Project completed: M1 carbine

Grayfox · Apr 1, 2014

I'm also a big fan of the little rifle. I have two. One is a standard G.I. issue Inland.

The other is a Standard Products that has been modified some and is my choice for a personal defense rifle.

Faulkner · Apr 1, 2014

wbraswell said:
Jessie, I don't think the Germans ever got to see an M2. The M2, and M3 came along after WWII. Great job, Faulkner.

Very few, if any, M2 carbines made it to the European Theater of Operations before the end of the war there. A few have been documented as used during the battle for Okinawa in the Pacific very late in the war.

LostintheOzone · Apr 1, 2014

Faulkner said:
By the end of World War II, the only two manufacturers still producing M1 carbines was Winchester and the Inland Division of General Motors. Based on a review of the final production specifications, I believe my carbine project is pretty close to a late war M1 carbine as it rolled off the assembly line in 1945. It's been a labor of love . . . now I need to find a new project

It looks correct for a 45 production Winchester. I have a 45 Inland that I want to put back to spec. I need the push button safety, an Inland round bolt and an Inland slide.

These types of projects fascinate me especially when someone spends years putting them together. M1 carbine prices and parts are becoming expensive but at least they are available. Prices will come down if the 70,000 in Korea ever make it home. If that happens I will buy a few more.

Faulkner · Apr 1, 2014

HOUSTON RICK said:
I wish that I had the skill to do that. Congratulations it is a "beaut".

Well, I came by the knack to fiddle with M1 carbines honestly. About 15 years ago the sheriff purchased 65 surplus M1 carbines that had been re-imported from Israel. I was tasked with reworking/rebuilding them so that they could be issued as patrol carbines to our full time and reserve deputies. It was a labor of love and I learned a lot from this little exercise.

I snapped this picture the day I unpacked the carbines. Once reworked these carbines provided excellent service and a few deputies still utilize them. I still have mine that I carried in my patrol car for about 10 years.

Eltioloco · Apr 1, 2014

Faulkner said:
Very few, if any, M2 carbines made it to the European Theater of Operations before the end of the war there. A few have been documented as used during the battle for Okinawa in the Pacific very late in the war.

That's funny. It could be true that the M2's showed up in Okinawa, but the carbine my father was issued in Guam before he was sent to Okinawa still had the "L" shaped rear sight and the push button safety.

My Dad always liked the carbine but he loved the M1 Garand. He was a forward observer for a heavy weapons company observing fire for 81mm mortors.

Ken

Faulkner · Apr 2, 2014

The vast majority of M1 carbines utilized during WWII were in their original early configuration. Most of the production upgrades (adjustable rear sight, round bolt, barrel band with bayonet lug, flip safety) were implemented very late in the war. Very few carbines used in WWII actually had the adjustable sights and bayonet lug.

It was not until after WWII that existing carbines were brought back in for the late production upgrades and then re-issued or placed into storage. As a result, most (but not all) of the M1 carbines used during the Korean War had gone through the post WWII rework process and had most of the upgrades installed by then.

JSW · Apr 2, 2014

Congratulations, very well done!

zzzippper · Apr 2, 2014

This may be one of the most "liked" threads in forum history. And for good reason. Great job.

Project completed: M1 carbine

Grayfox

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Faulkner

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LostintheOzone

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Faulkner

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Eltioloco

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Faulkner

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JSW

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zzzippper

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