A Very Interesting Day

[dbarn]

Got a phone call today at work from the local gun shop I've done business with over the years. They know I am a carbine nut. When something carbine comes up they give me a call. Today they had an older gentleman asking questions about his carbine and he requested to meet with me after work. I agreed and the carbine turned out to be a completely original M2 Winchester. Someone had ground the serial number and receiver ring. It had been given to him by a returning vet from Korea. At my urging, he is getting with the owner of the gun shop and calling ATF tomorrow for disposition.

He did let me break it down and look at the parts. All of the M2 parts were present except for the selector switch. There was much grime and dried cosmo. The stock was lightly sanded of external markings and varnished, but is a type 4 flat bottom, with internal areas cut away for M2 parts. There was a W on the inside right ledge of the receiver area. It is also a short channel stock. The barrel was not W marked and had the circle Winchester proof mark just ahead of the type 3 barrel band which is C marked. It was also interesting to see a push button "EW" safety as well as a type 3 rear sight. The handguard is a type 3 but had the W in the barrel channel instead of the normal bottom edge flat. The W is also a larger marking than what is normally seen on Winchester handguards. The wood grain matches the stock.

This is not some put together carbine, or one that has been through a collector's hands. It is a stolen carbine that had visible information filed off and then stashed away. Other than the lightly sanded and varnished stock, it appeared completely original in every way. Although there is a good chance it will be destroyed, I'm glad to have had the opportunity for a close look.

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