Cadmus Folder

[cali201]

The Cadmus is a firm stock as it folds and locks, the ones that pull out (like this ARMSLIST - For Sale: M1 Carbine adjustable stock)
are not stable, I got one on a trade with a carbine and could not get rid of it fast enough. M1A1 repros are ok but they don't truly lock open and can start to fold while shouldered with a little pressure the wrong way. It only sells for big bucks if it sells, they can ask anything they want.

[imarangemaster]

I have the exact same stock that a friend gave me years ago. I like it, but it is missing the spring and locking detents. I need to fabricate something.

[cali201]

I had to make some as well, pretty easy. Take the stock to the hardware store to fit the steel rod (I will check later to see if the rod I bought has the barcode w/ size and let you know. I have a couple of crude ones from my first attempt, they were too long so I remade them. If you want I can send them to you, you can use them (you have to find a spring that will work) or you can use them as a guide to make your own. I can also send a little piece of blank rod with them for you to make your own. Just pay the shipping. You can send a PM with your address. Are you allowed to have a stock like this mounted in Cali?

These are them, my first attempt, they work but a little long

[browningautorifle]

(I will check later to see if the rod I bought has the barcode w/ size and let you know.

Just grab it with a dial caliper...give us the numbers. You could also use numbered drill bits, they're better stuff.

[chaosrob]

Thanks guys, I plan to mount my M2 in this thing and see how it holds up.

[imarangemaster]

I got to checking my Cadmus when getting ready to fabricate the lock pieces, and found it is for a Universal M1 Carbine, not USGI! DANG!!!! Maybe be able to modify it, but not sure it is worth the hassle. I did see one for standard carbines on EBAY for $99 opening bid. Maybe I will fix it and sell it.

[Jeg900]

I just picked one of these Cadmus stocks up but it's missing the screw that holds the receiver in in the back. Does anybody know if it will take a screw from a usgi stock?

[Sleeplessnashadow]

As part of my research on National Ordnance and Alpine I interviewed their founder, Bob Penney, who turned National Ordnance over to John Arnold about 1963. Also interviewed Bob Brenner, founder and owner of Sumdac, Cadmus, and Federal Ordnance before his death a couple years ago. Also met with Wyant LaMont, manager of Sumdac, Cadmus and Federal Ordnance

The folding stock was modeled after the concept of the German MP-40 stock. The inventor was Jack Karnes, who worked with Brenner off and on since Golden State Arms. Karnes died before I started the research.

If you are not aware of it, National Ordnance under Arnold was next door to Federal Ordnance and Brenner in the late 60's and into the 70's. They worked together on various projects.

The first under folder Karnes came up with was sold in 1963 under the name Sumdac Corp in Hollywood, CA. Cadmus is Sumdac spelled backwards. By the 1970's Federal Ordnance was selling them. I believe there are a total of 4 variations of this stock that occurred over time. The example below was the last one, sold by Federal Ordnance.

Shotgun News September 15, 1967
Attachment 65183

Attachment 65175 Attachment 65176

The design's biggest weakness is the metal tubing at the point it meets the large metal circle that contains the release button. The forces exerted when folding and opening the stock puts pressure at these points and eventually the metal cracks at this location.

Universal Firearms and Iver Johnson used the Federal Ordnance stock for one of their carbine models in the early 1980's.

The telescoping stock shown above was made for/by Plainfield for their carbines. It's biggest weakness is when firing a carbine with the stock extended and against the shoulder the wood the tubes slide into tends to crack at the point where the tubes enter the wood.

Plainfield Machine catalog 1969
Attachment 65182

Attachment 65177 Attachment 65178 Attachment 65179
The 3 pics above aren't mine, not using them to illustrate.

Another wood telescoping stock was designed and made by Bianchi in the mid to late 1960's. this one held up better.

Shotgun News September 1, 1967
Attachment 65184

Attachment 65180 Attachment 65181

ATI copied this Bianchi design using a polymer stock with telescoping metal rods.

I have info on a lot of commercial stocks of various types. My focus being the companies and carbines along with my other work these have taken a 3rd tier priority for addition to the website.

I also have info on three commercial M1A1 folding stocks currently being sold. Trying to ID the manufacturer of the one used by Auto-Ordnance and the other being sold by Numrich and Fulton Armory. I'm out of time so won't post pics at the moment.

Just to get your brain working, here's a mystery for you ... not folding but interesting. Before passing judgment, this stock was designed in the 1960's when civilians had yet to gain access to the AR-15's in any kind of quantity. Who made the stock for the designer was Fajen. Never marketed and pretty rare.

Attachment 65185

Jim

[cali201]

I just picked one of these Cadmus stocks up but it's missing the screw that holds the receiver in in the back. Does anybody know if it will take a screw from a usgi stock?

Jeg, if you mean the screw that goes through the recoil plate into the stock then no. The screw the Cadmus stock takes screws into the wood itself so you will need a wood screw. GI carbines screw into a metal escutcheon.

[RASelkirk]

As part of my research on National Ordnance and Alpine I interviewed their founder, Bob Penney, who turned National Ordnance over to John Arnold about 1963. Also interviewed Bob Brenner, founder and owner of Sumdac, Cadmus, and Federal Ordnance before his death a couple years ago. Also met with Wyant LaMont, manager of Sumdac, Cadmus and Federal Ordnance

The folding stock was modeled after the concept of the German MP-40 stock. The inventor was Jack Karnes, who worked with Brenner off and on since Golden State Arms. Karnes died before I started the research.

If you are not aware of it, National Ordnance under Arnold was next door to Federal Ordnance and Brenner in the late 60's and into the 70's. They worked together on various projects.

The first under folder Karnes came up with was sold in 1963 under the name Sumdac Corp in Hollywood, CA. Cadmus is Sumdac spelled backwards. By the 1970's Federal Ordnance was selling them. I believe there are a total of 4 variations of this stock that occurred over time. The example below was the last one, sold by Federal Ordnance.

Shotgun News September 15, 1967
Attachment 65183

Attachment 65175 Attachment 65176

The design's biggest weakness is the metal tubing at the point it meets the large metal circle that contains the release button. The forces exerted when folding and opening the stock puts pressure at these points and eventually the metal cracks at this location.

Universal Firearms and Iver Johnson used the Federal Ordnance stock for one of their carbine models in the early 1980's.

The telescoping stock shown above was made for/by Plainfield for their carbines. It's biggest weakness is when firing a carbine with the stock extended and against the shoulder the wood the tubes slide into tends to crack at the point where the tubes enter the wood.

Plainfield Machine catalog 1969
Attachment 65182

Attachment 65177 Attachment 65178 Attachment 65179
The 3 pics above aren't mine, not using them to illustrate.

Another wood telescoping stock was designed and made by Bianchi in the mid to late 1960's. this one held up better.

Shotgun News September 1, 1967
Attachment 65184

Attachment 65180 Attachment 65181

ATI copied this Bianchi design using a polymer stock with telescoping metal rods.

I have info on a lot of commercial stocks of various types. My focus being the companies and carbines along with my other work these have taken a 3rd tier priority for addition to the website.

I also have info on three commercial M1A1 folding stocks currently being sold. Trying to ID the manufacturer of the one used by Auto-Ordnance and the other being sold by Numrich and Fulton Armory. I'm out of time so won't post pics at the moment.

Just to get your brain working, here's a mystery for you ... not folding but interesting. Before passing judgment, this stock was designed in the 1960's when civilians had yet to gain access to the AR-15's in any kind of quantity. Who made the stock for the designer was Fajen. Never marketed and pretty rare.

Attachment 65185

Jim

Jim, got any info on "Owens"? I have an Owens slider in what looks like black synthetic, with steel rails. With the sliding stock, it's wide and quite heavy! I've removed all the sliding stuff and added a foregrip and it's a bit more comfortable...

Russ