Ruth vs Riesch

[Bubba-7]

Yes, reject receivers. What I and Brian are saying is that it took All of Rock-ola's production of receivers to get the total of the first three block accepted. This is provided that thay did not start to renumbering receivers with serial numbers of early rejected receivers. Of course if they had done that, there would have been first block serial numbers with original Rock-Ola's late features. But unlike Winchester none have been found. Wait a minute, I have an idea.

[BrianQ]

This is provided that thay did not start to renumbering receivers with serial numbers of early rejected receivers. Of course if they had done that, there would have been first block serial numbers with original Rock-Ola's late features.

That would depend on when they reused a serial number. If they waited until the end of production to reuse serial numbers then earlier serial numbered carbines would have later features if it happen to get assembled into a complete carbine. If the serial numbers were reused soon after the original receiver was scrapped or before a significant part type change there would be virtually no difference in how the completed carbine looked. All hypothetical of course.

[Bubba-7]

Yes, but if they did replace a rejected receiver shortly after the receiver was discarded, then they would not had to go to the end of the forth block to get the quantity accepted equal to the first three blocks. The only forth block carbines would have been the replacements for the presentation carbines and the last months rejected numbers. But it does seem likely that they could have had 20,000 rejected numbers out of 248,500, or 8% for the hardest item to make.

[BrianQ]

That would depend on how long it took for Rock-Ola to go from stamping the serial number on the receiver to having a completed receiver ready for assembly. The fourth block only contains 20,000 serial numbers, which equates to roughly a single months production from November 1943 until April 1944. If they scrapped only one numbered receiver from the first three serial number blocks they would have needed a number from the fourth block. What we don’t know is how many receivers they destroyed. Did Rock-Ola attempt to build all the carbines they held contracts for? Did they have completed receivers standing by waiting on sub-contractor parts shipments when Ordnance told them enough is enough and cancel their contract? What is inconceivable to accept is every prime contractor had a zero balance of carbine components on hand when their last carbine shipment went out the door. We know one ordnance facility assembled carbines from left over components after the mass cancellation of carbine contracts.

[Bruce McAskill]

An official Ordnance report states,When Rock-Ola ended production on May 15 1944 they only had a surplus of approximately one days production of the 13 parts they made (which would have included receivers)on hand which would have been about 200 to 300 maybe? Nothing was listed for sub-contractor made parts in the report.

[Bubba-7]

Brian,
One thing to check would be the number of known serial numbers by the quantity for each block. A large sample would work. You know anyone with a large listing of numbers by manufacturer for each block?
The results could be 5.0% of the first three blocks and 1.0% for the last block. Or the results could show 5.0% for the first three blocks and 4.5 % for the last Rock-Ola block. Volumns can be written about what we do not know.

[BrianQ]

Sure do.

IIRC the serial number span of known numbers is about equal in all four blocks and runs in the mid 90% range. I think the number of reported examples is about equal percentage wise for all four blocks as well.