Define What is Correct

[LeagleEagle]

I have 9 carbines I restored to "correct" condition (more or less) from arsenal rebuilds. I'd probably not get my money back if I sold them but it's something I enjoyed doing. That being said, I'm glad I restored 8 out of the nine back in 2005-2006. Parts seemed easier to find and sources more reputable.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I have to agree with Brian on this one -

Waaaay too often, I hear people using some extreme example of some "rare (possible) transfer", or some other possibility to 'correct' all of their parts.

To me, the fun with these carbines is trying to find examples that actually match the existing info that's been compiled from years of diligent, exhaustive research.

I had one late Inland that had every part that checked out as original in WB and I about flipped out because it was so cool as I went through all of the parts down to the firing pin marking.

Didn't take anything away from all my other rebuilds, but it was SO cool to find one that was correctly original!

[Garandrew]

I believe I have 5 all original, I had 8 at one time, but I got rid of the later models I had..3 WRA's with late features, its just me

[firstflabn]

The wishful thinker trying to create a scenario by which his non-original rifle "might" be original attempts to put the burden on the challenger. The onus is on the one making the assertion; it is not the challenger's responsibility to disprove the assertion, but, rather, to point out the unsubstantiated claim. The "you weren't there at the factory so you can't say for sure" tact is laughably illogical. The Larson book discussion is just another variation on the theme. If perfect documentation existed there would be no challenge to investigating the close calls. It would simply be a clerical exercise.

[vintage hunter]

This IS getting good. Think i'll stomp on some toes here and see if it will get better. Here goes. I wonder how many of the millions of soldiers who carried these carbines through 3 wars sat around and fussed, argued or worried about whether THEIR gun was all original and correct or not.

[Rustship]

I can Guarentee you, all they cared about is would it go POW everytime they squeezed the trigger

[mpd1978]

I remember taking an ethics class in college, the first thing the professor asked was to define what is moral? Short answer is nobody can define it. You can only make a judgement of what you think it is. An individual buyer must aquire enough knowlege through books, going to gun shows, looking at auctions and talking with other collectors to make his own judgement of what something is or is not. It should also be noted that all opinons were not created equal. We have heard statements like, this is my first carbine and i believe it is all original. Based on what? A sellers judgement? Not a good strategy

[Tired Retired]

This statement, or something similar, ... is the most frequently used excuse to explain how an incorrect carbine could be correct. ...

I think some of you have mis-read both my statement and its intent. I have no desire to "justify" a carbine just because someone wants to pretend it remains the way it was manufactured 65 years ago. The intent of my statement was to point out that there is no easy SINGLE answer and that many variables existed in the production of each of the 6 million carbines. As Garandrew stated: " Id rather have a carbine that cant be questioned, now or 50 years from now..." and the years of data collecting and information study has accomplished exactly what you stated -

one can theoretically go back in time to determine what was being used when and by whom.

My point is that each carbine was original AND correct only once - at the time of manufacture. It may have been assembled with a type II "AI" bolt in place. During a 1944 armory repair it gets a "OI" bolt installed. The carbine then fights in the Pacific, Korea and then Vietnam before going to the Philippines as military aid. In 2005 someone imports it. The new civilian owner does some research and finds that the majority of carbines in that range were observed with "AI" bolts so he buys one which came out of junk carbine which was scraped stateside in 1964. Now, because the carbine was originally assembled with a "AI" bolt, which is more "correct" - the "OI" it fought 3 wars with or the "AI" which was just purchased and installed?

I take every weapon seriously. Some have alot of history having gone to war; some have history just because they were the "first round bolt used". It frustrates me to see all these "correct" carbines listed on auction sites which have had their history stripped away. You guys have put alot of effort into reconstructing what happened in the manufacturing process - those efforts will out live us all. But has anyone put much effort into telling the 65 year history of what these weapons have been through? Some have saved lives, some have taken lives, and some may have never fired a round in anger. Individually each one tells a story of its adventures and collectively they tell the story of this country when it was once the most powerful nation on the earth. I hate to see that history stripped away because people in California want to make a fast buck.

Just don't put me in the same category as those which justify things that are not true.

[phil441]

Well said, TR!

[Hercules Powder]

Whether it’s just as it left the factory back in the 40’s or not, it’s the historical significance that should be most important. To me any way.