock, indicating that it went from manufacture to the Philippines. It was probably provided by the US Military to Philippino Guerillas during the final push to defeat the Japanese. The carving indicates that it was used in a Southern Province of Luzon, specifically Camarines Sur, on the island of Luzon and within Region V-Bicol Region in Southern Luzon. Antipolo is a barangay in the municipality of Nabua, in the province of Camarines Sur. I have no idea how it got from the Philippines to Ethiopia after the war, but that appears to be the case. In any case I believe it is an all correct as issued late war M1 Carbine by Inland. I have posted pictures of the stock after I cleaned it up, which show the carving pretty clearly. I would be interested in your comments and/or conclusions regarding this gun.

Information

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[DaveHH]

The square with hawk in the middle carved into the stock is the patch of the 45th Inf Div. The 45th an Oklahoma NG Division, fought in Sicily and Italy in WW2. They also fought in Korea. This may be where the 45th Div comes into play as Ethiopian Kagnew Guards, the cream of the Army fought in Korea. Looking up the division affiliations of the Ethiopian soldiers were mostly 7th Div, but it is entirely possible that the small unit could have been involved with the 45th at the closing months of the Korean conflict. Since the Korean war was a UN conflict, it is also entirely possible that a unit of UN troops were involved in the Philippines. The Philippines signed the original charter of the UN in 1942.

[USGI]

I would be interested in your comments and/or conclusions regarding this gun.

Jim, I have an Inland with a s/n very close to yours - 6,941,369. I haven't had it completely apart yet, but the barrel date is 2/45 same as yours. Here are a few of the markings on mine:

Front Sight: R
Mag Catch: E.I.
Rear Sight: PI
Front Band: A.I.

I'm curious if yours has an Inland stock? I just found your updated pictures today - but can't make out the markings in the sling well.

Does your stock have the cutout for an M2 selector switch?

Also would like to know if there are any markings on the safety lever.

Yours should have a hand stamped "1" in the M1 marking at the front of the receiver.

- Bob

[browningautorifle]

Does your stock have the cutout for an M2 selector switch?

You can see the cutout for the selector.

[usabaker]

What an awesome find. I would love to have one from the Philippines. My wife is from that region and I can tell you from first-hand experience that there a bunches of M1 Garands and Carbine in civilian hands. If there was a way to get them back to the states I would have bought a few of them already,

[USGI]

You can see the cutout for the selector.

Yep, thanks - now I can see it! Likely an SA marked stock. - Bob

[jjspearson]

Thank you for the information. I couldn't find that patch for any of the units that fought in the Philippines in 1945. Do you think the gun went to the Philippines after the Korean war or as I thought might have gone to the Philippines from the manufacturer in 1945?

---------- Post added at 12:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:13 PM ----------

Bob,

I don't see any marking at all in the sling well. The front sight has an "R" very small, behind the sight blade. Mag Catch looks like it has and "HI" or "IH". Looks like an "N" on the bottom of the safety lever, but partially obscured. It does have the hand stamped "1" at the front of the receiver right after the"30 M".

Jim

[jjspearson]

Bob,
Not sure if my reply got posted, so will try again. Front Sight has a very small "R" just behind the sight blade. I don't see any markings at all in the sling well. It has the cutout for an M@ selector switch. Safety lever has an "N" on the bottom, but partially obscured. There is a hand stamped "1" at the front of the receiver just after the "30 M" . Mag catch has "HI" or "IH". Rear sight has "I.R.C.O." but I don't see any other marking. Front band has "AI".
Jim

[USGI]

I don't see any markings at all in the sling well.

If it's a Springfield Armory stock it will be stamped SA about where I have the yellow arrow in this picture. Like my Inland, I believe yours was likely upgraded after WWII and before it was in Korea. On mine, the safety and mag catch had both been changed to the later type. Look to see if your mag catch has the lug for use with 30rd mags. - Bob

[RASelkirk]

My hand stamped 69007xx with 01/45 barrel is pretty close to yours, but totally without provenance. No M2 cutout... I'm glad you posted the "hand stamped 1", 'cause it looked like a "2" to my old eyes...

Russ