1942 Winchster M1 Carbine

[jimb16]

The reciever is one of the early drilled through spring holes. They drilled the hole all the way through then inserted a plug and crimped it in place. You can see the punch mark of the crimp on the side of th receiver near the rear of the spring recess.

[INLAND44]

The serial number on the stock is a trait of carbines that resided in Israel for a spell. The import mark on your carbine probably has been removed before the refinish. Somebody put a new front sight on it without sighting it in. You can file down the front sight until you get about 1" over POA at 25 yds. You never use the rear sight to adjust elevation for sighting in - only to shoot at the distances indicated on it.

[USGI]

You never use the rear sight to adjust elevation for sighting in - only to shoot at the distances indicated on it.

Technically yes, but if that's all it takes to make it hit where you want it to, it's a lot easier than filing the front sight. I've got an S'G' with a new front sight on it, and have just left the rear sight set at 200 yards. - Bob

[INLAND44]

Suit yourself, but since we usually are concerned with US carbines, I always like to keep the owners informed of what the military methods/procedures are so they can keep them closer to the original intent. Or, you could say that its duplicitous to strive to keep a carbine in military configuration yet ignore the procedures for targeting it. Targeting the carbine by adjusting a new front sight is the standard procedure. Once done, the range markings on the rear sight are then indexed. Otherwise the rear sight means nothing.

[majspud]

According to the cross post on GB, Italian carbines were coming into CMP in January of '08. If so, is the CMP certificate fraudulent? I thought that all CMPs were not import marked.

Jimb16; so is this a real September of '42 receiver?

T

[BrianQ]

Your receiver would date to somewhere around the summer thru the fall of 1943. Details on the left side could narrow the span down a little. The first time the serial number was applied was in late November 1942 obviously that receiver was scrapped before it was used.

[majspud]

Left side as requested.

T

[DaveHH]

Interesting that the receiver shows signs of being in a vise. There are marks at the rear and front but very light. Marty Black had a Winchester as COM that was withing a few hundred of mine (5.6) and it had the same marks and signs of hand filing on the receiver lug. Neat, maybe it was a receiver that was put aside and used later?

[USGI]

I had a chance to buy a Winchester at a local gun show a couple years ago. The price was about $700, but I passed on it because of what looked like hand filing or grinding on the top of the receiver at the back - very similar to the one in this thread. From what I learned later on the forum, I should have bought it! - Bob

[majspud]

A Re-stock and retry. I picked up a WRA stock for the carbine on the cheap ($60) on eBay. Stock has no cracks, several gouges, and a chip out by the recoil plate, but the cartouches are are clear and sharp. I washed it with soap and water, applied a coat of Minwax Dark walnut stain to even the finish. I've also added a NOS Korean War era sling and oiler.

Took it back to the range to sight it in properly at 25 yards. Benched, Sight set to 100 yards and I used the good '71 Lake City ammo. I used a file on the front sight to bring the hits up as it was shooting low last time out. Hits started low and still right, so I kept filing and added two more left clicks of windage. After 15 rounds, I switched to the second target and fired another 15 and things looked good.

Went to the 100 yard range; same sights, same ammo, and still benched. Shots started right and low. I put the front blade on the center and a touch left and started to hit when the carbine jammed. Removed a live round, checked the breech and tried again - still jammed. Took a closer look and, oops, the extractor had slipped out of its groove. Plunger and spring were missing; found the spring on the bench, and miracle of miracles, found the plunger on the ground under the bench. I tried putting Humpty-Dumpty back together again - almost had it - but decided not to tempt my extraordinary luck in finding the pieces only to lose them again. I cleaned the carbine, and when home used the take down tool to firmly reset the bolt.

Looks pretty good and will shoot pretty good now.

T