Got a Rock- Ola and have questions

[AFJon]

OP

For your learning pleasure.
The U.S. Caliber .30 Carbines

FWIW you can install the sights without the tools, but its time consuming.

There are folks that will loan out the tools to do it. Generally when I've done it the borrower pays shipping both ways and a refundable deposit worth the replacement cost of the tools.

[tenOC]

Something you could do with the same money as restoring this one is you could buy another USGI Carbine.

[browningautorifle]

with the same money as restoring this one is you could buy another USGI Carbine.

Yes, and you could clean up and keep Grandpa's gun like it is.

[Daan Kemp]

Why not keep Grandpa's gun as is, except for cleaning it? It won't be Grandpa's gun the moment you start changing things, but a built up gun that used to be Grandpa's gun. However, it's yours and you can do what you like with it.

[01lowbird]

It's a stretch find a piece per month for half of the Carbine makers. You'll get a chance at 1 or 2 flips per year. Same for mag catches.

I started looking on the net and so far....... not much. It'll indeed be a slow process

[Bruce McAskill]

And sometimes parts can take not weeks or months but years to find. All because the right parts are serial number dependent with carbines. And as TenOC wisely stated you will need DEEP pockets. The prices he quoted are pretty darn close to what people are paying now. As time goes by the prices are going to climb. I have seen people sink like $4000 into parts in a restoration. The whole carbine isn't worth that at all!!!!! For under $200 you can get a post war replacement stock, a replacement front sight, key and sight pin and a reproduction rear flip sight or a later during the war adjustable sight and look like 99% of the carbines out there.

[Sunray]

My condolences on your loss.
Start here. The U.S. Caliber .30 Carbines
Rock-ola made 13 of the parts including the receiver. None of the original makers made all of 'em. So there's no such thing as an "all original" Carbine.
There's a free .pdf manual here. (Note the need for the provided UN & PW.) It'll tell you how to install a new front sight and the other bits. Biggerhammer.net - Miscellaneous Firearms Technical and Training Manuals
Gunparts(not the only source, so shop around.) has the parts for not totally stupid money. The front sight runs $13.75. $6.75 for the key and $2.75 for the pin. Needs a piece of wood, a punch and a brass mallet to put on.
Stocks and all the wee bits that go with 'em can get expensive.
Rear sights can be either the early flip sight or the adjustable. 99.99% of all Carbines went through a post war rebuild that mostly put on all the 'upgrades' approved during W.W. II. You can decide which ones you want and put 'em on if you feel like it. Usually as money becomes available.
When you get that far, think IMR4227 and 110 grain HP's or FMJ RN's.

[tenOC]

All Carbines started out as all original. Well, almost all. Don't mind him. He doesn't know the diff in saying all Rockola and all original.

[browningautorifle]

Don't mind him.

Exactly...

[01lowbird]

First time tearing these rifles down. Very simple concept. Thought I’d add these marking pictures.