Later safeties were rotating levers rather than the earlier pushbuttons. Thus, while all original M1A1 carbines were made by Inland, a rebuilt example, conceivably, could have a barreled action made by any of the 10 prime contractors installed during the overhaul process. A friend who carried one for nearly a year in combat in Europe during World War 2 once told me that the carbine lent itself to multiple rounds on target very quickly and was completely effective in practical use. M2 Carbines and M3 Carbines w… If your job was running an artillery piece, emplacing a mortar, or stringing commo wire you needed something handier. Will is a founding partner of Advanced Tactical Ordnance LLC, a licensed 07/02 firearms manufacturer and has written for the gun press for a quarter century. Lucas grabbed that one as well and pulled them both underneath his body. Privacy Policy   •   Contact Us   •   Warnings   •   FAQs   •  © 2021 National Rifle Association of America. If you reload your own ammo, quite affordable too. Vietnam War Hero Gets 7 Years in Prison for…, Lee-Enfield Rifle: The Long Arm of the British…, Now-Retracted Yahoo News Story Links Chris Pratt to…, Vietnam Veteran Who Was Shot by Police While…, 'He's a hero,' Illinois Resource Officer Shoots…, ***Shop GunsAmerica for your next historical gun***, Check Out GunsAmerica’s Free Hunting Magazine! There were two separate production runs of M1A1s. The commercial one, a Universal,I bought from ‘Monkey Ward’ around 1972 and is my plinker. The original design was influenced by any number of interesting characters. The M1A1 Carbine is a rifle designed in 1941 to be a replacement for the Colt M1911 Pistol and the M1 Garand rifle. + M1A1s produced during this run will have early production features, such as flip sights, type 1 barrel bands, high wood etc. I am not sure how they got away with it. The M1A1 was an airborne-specific version that sported a side-folding wire stock. A restored carbine might be made correct, but it can never be made original. what a fantastic story of survival and determanation as his semper fi Mike. Military, In August of 1942, Jack Lucas forged his mother’s name on an enlistment document and fraudulently enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Although there were no selective-fire (M2) variants of the M1A1 Carbine manufactured, there have been some post-war overhauled M1A1 stocks noted with the inside of the stock routed out to accommodate the M2 Carbine’s fire-selector lever. The M1 carbine is a fantastic recreational plinking platform that will also render proper service as a home defense arm even 76 years after its introduction. The M1A is also called the Springfield M1A, having been manufactured in Springfield Armory in Genesco, Illinois. Was like shooting a BAR. There were two IDF paramedics there with M1 carbines made by Winchester. The rimless case sports the tiniest taper to ensure reliable extraction and feeds nicely through a steel box magazine. Will Dabbs was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, having been immersed in hunting and the outdoors since his earliest recollections. 1 Description 2 Variants 2.1 M1-A1 Carbine 3 Stopping power 4 Specifications 5 See also The M1 carbine is an interesting little weapon. Serial numbers ranged approximately from 42,000 to 850,000. When I was 12 I killed my first dear with my dads Universal 30 Carbine! These weapons began to be replaced by the M16 and by M16A1 in the early-to-mid-1960s and were generally out of service by the la… Carbine, Caliber .30, M1A1.” The M1A1 Carbine was designed for use by paratroopers and had a folding wire stock, which reduced the overall length when folded. The selective fire M2 carbine was the first-line weapon with American troops during the Korean War. Though there were purportedly very few of these versions to see combat before the end of the war, a friend’s dad found one unattended aboard a transport ship during the invasion of Iwo Jima and brought it home as a souvenir. I’ve been curious though why nobody has come out with Ammo for it with spitzer bullets. He was a sergeant in the Signal Corps with the Army of Occupation in Japan in 1946. he introduced me to jack lucas , not in person,only what i read about the man. Richardson Company (Richardson-Inland). The M2 Carbine added a full-auto mode via a selector on the upper-left side of the receiver. This process typically involves substituting the updated parts that were replaced during the overhaul procedure with the correct type of parts as installed at the factory. Jack Lucas, thanks for your service Marine!! Reproduction M1A1 buttplates are usually unmarked although some fakes may be noted with a stamped (not cast) number. These troopers in Europe in 1944 have M1A1s. Mr. Lucas got out of the Corps and attended High Point College ( now High Point University). In 1966-67 I was in Vietnam and my carry rifle was the M-14. For this reason, the practice of restoring overhauled carbines has been popular among many collectors. But I digress…..my favorite firearm when I was a kid (that’s right, about 9yo) was my Dad’s M-1 Carbine. This is an early version produced by the Rockola Music Company. As production allowed, the M1A1 Carbines were issued to all U.S. Army paratroop units, and they saw use in every American airborne operation of World War II, including Sicily, Normandy (D-Day), Market Garden and Operation Varsity (Rhine Jump). I fired expert, though everybody complained it was an inaccurate weapon. I get choked up just thinking about his story. date from May 1944 to December 1944 and had later carbine parts. There is some disagreement whether or not any of these carbines originally left the factory with T4 barrel bands (with the bayonet lug). I have one parts gun with the Ultimak rail and red dot which is an amazing combo. Ordnance facilities that overhauled carbines in the post-World War II period included: RIA: Rock Island ArsenalSA: Springfield ArmoryAA: Augusta Arsenal (usually followed by another single letter)RA: Raritan ArsenalRRA or RRAD: Red River Arsenal or Red River Army DepotSAA: San Antonio ArsenalBA: Benicia ArsenalAN: Anniston Arsenal. After successfully completing training as a machine gunner he was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Great Ammo Shortage of 2020: When Will It End? I like the somewhat larger M2 stock used on rebuilds after the war and during Korea. Examples can be had at a variety of price points right here on GunsAmerica, and the gun remains in production today. The M1A1 was officially standardized in May 1942, and the first deliveries began in October. The M1 carbine that this corpsman carried was designed as a Personal Defense Weapon of sorts. -Average Cost to Government per completed rifle, $69.43-Approximately 413,017 total Carbines were made by National Postal Meter (Including 239 field replacement receivers marked "Commercial Controls". He said they had to take turns standing guard duty and there was a Carbine in the corner of the office which was used by whoever was on guard duty. Affordable m1s would be a dream come true. The version of the weapon most often seen in the game is the M1A1, which had a metal, folding stock rather than the wooden stock of the original M1 to make it more compact. Early M1A rifles were built with surplus G.I. Saw one at the range on Friday being shot by the son and grandson of the owner. These are the perfect ‘fun gun’ to shoot. The bolt does not lock to the rear on the last round fired, though there is a manual bolt latch that can be used for inspection and cleaning. Finally had a chance to take it along on a range-trip and put it thru some live fire drills. All M1A1 Carbines were made by the Inland Division of General Motors, regardless of when they were made during the war. Royal apparently experienced some problems in its capacity as the lead subcontractor, and eventually, Overton assumed responsibility for assembling the M1A1 stocks and shipping them to the Inland factory. The jump scabbard was fastened to the pistol belt at its top and the parachutist’s ankle at the bottom. McKinley, Alaska–the highest point in North America–six times (at the controls of a helicopter, which is the only way sensible folk climb mountains). The M1A1 carbine was an airborne-specific arm designed to be more compact than the standard rifle. Wednesday, May 25, 2016. It’s an old surplus model and shoots great. The first grenade exploded, throwing Lucas over and onto his back. There were two separate production runs of M1A1 Carbines. Few U.S. martial arms are as popular with today’s collectors as the M1A1 Carbine. The second contract guns (“Second Contract” U.S. M1A1 Carbine btm.) Despite the name and basic appearance, the M1 Carbine—officially the United States Carbine, Caliber.30, M1–isn’t really a carbine version of the M1 Garand rifle. As a wartime project, quantity and speed were both production necessities. If so, only extremely late production M1A1 Carbines would have this feature, and the vast majority had either the narrow Type 1 or the wider Type 2 barrel bands (both types without bayonet lugs). The sling and oiler were the same, although the method of attachment was different. M1A1 Carbines used the same type of sling as standard M1 Carbines. Guns, Some rivets marked “7/4” have been observed, and these are believed to have been automotive brake shoe rivets made by Inland. Group size represents the best 4 of 5 shots fired from a simple rest over open sights at fifty meters. When his commander discovered his true age it was resolved to sideline Jack so he could avoid combat and grow old in peace. The wisdom and ethics of restoring overhauled arms is the subject of debate among many collectors today. The folding wire stock of the M1A1 was fairly rickety in action and uncomfortable to use. The lower portion of the case could be strapped to the paratrooper’s leg during descent. It was a great gun but functionally, could only be fired in semi-auto mode. After overhaul, there was no effort made to replace the original barreled action in a refurbished M1A1 stock. About the author: I think it was that rotating bolt. As a kid my dad had one of these. Regulations stated that the M1A1 was not to be used for grenade launching duties—except in emergency situations. Here it is shown in the hands of a VC irregular. My Dad was a Korean War vet and yes, we had guns all over the house when I was a kid. The corpsman dropped his medical gear and snatched up his M1 carbine, killing the Japanese soldier with a couple of quick rounds before he got close enough to do any harm. M1A2 Carbine Proposed model with improved sights. #HUNT365. The inside of the metal buttplate had a drawing number cast (not stamped). The M1A1 carbine is a lightweight, compact and easy-to-use semi-automatic carbine widely used by both paratroopers and tank crew. The early stocks typically had a circled “P” proofmark stamped on the rear of the stock. Get the American Rifleman Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. This inventory system was replaced with the U.S. Federal Stock Number (FSN) system in the 1950's. However, other than the standard M1 Carbine, the variant that was manufactured in greater numbers, and which saw the widest issuance, was the “U.S. At the height of production, we were producing 65,000 carbines per day. I would fire and a paster would fly off the target. The initial subcontractor for the special M1A1 stock was Royal Typewriters, Inc., in Hartford, Conn. He fired 27 rounds in a split second expecting one. This compact weapon ultimately saw widespread issue throughout all combat theaters. The only other single WWII item made in greater quantities was the M1 steel helmet . Related Tags: The M1A1 carbine was an airborne-specific arm designed to be more compact than the standard rifle. The rifle we call the M1 Garand was a superb battle tool, but it was too long, heavy, and ungainly for use by specialist troops. I love the Carbine. Velocity is the average of three shots clocked through a Caldwell Precision Ballistic Chronograph oriented ten feet from the muzzle. was standing behind me, and his comment was “That rifle is not THAT accurate.” I just smiled. Bayonet lugs were added to carbines during post-war refurbishment programs. I have some 1942 Winchester ammo I have been using for years. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mississippi and is the product of a traditional American nuclear family. I have done this myself before. A friend who served as an Infantry officer in Korea traded his M2 carbine for an M1 Garand out of reliability concerns but admitted that the M2 remained popular for its modest weight and full auto capability. The Springfield Armory M1A is a civilian version of the M14 rifle designed and manufactured by Springfield Armory, Inc., beginning in 1974. The word congressional is incorrect. This Carbine's barrel date is 12-43 The carbine's serial number is 3176357. Lucas celebrated his 17th birthday five days before the Iwo Jima invasion. Following the war, the majority of American military arms—including carbines—were overhauled. that taught me the Charlie model hover, in a mike model Huey, in the 278th. The M1A1 Carbine is an American carbine developed from the M1 Carbine for soldiers with space restrictions, such as airborne infantry. Let’s just say the 70 year old war relic did me proud that day – open sights, 50 yards and it smoked his $3,000 (his number) contraption. He said that for waking him up unless they had killed somebody they were going to be in deep s…. Special thanks to www.worldwarsupply.com for the replica gear used to outfit our period paratrooper. We did not carry weapons there, as it was mostly civilians doing the work. Except for the folding wire stock with its leather cheekpiece, there is no difference between an M1A1 carbine and a standard M1 carbine. semi-automatic shoulder arm that fired a .30-cal. The vast majority of WW2-era carbines lacked a bayonet lug. On February 19, 1945, Jack Lucas was part of a four-man fire team that was working its way toward a Japanese airstrip via an enemy trench system. The M1 carbine (formally the United States Carbine, Caliber.30, M1) is a lightweight, easy-to-use, semi-automatic carbine that became a standard firearm for the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and was produced in several variants, including the M1A1 Carbine "Paratrooper model", which was seen in Sniper. There is a actual boat load wanting to come home from Korea, lets get our Sec of state to ok their return. M1 Carbine Standard model with fixed stock. Its my PCC with the paratrooper stock on. The leather cheek pad was neatly attached to the stock and secured by rivets. The first rifle I saw when I walked in was an Inland M1A1 which had gone through the Augusta Arsenal post war. Ordnance drawing and part number used under the U.S. Standard Nomenclature List (SNL). But army regs said we had to qualify, so they took us to the range and gave us M-1 Carbines. The stock was fitted with a wooden pistol grip. It was an M1 and it had a 30 round mag. Will has been married to his high school sweetheart for more than thirty years and has taught his Young Married Sunday School class for more than a decade. A genuine M1A1 Carbine is one of the classic American arms of the Second World War and a true collector’s prize. was 2.4 million and others state that the number was … Similar rigger-made pouches were also constructed for the 20-round Thompson submachine gun magazines. The huge price differential between reproduction and original M1A1 stocks makes positive identification very important. The request for a new, compact weapon arose in 1938 and it was brought up again in 1940.This request was eventually answered by Winchester and in 1941 the new M1 Carbine was adopted. At age 17, Jack Lucas was the youngest recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in the history of the US Marine Corps. While taking cover from an enemy pillbox they spotted eleven Japanese soldiers in a parallel trench and a fierce firefight ensued. The M1 Carbine was developed as a lightweight shoulder weapon to replace the.45 caliber M-1911 pistol to be carried by weapons crews and company grade officers. These specially made pouches could hold either four, 15-round carbine magazines or three, eight-round Garand clips. The design of the M1 carbine evolved substantially over time, and there has arisen an Internet-based religion that orbits around the nuances of collecting. These appendages were added later during the rebuild process. The folding wire stock of the M1A1 was fairly rickety in action and uncomfortable to use. The leather of the original cheek pads was fairly thin, and some original stocks have deteriorated or damaged pads. Some owners choose to replace the missing or damaged pads with newly made leather pads. Given his pedigree, I would trust his opinion. The two-cell M1 carbine magazine pouch carried a brace of fifteen-round magazines and could ride on either the belt or the stock of the rifle. It is the first time reading any of his material and he had me magnetized all the way to the last word. The sole manufacturer of the M1A1 was the Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors in Dayton, Ohio, which was also the largest manufacturer of standard M1 carbines. The earlier high-wood stocks were usually modified to the low-wood configuration as part of the rebuild procedure. Several engineers have worked on this weapon, including David M. “Carbine” Williams. Non-corrosive, it works like the new stuff. The first were shipped between October 1942 and October 1943, and they had early carbine features, such as flip sights, high-wood stocks, flat-top bolts and narrow barrel bands. Under the FSN system the M1A1 buttplate designation became 6257614. The number, “B257614,” was followed by an asterisk-shaped marking enclosed in a circle (sometimes described as a wagon wheel) followed by a one- or two-digit number. Before some cartridge collector freaks out, I have not touched a bandoleer with cardboard inserts and rounds loaded on stripper clips. The M1A1 Carbine was generally issued with a padded canvas jump scabbard that attached to the pistol belt. One day, one of our guys came up with an M-2 version of the Carbine. This caused some troops to inadvertently jettison their magazines when attempting to press off the safety. . It must be stressed that the previously mentioned serial number ranges were only approximations, and there were no special serial number ranges assigned to the M1A1 production runs. Great article. The late Myron Olson R-IL, a state legislator told me a Carbine story. Cal. Although the basic design of the M1A1 stock did not change, the majority of the “Second Contract” stocks had “low-wood” and a slightly different shape to the grip. cartridge fed from a detachable, 15-round box magazine. The M1 carbine was a lightweight maneuverable rifle to be used by second line troops as a sort of Personal Defense Weapon. These cumbersome rigs had a short range, around 75 meters. The M1 carbine saw service with Allied forces in all theaters of operation during World War II. US M1A1 Carbine history. my wife corresponded with a fellow marine whom was on iwo with them, his name was robert walker also from hattiesburg. ---M1A1 Carbines, 140,000 | 5.33% More info on M1A1 here (Only Inland made these)-Serial number blocks assigned by the government: ... --Some history of Inland: '"The Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors was organized in 1922 for the manufacturing of wood wrapped steering wheels. by Bruce N. Canfield - The objective was to provide better protection to service troops than standard issue pistols, when caught under surprise attack during envelopment movements by enemy forces. Such pouches enabled more magazines to be carried on a paratrooper’s belt than was possible with the standard pouches. The M1 and M2 carbines were again issued to U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, particularly with United States Air Force Security Police and United States Army Special Forces. If I remember correctly, he enlisted in the Army and was jump qualified. As an owner of a WW II collectible, although it did pass through the armory postwar and is refurbed with the bayonet lug, plus a post war commercial model. This article was first published in American Rifleman, November 2005The arm that holds the distinction of being manufactured in greater numbers than any other U.S. military firearm of World War II is the “U.S. Several engineers have worked on this weapon, including David M. “Carbine” Williams. In this video, we give an overview of the development and service of the most produced American firearm of World War II: the M1 Carbine. Later production pistol grips were typically marked “RI/3.” These were made under subcontract by the J.S. It was intended to replace the M1911A1 handgun and in this capacity was simply superlative. Regulations called for the identifying initials of the rebuilding entity to the stamped on the stock (typically the left side) after overhaul. M1A1 Carbine Model with side-folding stock. He writes solely to support a shooting habit that is as insensate as it is insatiable. E-mail your comments/questions about this site to:EmediaRifleman@nrahq.org For questions/comments about American Rifleman magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Rifleman, visit nramediakit.com for more information. There were significant moral problems as a consequence. Great article. He still gripped the second grenade, a dud, in his left hand. Not all paratroopers utilized M1A1 Carbines, and some were issued standard (full-stock) M1 Carbines instead. What’s more, they weren’t kept behind 87 different locks and levels of biometric security AND we knew where the ammo was – with the guns. A word of caution is that one should stick with the WWII surplus rifles and avoid the Plainfields, Universals and the IJs like the plague. Carbine, Caliber .30, M1.” The carbine represented a new category of service arm, initially intended to replace both the .45 ACP pistol and the Thompson submachine gun. These M1A1s had the same features as the standard M1s of the era, including non-adjustable, flip-up rear sights; “high-wood” stocks (the area in front of the operating slide); narrow barrel bands (without bayonet lugs); and flat-top bolts. Inland produced about 43 percent of the total production of all carbines. Soon, as I repeated this over and over again, I realized my C.O. The term "M1A" is a proprietary title for Springfield Armory's M14-pattern rifle. I have found that it is perfect for training women how to shoot a self defense rifle, unlike those scary, black AR-15s. Kraig Figgins. In response, Jack went AWOL carrying nothing more than his dungarees and field shoes and stowed away aboard an assault transport ship headed for Iwo Jima. Examples now change hands for prices that would have seemed almost unimaginable just a few years ago. In an effort at enhancing the firepower capability of the weapon a selective fire version called the M2 carbine was introduced in October of 1944. Arsenal-overhauled M1A1 carbines were equal to factory-original carbines in functioning and performance as they were rebuilt to as-new standards. The confusion lies in the fact that both are called “M1” but this dates back to the U.S. Army naming system, which began on July 1, 1925. The popular M1A1 Carbine is a variant of the M1 platform that was designed to be lighter, more compact, and more agile, with a folding stock, for airborne troops. Also about eight years ago I visited Masada, the historic site in Israel. The M3 was the same basic carbine fitted with an early IR night scope and flash hider. Unfortunately, there is no known roster of M1A1 carbine serial numbers. One was David Marsh Williams, a convicted murderer who conjured gun designs while in prison. For today’s collectors, however, rebuilt examples do not typically have the same desirability or value as do specimens remaining in their original World War II factory configuration. M1A1s were often issued with padded jump scabbards. The wisdom and ethics of restoring overhauled arms is the subject of debate among many collectors today. As the basic carbine itself was modified with different sights, front band, etc., the A1 followed suit. I also had an M14 in Vietnam in 68 and it would shoot full auto with a selector switch. Though criticized by its stopping power at close and long range, the M1A1 Carbine was manufactured by the millions by the end of World War II. Almost all magazines used during WW2 were stubby boxes packing fifteen rounds onboard. The M1 carbine has been derided for being insufficiently powerful to serve as an Infantry combat rifle. Where most normal American kids get drunk to celebrate their 21st birthday, Will bought his first two machineguns. The M1 carbine is a joy to run. His Medal of Honor is on display in the library of HPU, as he bequeathed it to the school. The M1911A1 pistol of the day was a superb combat handgun, but it still left its operator at a disadvantage when confronted with enemy riflemen. Other than the limited-issue Marine Corps’ Reising Model 55 submachine gun, the M1A1 Carbine was the only World War II American small arm designed specifically for airborne use.