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2 issues: T1 safeties, R coded gas piston

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colreed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote colreed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 2 issues: T1 safeties, R coded gas piston
    Posted: Nov 06 2021 at 3:24pm
First the R piston
I just acquired Win 1002491 with Win 10-42 barrel which I assume as original. The gas piston is coded with a single letter R. and appears like the photo shown in CCNL 371-4. But that begs a question. CCNL 341-4 says that the one in the photo was from a "RO barrel dated 1-43 which appeared original", but the CCNL ALSO said, that the R coded piston was an "Inland part of later vintage". That would mean that someone changed it out along the way after the barrel had been in service for quite a period of time. Puzzling........
Now my Win barrel (10-42) also has one of these R coded pistons. Looking at the stake marks on my piston/nut, it appears that the nut MIGHT have been replaced; hard to really tell. Has anyone ever found anything that would explain the R coded piston as a 'part of later vintage'? Seems like it might be very early instead.
I did find in WAR BABY that Inland integragted 500 pistons to Winchester 11-13-42, which might make it a logical fit for my 10-42 barrel.


About the Type 1 safeties, I have 2 of them. One has a definite bevel or chamfer around the ends and is almost black (dulite?). The other has no such thing and appears parked. I can't find any clarifying data. Is one of these fake?



Thanks for your help.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kro1970 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 06 2021 at 4:52pm
I have Inland 3085XXX which appears to be all original and it has the R marked piston. The piston nut staking is undisturbed.
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Mike in NC View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike in NC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 06 2021 at 5:35pm
From the staking on your gas cylinder, it looks like the piston nut has been removed at some point and replaced. I think it is unlikely the "R" marked piston nut is original. A large number if not the majority of parts in the very, very early WRA carbines like yours didn't have any markings, not even a "W". Hammers, triggers, bolts, extractors, sears, firing pins, mag catches, and maybe even some other parts in that serial number range were unmarked.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GotSnlB28 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 06 2021 at 5:43pm
Regarding the safeties: Inland used a beveled, blued type 1. Winchester no bevel. What's the wear look like? Especially on early parts, I'm always suspicious of refinishing or repro if there's NO wear. Those would have gone on rifles that were issued and been used.
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colreed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote colreed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2021 at 2:38pm
Thank you all for your replies.
I haven't been getting notification of replies, so forgive my delay. Must fix that. 
Another interesting find, I had not ever seen the BOMB design that is on the barrel. CCNL 336-4 doesn't show it either. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2021 at 9:26am
Reed, Check to see if the club mail is going into your spam box.
you could also try adding the admin email to your address book

That bomb sight is reminiscent of the 1903 Winchester barrel marks and it has been reported on the earliest Winchester carbines without a date, maybe you have one of the first dated?
Look close at the barrel on the left side in CCNL 336-4
Maybe Marcus will chime in.

Rustless: Did you look at CCNL 239-5?
Not proof that R is Rustless, just that Rustless provided stainless steel for the war effort.

Looking through some older Rustless ephemera it seems they liked accenting their trade name with a serif R



Again, not proof, but interesting correlation.

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colreed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote colreed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2021 at 12:22pm
Dan,
Well, I DID get an email notice for your reply this time. Guess it must have been a temp glitch. 
Yea, the Rustless ad sure shows the piston and nut as being two SS parts supplied by them for the carbine. Makes sense to me that these R pistons probably came from them. 
And I see CCNL 336-4 does show an example of that early bomb design. (My bad). I judge my Win was built in Oct 42, (SN 1002491). Ruth says Win made 192 in Sep and 2373 in Oct. Mine must have been just immediately prior to changing the bomb stamp to the new design, as the photo on 336-4 shows a 10-42 barrel with the new bomb design. 
Wish I could find some of those early UNMARKED parts for my Win. It does, however, have a rather beautiful Type 1 stock and matching handguard. 
Thanks again for the help. For you vets out there, have a great Veteran's Day.
"Rescuing one animal may not change the world, but for THAT animal, THEIR world is changed forever"
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