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Niedner Sights

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OAMAAM68 View Drop Down
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    Posted: Sep 13 2017 at 6:31pm
StarSeptember 2017

Front Sights made by
The Niedner Rifle Company




I always assumed that The Niedner Rifle Company, makers of the ubiquitous N marked front sights, was a fairly large company with a big factory. Niedner supplied milled sights to every M1 carbine maker except NPM, Rock-Ola, Saginaw SG and Underwood. However, I recently received some pictures of the Niedner Factory, taken in 1940 sent to me by Gary Behrmann who kindly allowed me to share on the Forum.



Gary emailed me, “The pictures of the Niedner factory were taken in 1940 but I am sure they didn't change much when they got the contract for the front sights.


 
In this 1984 picture the original part of the factory is at the rear on the left side.”
 
The picture of Tom Shelhamer  [a renowned gunstock maker] is below because he wrote after the war that they backed dump trucks up to the door and dumped little blocks of steel for the sights near the door.



Gary's uncle, Carlyn
Behrmann worked at Niedner from 1930 until he left to join the engineering department at Standard Products, where his brother C. O. Behrmann (Gary’s father) was head of the bolt division. Gary wrote, "[Here's] a picture of the management staff at Standard Products that was in charge of making the carbine in WW2.  My father is right in the middle of the back row and my uncle 2nd from right back row.  C. O. Behrman foreman bolt dept.,  Carlynn W. Behrman engineering dept."



There is an excellent article about
Niedner Rifle Company posted at http://www.leaderpub.com/2005/05/31/niedner-rifle-co-was-where-icg-is-today/. A.O. Niedner led quite a colorful life as a soldier, gun maker and marksman.

Many thanks to Gary for sharing his pictures and info. No doubt there are lots of stories and anecdotes such as this, relating to the many small businesses that supplied M1 Carbine parts to the prime makers during the War. Too bad most have been lost over the years.

Bill -- OAMAAM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W5USMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 13 2017 at 8:15pm
Bill,
Very interesting, great pictures. Thanks for sharing. 
Semper Fi!
Wayne
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sling00 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 14 2017 at 6:16am
These are great pics.  Thanks for sharing!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Charles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 14 2017 at 8:45am
I'd like to mention my all S'G' M1#3549164 with a S.G. General Motors barrel, no date, has the front sight stamped N. Care to comment? Super article by the way.
I love this stuff, don't you?
Charlie  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Why Carbines? Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 14 2017 at 9:39am
First, this a great article with a nice personal touch, Thanks so much for posting it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote OAMAAM68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 14 2017 at 12:55pm
Charles,
Both IP and S'G' -- Saginaw Gear at Grand Rapids used Niedner sights. While there are few absolutes in carbines, Saginaw Gear at Saginaw wasn't a Niedner user.
SF,
Bill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m1a1fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 15 2017 at 3:04am
Bill,

Great article, love the pictures. Many thanks to both of you for sharing.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gbehrman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 16 2017 at 2:35pm
Niedners was in Dowagiac Mi couple of hours south of Grand Rapids
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Charles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 16 2017 at 2:52pm
The reason I bring it up is that my serial #3549164  falls in the middle of the Saginaw serial group, 3,250,020 - 3,651519 
Charles
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gbehrman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 16 2017 at 3:11pm
Regarding the picture of the management at Std Pro, I had but can't find, the names of all those pictured.  From my aging memory, bottom row far left is Eric Johnson, a barrel maker of renown in the day.  Next to him is Bob Owen, a famed stockmaker who supposedly designed the Winchester Model 70's classic stock and also made beautiful 03 Springfield and other classic sporting rifles in the 30's and 40's.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote OAMAAM68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 16 2017 at 4:49pm
Charles, the short explanation is that your 3549164 is one of about 9,000 serial numbers transferred from Saginaw (SG) to Grand Rapids (S'G') where the carbines were marked and completed as S'G' carbines. Grand Rapids (S'G') used Inland, Underwood, Buffalo Arms and Saginaw (SG) barrels. Your 3549164 was made in Grand Rapids, stamped S'G', had a Saginaw (SG) no date barrel installed with a Niedner front sight. CC NL 357 goes into much more detail regarding the SG and S'G' mixture.
HTH,
Bill -- OAMAAM
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