? Do I have an M3?

[AussieMike]

Hi Everyone,
I'm a long time collector from Australia. I am just starting to collect military long arms.

I just purchased, sight unseen, at auction an M3 carbine. The catalogue description was as follows:

SCARCE U.S. INLAND DIVISION M3 SNIPER'S CARBINE WITH INFRA-RED SNIPER'S SCOPE: 30 M1 Carbine; 30 shot box mag; 20½" barrel with flash eliminator marked HIDER, FLASH M3 SA; barrel marked INLAND MFG DIV GENERAL MOTORS 7-43; exc bore; fitted with Infra-red Sniper's scope; plaque reads CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U.S. ARMY TELESCOPE SNIPERSCOPE INFRA-RED 20000 VOLTS CAPEHART-FARNSWORTH CORP FORT WAYNE IND P.O. NO 27-43201-11 DATED 6022051 SERIAL NO. 3825 STOCK LIST NO. 18-8416-500-200; pistol grip scope trigger to forend with wire attached for power source; grey parkerised military finish to metal; vg wood; with canvas sling; scope not tested o/w exc wo & cond. #5555595 L/R

The rifle arrived with a 10 round blued magazine and some other features made me doubt its authenticity.

I am hoping you guys gave give me a list of key features which would prove, or disprove its identification as an M3.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

mike

Information

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[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Does it look like either of these?

[emmagee1917]

is of a T3 carbine , a very rare and valuable bird. Yours sounds more like a WW2 M1 carbine that has had the rear sight removed , a bar to mount the scope installed , the handguard replaced with one with a hole in it , a bbl clamp assmly installed that sticks through the hole and to which the front of above said bar bolts to. Then a band holding the pistol grip light trigger was placed on a M1 or M2 potbelly stock , or a stock with a fat , flat front end that the handle bolts to , was installed. This is how most M3s were made , coverted with the addition of these bolt on / drop in kits out in the field. Did it come with the backpack unit too?
Chris

[BrianQ]

It wouldn't "officially" be an M3 unless it is select fire. An M3 and T3 are not the same, although many use the terms interchangeable. A T3 can be an M3 but an M3 can’t be a T3.

[painter777]

AussieMike,
Any pictures for us?

[AussieMike]

Got a call yesterday from the auction house; they are refunding my money and making good the two magazines (which, apparently, they did not have and so had to buy them).

All in all, a good outcome, but not as good as it would have been if it was a genuine M3. If I hadn't won the "M3" I would have bid on another item, so I missed out on that as well.

It is good to have my faith in "gun people" confirmed. I have bought and sold hundreds of firearms over the last forty years and have never had anyone try to rip me off.

Thanks for all your input. I will post again when something on my wish list comes up. Anything Australian and related to Vietnam, a war I missed by two years.

mike