M1 Carbine replacement barrels

[Bruce McAskill]

Remember that Underwood made barrels on a sub contract with the military after there production ended in April 1944. So any barrels dated after April 1944 would have be a replacement barrel. Not important to a shooter but is to a collector.

To add what Jim was saying about the Herlo barrels made during Viet Nam. All were rejected by the government. The company then sold them as scrap and a dealer bought them. Turned around and sold them to South Korea. It didn't take long for the South Koreans to figure out why the US had rejected the barrels and they also rejected them too. So this dealer then sold them to other dealers who did or did not know of them being rejected. At least one knew enough that he had a fake US military acceptance stamp made and had the barrels stamped on the flats with the stamp. This helped unsuspecting buyers to shell out good money for junk barrels. On the military collecting side only buy a barrel that was made before the end of WW2 or one that was stamped SA for Springfield Armory which are replacements. On the shooting side any of the commercial barrel makers do make at least acceptable barrels. Of course you can also use a WW2 barrel but the prices are just getting much higher.

Information

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[I.H.1989]

Remember that Underwood made barrels on a sub contract with the military after there production ended in April 1944. So any barrels dated after April 1944 would have be a replacement barrel. Not important to a shooter but is to a collector.

To add what Jim was saying about the Herlo barrels made during Viet Nam. All were rejected by the government. The company then sold them as scrap and a dealer bought them. Turned around and sold them to South Korea. It didn't take long for the South Koreans to figure out why the US had rejected the barrels and they also rejected them too. So this dealer then sold them to other dealers who did or did not know of them being rejected. At least one knew enough that he had a fake US military acceptance stamp made and had the barrels stamped on the flats with the stamp. This helped unsuspecting buyers to shell out good money for junk barrels. On the military collecting side only buy a barrel that was made before the end of WW2 or one that was stamped SA for Springfield Armory which are replacements. On the shooting side any of the commercial barrel makers do make at least acceptable barrels. Of course you can also use a WW2 barrel but the prices are just getting much higher.

I didn't know about them stopping after April of '44, but that is information that is helpful. Luckily, the one I am looking at was made a couple months before then, so I guess I lucked out.

[Bruce McAskill]

All carbine production ended in April 1944 except for Rock-Ola who ended in May 1944 and Winchester and Inland who continued to make carbines till September 1945.

[I.H.1989]

Did all barrel manufacturers put a date on theirs? I've seen a few on gunbroker that don't and I was curious if there were some who didn't do that.

[cali201]

Did all barrel manufacturers put a date on theirs?

No, some did not:

"All barrel manufacturers under contract to U.S. Army Ordnance marked their barrels with either their name or manufacturers mark. The most common location for this marking was on top of the barrel approximately 2" from the muzzle. Markings used by some of the barrel manufacturers slightly varied over time. Many manufacturers placed the month and year the barrel was manufactured directly below the manufacturers mark. This practice varied over time with some barrels having only partial date markings and some having no date at all".


The U.S. Caliber .30 Carbines - Barrel Manufacturers

[I.H.1989]

Thanks for the assistance guys THere are a couple of barrels that I am looking at, but I am currently unsure which to go for. One is manufactured by Inland in 7-43, with a MZ of 1.0. The man is asking for $315 for it. the description says it has a nice bore but has no piston.

Attachment 85393Attachment 85394Attachment 85395Attachment 85396Attachment 85397Attachment 85398Attachment 85399Attachment 85400

Another is manufactured by Winchester, with no date on it, but has a MZ of 0.5, and is asking for around $180. It also has a nice bore and a piston nut modification.

Attachment 85386Attachment 85387Attachment 85388Attachment 85389Attachment 85390Attachment 85391Attachment 85392

Since all of you guys here have a better knowledge of things than I could, I wanted your opinions on this.

[painter777]

Winchester barrel for $180 MZ 0.5..........

a piston nut modification.

This 'Modification' worries me. Thinking they must have stripped the threads on the inside of the gas cylinder, so the gas piston nut will no longer tighten. Last Picture looks as though they've drilled and tapped 2 set screws (maybe allen heads) to grip the piston nut. It's not like you pull this apart often as part of general cleaning, but how hard are these screws? How long will they last? As there is quite a bit of pressure blown back after firing, enough to blow your slide back. I'd wait for other opinions on the WRA barrel.

As for the Inland barrel, you could always use your piston and nut from your old barrel and use on it. Or buy a new nut and piston, along with the proper wrench. First I'd want to be sure it doesn't have any thread problems either.

FWIW,
Charlie-Painter777

[Bruce McAskill]

I would agree with Charlie on the Winchester barrel. Just another thing to go wrong down the road. The correct taps and dies are out there if one were to look for them instead of messing up a good barrel. Go with the Inland.