Very Early Inland. Possibly Unaltered

[shadycon]

Your carbine looks better with the additional pic!!!!

[imntxs554]

Nice looking Carbine....Stock looks to have been Sanded, but overall nice Carbine.

Frank

[EinsteinTaylor]

Thank you.

I'm curious what makes it look sanded? There are some areas like around the pistol grip where some of the luster has worn off but really only in areas that see a lot of hand action.

Entirely possible I'm missing something though.

[shadycon]

I think they are referring to the lower part of the stock where the trigger housing sticks out below the wood.
If it was mine I would steam the stock, re oil, and enjoy it!

[Volvo245]

I think they are referring to the lower part of the stock where the trigger housing sticks out below the wood.
!

Nice carbine. Looks original. Inlands until late 43 all have the wood cut like that. Trigger housing sticks out below the wood. I have early Inlands, and they are all like that. Yes, the mark you are referring to on the top left is common on early Inlands. Some sort of stamp. Yes, straight pattern buttplates are common in the 1st block. As far as the stock goes, if you put any steam on it, you will kill the patina in that area. Will lighten the area up and ruin it. Best to do as little as possible. Maybe a bit of raw linseed oil, but that's it. Best way to kill value is to clean the wood. The wood on your carbine looks like it has never been messed with. Like I said, best to do nothing to that beautiful stock. Sent you a PM

[EinsteinTaylor]

Thanks Volvo and everyone else. I have no intentions of modifying the gun with the exception of putting a correct sling on it. I figure since the oiler is original, the sling won't hurt anything to put on.

I am very much enjoying learning from you guys on this and appreciate and all comments. My other carbine is a Standard Products arsenal rebuild. Not a re-import as far as I can tell, but still a mix-master. This was the first one I've seen in person that I suspected was all original and I couldn't pass it up.

[shadycon]

Volvo: I had a beat up S-HB stock that I steamed with a tea pot. I started at one end and went to the other. a lot of old oils dripped out. most of the small dent disappeared. No light spots, the finish stayed dark. I re oiled and it has a nice dark finish. I did not boil it! I did not put in box and steam it to death. I did it slow and a little at a time. It worked for me and you would never know it was steamed

[INLAND44]

The stock has apparently been coated with varnish, possibly boiled linseed oil. This is not correct and should be fixed. All you have to do is to steam it which will de-gloss it. Military stocks did not have a shiny finish. Such a finish would have prevented it from being deployed. You have an exceptional original blued Inland - the stock should be flat to match.

[EinsteinTaylor]

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on the finish. The finish matches my other carbine, and every other carbine I've ever handled.

A quick google image search als shows a somewhat "gloss" like finish and not the flat that you indicate.

***edit****

I'm also taking these pictures right under an overhead light so might be getting some excess shine due to that reflection.

[browningautorifle]

I'm curious what makes it look sanded?

Yes, I was referring to the area immediately around the trigger and mag area. Just because it's a bit more receded than I'm expecting it to be, higher that is. Perhaps not sanded but it looks shallower?