Refurbished a Buddy's M1 Carbine

charles_the_hammer · Jan 29, 2019

A friend of mine has an old 1944 Inland M1 Carbine that had been "Bubba'd Up" into a sporter/"hunting rifle" sometime during the 60's or 70's if I had to guess. The upper handguard had been hand checkered, the rear sight had been replaced with some weird threaded scope mount, it had been dropped into some stupid-looking "sporter" stock with a Monte Carlo cheek rest, and some moronic sight ramp had been soldered onto the end of the barrel that ran up to the front sight post. Seeing it in this horrific condition really bugged me, so I convinced him to drop about $300 on some original USGI surplus parts and to let me bring this "War Baby" back to her military condition. I didn't take a "before" pic and I'm kinda glad I didn't, since it was such an abomination I'm happy to be slowly forgetting what it used to look like.

It's a 1944 Inland Division of General Motors model. Serial in the 6,3XX,XXX range. Receiver was probably made in mid-'44. Barrel is Inland stamped 11-44. Push-button safety. Flat bolt body.

Replacement Parts:

Inland "low wood" oval-cut stock
Inland 2 rivet top handguard
Inland Type 3 stamped adjustable rear sight
Inland Type 3 barrel band/bayonet lug
Inland front sight
International Silver oiler
Korea or Early Vietnam-era OD green cotton web sling
Winchester 15 round magazine

In the pic it's got 2X 30 round mags taped up "jungle style" like the one in the famous pic of Malcolm X peering out his living room window. I had to cold blue the spot on the barrel where that stupid sight ramp had been soldered. I also slapped a coat of Boiled Linseed Oil on the stock just because it seemed a little dry. Wood looks pretty nice now, IMO.

I realize it will never be in its original surplus condition, but turning it from a Bubba Sporter into a "Mixmaster" is the best I could do and as much of an upgrade that could be performed. Here is a pic of the finished carbine:

les.b · Jan 29, 2019

Very nice work...

Best Regards, Les

6GUNSONLY · Jan 29, 2019

I'm quite sure that looks about 100x better than "as-bubba-ed". I have a doctor friend who is a serious M-1 carbine collector, and who has about as many spare parts, stocks, etc.. as Anniston Army Depot. He helped me locate a decent Inland a year or two ago, which we then made "all correct" according to his extensive knowledge of the subject by replacing some non-original parts. It was to be a gift to my wife's uncle, who had been wanting a nice one. I gave it to him along with correct sling, stock mag pouch, and two G.I. issue magazines, along with some ammo. The mag pouch was even stamped with the same year production as the rifle. He was pleased, to say the least.

Mike SC Hunter · Jan 29, 2019

In the 60's carbine's were about $20 a piece. Many were sporterized......Not bubba'd......Fajen/Bishop both made nice custom wood for carbines. They were the "tinker toys" of the era like the ar's are today. Your magazine looks funky. Original carbines were designed for 15 rd. magazines. The 30's were designed for the M2......Which carries a different clip latch.

charles_the_hammer · Jan 29, 2019

Mike said:
In the 60's carbine's were about $20 a piece. Many were sporterized......Not bubba'd......

This one was Bubba'd and it looked like dog poo.

Mike said:
Original carbines were designed for 15 rd. magazines.

Yeah I'm aware.

Mike said:
The 30's were designed for the M2......Which carries a different clip latch.

This one has a Type 3 mag catch, Block "M", 3rd vertical row from left.

Coastie762 · Jan 30, 2019

Nice rescue!

I was wondering how much work you had to do to clean up the soldered front sight. I've replaced a few GI sights in order to obtain a zero with my loads, so I am curious on how bad the key way was buggered up.

Targets Guy · Jan 30, 2019

Great work. You did a good thing.

Maybe you can answer my question. I bought a new carbine from Auto-Ordnance in 2015. It is great fun to shoot and operates fine. One thing that bugs me is the oiler will not fit into the slot with the webbing around it. I had to use a wooden dowel until I worked up enough nerve to sand the slot.

Alpo · Jan 30, 2019

Couple of thoughts.

I believe the push button safety didn't last very long. Too many moronic soldiers attempting to take off the safety and dropping their mag by mistake. I don't think it lasted much past the first year. I'm pretty sure a 1944 gun would have a lever safety.

And if I was trying to bring a messed-with gun back to original trim, I wouldn't have put a bayonet lug on it. Not sure when they started with those, but I don't think they had them in '44.

Targets Guy · Jan 30, 2019

Wiki says the lug began in 1945 and some with lugs made the front lines.

153 · Jan 30, 2019

Alpo said:
Couple of thoughts.

I believe the push button safety didn't last very long. Too many moronic soldiers attempting to take off the safety and dropping their mag by mistake. I don't think it lasted much past the first year. I'm pretty sure a 1944 gun would have a lever safety.

And if I was trying to bring a messed-with gun back to original trim, I wouldn't have put a bayonet lug on it. Not sure when they started with those, but I don't think they had them in '44.

I really dislike your use of the term “moronic soldiers”.

jeeps · Jan 30, 2019

S.G. Very late second run. Barrels were undated. M.E. 1 got this cmp North a few years back for $800. Did not have one. Trigger housing S.G.,Oprod S.G. ,bolt S.G. stock r.s.g. marked in oiler well cutout. They only had 6 and they sold in seconds after opening. They sold out of carbines for good.

jeeps · Jan 30, 2019

Barrel front. S.G. front sights had a scallop cut on base at rear of base. The only Company to do that.

LoboGunLeather · Jan 30, 2019

In my opinion the OP has done a very good job of restoration, bringing this carbine back into military-issue condition. Perhaps not 100% as manufactured, but very few M1 Carbines are ever found in such perfect condition; almost all were arsenal-serviced or rebuilt over the years.

The result is much better than any "sporterized" carbine.

Well done.

jeeps · Jan 30, 2019

Yes very nice work on Inland.

Richard Simmons · Jan 30, 2019

Nice job Charlie. You did a great service to your buddy and that little carbine. It may not be what it once was but at least it ain’t what it wasn’t.

Rudi · Jan 30, 2019

Nice work on that carbine.

Grayfox · Jan 30, 2019

I'm a huge lover of the M1 Carbine. I have one as issued Inland that I got from CMP a few years ago.
But then there's this Standard Products rifle that I "Bubba'ed" the hell out of!

Actually, for more than 40 years I absolutely refused to own an AR-15 due to some bad experiences with the M-16A1 way back when I was a young troop in Uncle Sam's green machine.
This was my version of a "Black Rifle" intended for home defense. Actually, its a whole lot of fun!

I've even used it in a 3-gun match or two. It certainly attracts attention.

Don't worry, I still have all the original parts and can put it back as it was in about an hour or so.

But, for now anyway, this is my Zombie Rifle!

jsfricks · Jan 30, 2019

Targets Guy said:
Great work. You did a good thing.

Maybe you can answer my question. I bought a new carbine from Auto-Ordnance in 2015. It is great fun to shoot and operates fine. One thing that bugs me is the oiler will not fit into the slot with the webbing around it. I had to use a wooden dowel until I worked up enough nerve to sand the slot.

Most of the reproduction slings are made too thick to fit the slot in these stocks. Either find an original sling or there are some companies that make them thinner like the originals. Both can be found on EBay.

KEN L · Jan 30, 2019

charles_the_hammer said:
A friend of mine has an old 1944 Inland M1 Carbine that had been "Bubba'd Up" into a sporter/"hunting rifle" sometime during the 60's or 70's if I had to guess. The upper handguard had been hand checkered, the rear sight had been replaced with some weird threaded scope mount, it had been dropped into some stupid-looking "sporter" stock with a Monte Carlo cheek rest, and some moronic sight ramp had been soldered onto the end of the barrel that ran up to the front sight post. Seeing it in this horrific condition really bugged me, so I convinced him to drop about $300 on some original USGI surplus parts and to let me bring this "War Baby" back to her military condition. I didn't take a "before" pic and I'm kinda glad I didn't, since it was such an abomination I'm happy to be slowly forgetting what it used to look like.

It's a 1944 Inland Division of General Motors model. Serial in the 6,3XX,XXX range. Receiver was probably made in mid-'44. Barrel is Inland stamped 11-44. Push-button safety. Flat bolt body.

Replacement Parts:

Inland "low wood" oval-cut stock
Inland 2 rivet top handguard
Inland Type 3 stamped adjustable rear sight
Inland Type 3 barrel band/bayonet lug
Inland front sight
International Silver oiler
Korea or Early Vietnam-era OD green cotton web sling
Winchester 15 round magazine

In the pic it's got 2X 30 round mags taped up "jungle style" like the one in the famous pic of Malcolm X peering out his living room window. I had to cold blue the spot on the barrel where that stupid sight ramp had been soldered. I also slapped a coat of Boiled Linseed Oil on the stock just because it seemed a little dry. Wood looks pretty nice now, IMO.

I realize it will never be in its original surplus condition, but turning it from a Bubba Sporter into a "Mixmaster" is the best I could do and as much of an upgrade that could be performed. Here is a pic of the finished carbine:

Nicely done restoration, considering what you had to work with.
And to set the record straight, the gun, most likely, originally left the factory with the following features:

Stock: M1 low wood oval cut
Handguard: 4 rivet shallow groove
Slide: type IV with late cam shape
Bolt: blued round type
Safety: type III push
Barrel band: type III w/bayonet lug
Rear sight: adj type, either stamped or milled

This information was obtained from data sheets on known original guns in the 6.3 million range. The adjustable rear sight & bayonet lug band, contrary to popular belief, actually began appearing on Inland carbines late in 1944, so this carbine is definitely in the correct period for these features.

Faulkner · Feb 1, 2019

Alpo said:
Couple of thoughts.

I believe the push button safety didn't last very long. Too many moronic soldiers attempting to take off the safety and dropping their mag by mistake. I don't think it lasted much past the first year. I'm pretty sure a 1944 gun would have a lever safety.

And if I was trying to bring a messed-with gun back to original trim, I wouldn't have put a bayonet lug on it. Not sure when they started with those, but I don't think they had them in '44.

Push safeties were used throughout entire production run of 9 of 11 contractors. Only Winchester and Inland used flip safeties on production carbines and they changed from push to rotary safety in the last few months of the WWII. The vast majority of M1 carbines served throughout WWII with push safeties and most weren't replaced with flip safeties until after the end of the war.

Refurbished a Buddy's M1 Carbine

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