New to me M1A1

[bcon]

I just purchased from my Father-in-law a M1A1 Carbine Serial # 203xxx

He has had this in his safe since the late 50's or so. I also have a handbook that looks pretty aged. The cover says TB23-7-1 / restricted / ordnance Field service technical bulletin no. 23-7-1 / Carbine, Cal. .30, M1 dated march,17 1942

I know there are a lot of things that have to be done to prove that this is orig. It does not have a bayonet mount, and the rear sight is an "L" shaped peep sight...not sure if this makes sense, but by flipping it one way or the other, it has a diff. height.

Is an inland / the butt plate of the folding stock has the number 257614 and then a circle with several lines bisecting it (into 6 small "pie" pieces) followed by the #3

there appears to be a faint Capital "P" inside of a circle on the back side of the receiver (on the wood) and some mark on the bottom of the "pistol grip" which is mostly obscured by the connector to the folding stock. Looks like an IO or 10

There is also a mark on the strap swivel UI

Glad to have found the site! Am already thinking I need to find a strap and maybe a Garand!

---------- Post added at 10:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:59 PM ----------

I just checked the barrel, Inland Mfg. div. general motors 1-43

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Bruce McAskill]

The stock should be what is called a high wood stock. There should be some of the stock covering the slide so that it looks like it might stop dirt from getting into the slide. This was eliminated on later stocks. From what you have said it sounds like it very well could be an oringinal early Inland M1A1 carbine. Pictures of it would help one way or another.

[NRA]

Sounds awsome now post some pictures so I can drool

[frankderrico]

bcon, welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have a very desireable paratrooper there. Like Bruce and NRA said we would like to see some pictures of it, and the internals. The bottom of the grip is IO (made by Overton for Inland), you should find it stamped on the inside of the stock near the trigger housing also. There should also be a small cross cannon on the bottom of the grip. You may have to clean it up some to see it though. The circle P on the back of the stock sounds like it should be early, and like Bruce mentioned it was originaly made as a highwood. Your barrel date sounds like it goes with the early serial number, I have a 262xxx with a 3-43 barrel. I'm looking forward to some pics. HTH

Regards.....Frank

[jimb16]

Pictures, pictures, pictures!

[blazer91]

sounds like an awesome deal, cant wait to see the pics
Jim

[bcon]

I'll try to get some pictures. I coach track, so just finishing up with some stats and then done for the night. Hopefully by the weekend. I could not find any "crossed cannon" but I think it may be under where the stock att. to the pistol grip. I am a bit leery of doing anything with the "internals" sounds like a disassembly to me, and I am a bit unsure of doing that. This thing has been in the same place for a long time, I'm not overly concerned with it being anything other than something really cool that was and now still is in my wife's family. If by "high stock" it means that there is a wood piece on top of the barrel, then yes, it is one of those. I'll post pics by the weekend. It is sure nice to hear about this stuff. By the way, I am a History teacher, so this stuff is pretty darn cool for a variety of reasons. Oh, and to top off my weekend, I was given a japanese sword that a member of the family brought back from Okinawa. I know nothing of these, but it is really cool as well.

---------- Post added at 11:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:24 PM ----------

Thanks for the welcome Frank. It is amazing the information that is available on sites like these. I am learning a great deal.

[INLAND44]

bcon; it is very rare to get a poster on here with what sounds like an original early Inland M1A1. Only Inland made the original M1A1, and not many original early ones survive intact. It's even more rare for that poster to have no knowledge/experience at all with the M1 Carbine. To me, the main concern at this time is preservation, regardless of originality. Even if it did have some later parts/revisions, its still a valuable, historic Carbine that has to be preserved to last another 70 years. You will eventually have to learn how to at least do a 'field strip' and some light cleaning/oiling. Fortunately, everything you need to know about that subject is in the manual that came with it. At the minimum, the bore should be cleaned, inspected and oiled. It would be a shame to let it rust inside, and the bore is the most likely place for rust to start.

[NRA]

bcon; it is very rare to get a poster on here with what sounds like an original early Inland M1A1. Only Inland made the original M1A1, and not many original early ones survive intact. It's even more rare for that poster to have no knowledge/experience at all with the M1 Carbine. To me, the main concern at this time is preservation, regardless of originality. Even if it did have some later parts/revisions, its still a valuable, historic Carbine that has to be preserved to last another 70 years. You will eventually have to learn how to at least do a 'field strip' and some light cleaning/oiling. Fortunately, everything you need to know about that subject is in the manual that came with it. At the minimum, the bore should be cleaned, inspected and oiled. It would be a shame to let it rust inside, and the bore is the most likely place for rust to start.

I agree .....very well stated