Define What is Correct

[Greystone45]

So what exactly is a "correct" M1 carbine. One that has all the right parts, one that has never been touched? Being a purist in another field, I would say that a correct gun is an unmolested original bring back from WWII not Korea.....but it looks like 95% fall into other categories. Are a large majority of the carbines out there assembled from original various parts and called original? Are most 50% original and have other parts added to make them appear original?

I was looking on Ebay last night and you could buy all original pieces and make one. What is that final product called, an "original clone"?

thanks

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[DaveHH]

I would say that a "correct" carbine is one that has had all non original parts replaced with parts that are made by the proper manufacturer, hopefully of the proper type for that age carbine. In my opinion, it is a waste of time trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but some folks love doing this. What is amusing is some guy trying to peddle a Winchester as original and it will have a White Sewing Machine hammer in it. Close but no cigar.

I was looking at Gun Broker last night and just about 90% of the parts for sale were fake. The few original parts were by sellers like 81mm a known honest seller. The rest were just disgusting repo parts sold as original. Riverbank and his affiliates being the most obvious crooks. It is a crime to sell a slug of Chinese iron to someone for $75 marked as an original safety. These people will someday go to prison for what they are doing, the sooner the better. Point being, before spending a dime on parts swapping, I'd learn as much as I could.

[Greystone45]

My Inland has an 8-43 date on the end of the barrel and the serial # on the receiver is 573384. I would hope this is original but is there any way to know.

[Garandrew]

Could be my Inland M1A1 is 592534 with 8-43 barrel

[Greystone45]

Do barrels and receivers typically get separated? My barrel looks MINT. Are there many mint barrels out there? thanks

[Garandrew]

If the whole carbine is mint, the barrel should be too, is the skirt long? Original finish?

[Greystone45]

I have not taken the barrel and receiver apart. Are you talking about the barrel having the original finish? How can you tell. thanks

[Garandrew]

Original finish, and the skirt is visable from behind, just pull the bolt back, see if the skirt is short, or about 3/4 around, it should be long, Id expect. If shortened, either it broke, was shortened, or overhauled

[Greystone45]

I'll have to check that this evening.

Could it be possible that my Inland is all original, during WWII somebody put those adjustable sights on and they were removed at some point and original flip sights were reinstalled. If this did happen, is this acceptable or how is this viewed? thanks

[BrianQ]

If the original sight was replaced with an adjustable sight, which in turn was removed and a flip sight installed, the carbine might be correct but would never be original.