 |
|
    |
|
    |
|
     |
M1 Carbine  |
| Up until just recently, the M1 Carbine had the distinction of being the most mass produced U.S. service rifle. The M1 Carbine is gas operated with a rotating bolt that locks into the barrel. The charging handle is similar to that of the M14/Mini-14 rifles and the safety in the front of the trigger guard is somewhat like them, though the "switch" of the lever is much different. Oddly enough the magazine release is a button on the right side of the receiver--an arrangement that was later apparently copied by designers of the AR-15 rifle. The Carbine was the most unusually produced service rifle. It was designed by David M. "Carbine" Williams, a convicted killer. Williams helped engineers at Winchester perfect his basic design. The Army was looking for a semi-automatic rifle more powerful than a handgun, but less powerful than the M1 Rifle, effective out to 300 yards and light enough to be issued to personnel who needed a weapon, but didn't need the M1 Rifle. The Carbine was one of over twenty designs submitted to the Government. It took over a year and a half to decide on this example. There were over 6 million Carbines produced over a span of just 38 months (the first carbines were delivered in June 1942, the last in August 1945). The original gun was designated by the US military as the M1 Carbine. Later a selective-fire version was fielded in an effort to create a more potent weapon. The M2 carbine was designed to permit both semi-automatic and fully-automatic fire, allowing a soldier to select which mode of operation he required in the heat of battle. Finally a selective-fire version that could accept early infrared viewers was created and designated the M3. In addition there were many experimental configurations of the firearm created for the commercial as well as foreign military markets. The M1 and M2 were the only ones to be made in large numbers. The M1 Carbine was appreciated, first and foremost, for its weight. Half as heavy as the M1 Rifle, it was quite handy and its fifteen, and later in the war, thirty round magazine gave a fair amount of firepower. |
WAR DEPARTMENT, ORDNANCE OFFICE ORDNANCE FIELD SERVICE TECHNICAL CARBINE, CAL. .30, M1 To view: CLICK HERE |
Operation: M1, M1A1 Semiautomatic, M2, M3 Selective Length: 35.5" (905 mm) Weight unloaded: 5 lb 7oz (2.48 kg) Barrel: 18" 4 grooves, right hand twist Weight: 5.5 lbs. Magazine Capacity: 15 or 30 round detachable box Muzzle: velocity 1990 fps, 967 ft-lbs. Rate of Fire: M2 on full auto, 650-700rpm 300 yds: 1035 fps, 262 ft-lbs Ammunition: 108 gr bullet, 13 gr charge, US Service M1 Effective range: 300 yds |
(The name on the receiver is in all caps) |
|
Rock-Ola Music Corporation (ROCK-OLA) Standard Products (STANDARD PRODUCTS) International Business Machines (IBM) Quality Hardware (QUALITY HARDWARE) National Postal Meter (NATIONAL POSTER METER) Saginaw (SAGINAW DIVISION,GENERAL MOTORS)S.G. Saginaw (Grand Rapids) S'G' Underwood-Elliot-Fisher (UNDERWOOD) Winchester (WINCHESTER) Inland (INLAND DIVISION, GENERAL MOTORS |
| Plainfield Machine Corp, produced M-1 Carbines from 1960 to 1977, when they were bought out by Iver Johnson Corp, who has manufactured them at least until a 50th Anniversay model in 1993. Universal Sporting Goods also made M-1 Carbine copies, but theirs were slightly different and some of the GI parts won't fit them. |
|
From: 1 6 11 1,000,000 1,350,000 1,450,000 1,550,000 1,662,520 1,762,520 1,875,040 1,937,520 1,982,520 2,352,520 2,912,520 3,212,520 3,250,520 3,651,520 4,010,000 4,075,000 4,075,010 4,432,100 4,532,100 4,632,100 4,879,526 5,549,922 5,834,619 6,071,189 6,099,689 6,199,689 6,219,689 6,449,868 6,629,884 7,234,884 7,369,661 |
To: 5 10 999,999 1,349,999 1,449,999 1,549,999 1,662,519 1,762,519 1,875,039 1,937,519 1,982,519 2,352,519 2,912,519 3,212,519 3,250,019 3,651,519 4,009,999 4,074,999 4,075,009 4,432,099 4,532,099 4,632,099 4,879,525 5,549,921 5,834,618 6,071,188 6,099,688 6,199,688 6,219,688 6,449,867 6,629,883 7,234,883 7,369,660 8,069,660 |
Company: Inland Division, General Motors Winchester Repeating Arms Inland Division, General Motors Winchester Repeating Arms Underwood, Elliott, Fisher National Postal Meter Quality Hardware Mfg. Corp Rock-ola Mfg. Corp Irwin Pedersen-Saginaw Gear Quality Hardware Mfg., Corp National Postal Meter Standard Products Underwood, Elliott, Fisher Inland Division, General Motors Irwin Pedersen-Saginaw Gear Saginaw (Saginaw) Division International Business Machines Underwood, Elliott, Fisher Winchester Repeating Arms National Postal Meter Quality Hardware Rock-Ola Mfg. Corporation Quality Hardware Mfg. Corp. Inland Division, General Motors Winchester Repeating Arms Saginaw (Saginaw) Division Rock-Ola Mfg. Corporation Underwood, Elliott, Fisher Rock-Ola Mfg. Corporation Inland Division, General Motors Winchester Repeating Arms Inland Division, General Motors Winchester Repeating Arms Inland Division, General Motors |
|
'STRIKE-THROUGH' RECEIVERS- It was not uncommon for M-1 Carbine manufacturers to produce parts for
another manufacturer. In the case of some receivers, they would be shipped from a manufacturer and
then the name would be "struck through" with a line and the name of the second manufacturer stamped
in. SERIAL NUMBERS - The War Department would issue a contract to a manufacturer, and then assign them starting serial numbers to them. That way there was a contiguous series of unique serial numbers that went across company bounds. Note: THIS IS FOR USGI CARBINES ONLY AND NOT YOUR COMMERCIAL MADE MODEL. 'UN-QUALITY' RECEIVER STAMP- To avoid the extra effort in having to strike-through and restamp the receivers; when Union Switch & Signal made receivers for Quality Hardware, they merely stamped them "Un-Quality". Union Switch & Signal also made receivers for Postal Meter and stamped "U" on the bevel. Errors in books. Underwood cartouche book errors. There’s a commonly used book out there that states UEF had no periods. This is incorrect. Correct marking are U.E.F. over G.H.D. with cartousche. Look on page 118 the book states NO periods on UEF. Look at the picture on 122 of the same book and Use a magnifying glass and you will clearly see a period behind U.E.F. Both pages contradict each other. Also the book on Page 44 says barrels are 16 inch’s long. This is wrong as they were 18 inches. Also page 30 he left out PB marked NPM flip sights. Barrel skirt change he says is mid 44, They were changed in 12-43. I’ll be adding more updates as I have time. INLAND- Any Carbine Inland paratrooper models issued with folding stocks. RESOURCES: M1 Carbine Family US M1/M2/M3 Carbine By Duncan Long |
 GEORGE LIAKOS, OWNER P.O. BOX 85 RIVERBANK, CA 95367 (209) 869-5576 |