The Carbine Collectors Club

Click on the image above to learn more about the M1 Carbine


Forum Home Forum Home > The Club > Newsworthy Items
  New Posts New Posts
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login


Inlands First Production Carbines

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
moneawon View Drop Down
Grunt
Grunt


Joined: Nov 10 2015
Location: South of MDL
Status: Offline
Points: 1098
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moneawon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Inlands First Production Carbines
    Posted: Feb 28 2016 at 2:47pm
March 2016
INLAND’S FIRST PRODUCTION CARBINES, REPORTED BY COLLECTORS

by Marcus Rust and Marty Black

Background: The first serial numbered "prototype and experimental" carbines were numbered, 1-5 for Inland and 6-10 for Winchester.  Inland #1 was featured in Carbine Club Newsletter 123, still in minty factory-original configuration!

As detailed in War Baby!, pp 84-86, after completing prototype carbines 1-5 and subsequently making improvements to both the design and the manufacturing process, Inland entered into a contract to provide twenty “tool room carbines” to the Ordnance Department. These were numbered 11-30. The odd numbers (11-29) were sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground for rigorous testing in February 1942, and the even numbers (12-30) were sent to Springfield Armory. Inland 20 was featured in Newsletter 173, still in minty factory-original configuration!

“The odd-numbered carbines at Aberdeen that resulted in recommendations for manufacturing changes and improvements in subsequent production models. The even- numbered carbines at Springfield Armory were tested for interchangeability of parts, photographed for illustrating technical manuals and catalogs, and measured for standardization of production drawings. Serial number 18 was used to illustrate the first Technical Bulletin for the Carbine, TB 23-7-1, dated March 17, 1942.” (Richard Wright, Carbine Club Newsletter 173)

Although the June 30, 1942 post-testing report by Aberdeen Proving Ground stated that “all of the carbines available were fired to destruction,” Inland records document that “five of the destroyed carbines were later deemed salvageable, and were returned to Inland for reworking. These were subsequently shipped to the St. Louis Ordnance District on June 12, 1942” (ref: War Baby, page 87).  At least Inland was able to recover a small portion of its costs in producing the 10 destroyed carbines. Numbers 17 and 23 were among these 5 salvaged carbines, and have subsequently been found by collectors! In the photo at right, note the hand-stamping of the Inland logo and number 23.

Inland 18 was first reported by Bill Smith in Carbine Club Newsletter 191-1, found among a batch of 7000 “import” carbines returned from Israel in 1992. Only the receiver and undated barrel are original. Illustration at right is from page 5 of Ordnance Field Service Technical Bulletin No. 23-7-1, dated March 17, 1942. This bulletin was the troops’ first introduction to the M1 Carbine, and preceded Field Manual 23-7 and Technical Manual 9-1276. Reproductions of TB 23-7-1 are still available. With the exception of the prototype slide stop pin and the shape of the trigger housing, Inland 18 and its internal parts appear identical to known original early production 3 and 4 digit M1 Carbines.

Inland 18 was also an “imported” carbine, marked as having served in the Norwegian Field Artillery! Note in the photo below, that these early carbines had the two lines of the front ring logo “swapped” from what is commonly seen on M1 Carbines. Also, note that this logo appears hand-stamped.






Top left photo: Although the top portion of the barrel is unmarked, 18 is stamped underneath, on the barrel flat just forward of the receiver.
Top right photo: 18 is also stamped on the bottom of the gas cylinder.

Below, note the gas cylinder is not “swaged on” as expected, but is fitted into position and secured with a pin. This is the prototype design. Inland 17 is fitted with the common “swaged on” gas cylinder.


Does anyone else have one of these early carbines?
 
 
 
 
 
Addendum: Chris Albright reports that it has been observed that the distance from mill cut, on right side of receiver, to rear of receiver is about 1/4 inch instead of 3/4 inch found on most production Inland carbines.
-30
Back to Top
New2brass View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Dan Pinto, Photo Editor

Joined: Nov 29 2015
Location: CT
Status: Online
Points: 4627
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 24 2016 at 5:01pm
Today I picked up a manual I did not have. Can you guess what was on the first page I opened it to.....
Back to Top
welbytwo View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps

Advanced Collector

Joined: Jan 01 2016
Location: Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 802
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote welbytwo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 24 2016 at 8:53pm
yeah I can
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.125 seconds.