Stunt M1 Carbine from HBO's 'The Pacific'

[imarangemaster]

My dad had an Inland on Iwo Jima at the beginning of 1945. It had an adjustable rear (type II or III) rear sight but no bayonet lug. He got it issued to him new before the invasion.

[DTC]

My dad had an Inland on Iwo Jima at the beginning of 1945. It had an adjustable rear (type II or III) rear sight but no bayonet lug. He got it issued to him new before the invasion.

That's great. I have no idea what the U.S. policy was on weaponry issued to troops after they were discharged. I don't know if they even had the opportunity to keep their service weapon, or if they were forced to turn it in. (or "liberate" it?)

With regards to my grandad's weapon- Frank posted the following to me via PM: "I'm thinking it's a Winchester, by the type of handgaurd. Type 1 barrel band, highwood oval cut stock, two rivet bullnose handgaurd."

That's helpful info, and will assist me in narrowing down what my search criteria is.

[imarangemaster]

I wish my dad had brought his home!

[phil441]

DTC, Thanks for the link. A really fun and interesting site!
And no, they were not allowed to keep their rifles.

[INLAND44]

The rubber carbine also has many late features; Type 5 slide, flip safety, adjustable sight.

[phil441]

Inland44, you're right!
I was so enthralled with the rubber props that I kinda overlooked the basics.

[Dave-In-Maine]

Not really a real carbine, but interesting (to me) nonetheless.

I just got one I ordered a few weeks ago (before I found the latest Underwood I posted about), and it really is amazing for what it is. Some parts are mangled, but I can't imagine that these props were handled too gently.

The one I got appears to have been cast from a Standard Products with an Underwood barrel, and all early features. A surprising number of the markings are legible--will post some pics over the weekend.

The seam where the two halves of the molds would have been obscured some of the markings, but I can make out quite a few. Even though I might "know" what a letter might be, if I can't specifically tell, I'll give it a ?:

Weight:
4 pounds. My Underwoods weigh 5-3/4 pounds each on the same kitchen scale.

Receiver markings (got messed up around the slide projection):
US C??ARB???
CA???30??

S?D. PRO.
2?78252

Recoil Plate:
Standard Products

Stock:
Oval cut, high wood.

Sling Well:
S-HB

Left side stock under sight:
AAW

Handguard:
2- rivet, wide groove.

Barrel:
?ND?RWOOD
???44
Flaming bomb

Front sight:
Mangled, but with an R under the tang.

Rear sight:
Mangled, but a flipper in the 300-yard position when cast.

Safety:
Push type, in "safe" when cast.

Barrel band:
Type 1, mangled.

Bolt:
Flat.

Mag catch:
Type 1, a bit mangled.

The detail in the casting is amazing--you can see the proof punch marks on the receiver and bolt and detail around the extractor. There is definitely a metal/wire infrastructure--the sling loop is wire that feeds back into the mold, and part of the trigger guard is messed up and you can see the wire framework. Ditto down the somewhat mangled muzzle--something rusty lives there.

The colors are spot-on. I put my $10 repro sling and oiler in, and from a few feet away, it is possible to tell the difference between the prop and a real one if you know what to look for, but it would be virtually impossible to in a movie in the background. To a layperson, it is way too realistic. My wife glanced at it and asked "um, why no gunlock on that rifle Mr. Safety?"

Oh, speaking of the trigger assembly--it appears to have been the stamped/brazed type.

Like I said--pix to come assuming there is any interest. I know that it is a virtual carbine, and not a real one, but the sleuth in me is fascinated.............

It'd be really neat to know if anyone may have the carbine this mold was (or may have been) made from.

[firstflabn]

Nice work, Dave. Based on nearby serial numbers in the Carbine Club newsletters where they review apparent original carbines, I'd say yours is 2178252. Their 2174598 has a 1-44 Underwood barrel, but it also has a low wood stock. 2058xxx has the appropriate high wood stock, but it either has an error in the barrel date or a postwar replacement. The data sheet shows "10-49 Underwood." I would suspect a transcription error, the data sheet is from 1987 - a long time ago when it comes to understanding the carbine production history. This barrel is likely 10-43. Both of these reviewed carbines have S-HB made stocks like yours. So, if you can accept the low wood stock on 2174598 as transitional, replacement, or modified low wood then that leaves us with 2178252.

I don't think SP ever got to 2278252.

[usgicollector]

The 10-49 barrel date is what is stamped on the barrel. There is one at the CMP south store right now on a STD. PRO. Rack grade with a 10-49 barrel.
I understand that that was a date misstamp from the factory.

[Dave-In-Maine]

firstflabn--thank you.

Now, who has the carbine that was used to make the casting? THAT would make a neat collection............