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The Long story of my Carbines

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    Posted: Jun 21 2017 at 10:07pm
About 15 years ago I bought my first carbine, Inland, and considering what I've learned over the years I wish I still had that one. It wasn't anything uber special but it was very nice finish in a potbelly stock and had everything but disconnector, spring(s) and lever / switch. So hindsight it could have been an M1 conversion (probably not) reverted back to semi or just arsenal rebuild parts. Don't remember barrel date or manufacture of the barrel but the serial number was in 5.5 million. Don't recall seeing any import markings either. But that was well before my collecting days and having knowledge of all the intricacies of being a carbine nut. But I caught the bug


In 2008 I bought a decent looking Blue Sky import Inland (Underwood 11-45 barrel if I recall correctly). It came in a Iver Johnson wire collapsible stock. Yeah! Sold it on eBay and found proper attire. Took it to the range and was disappointed. Shot WAY right. Took an ought-6 round to check muzzle wear and it purtneer ate the casing neck. So I got a (dont cringe) another Blue Sky stamped barrel but this time an Inland 5-44 barrel and had it put on. Well, ME is good at 1 to 1.5 but has same issue as the Underwood that came on it. Shoots WAY right!!!! (Found info saying could be related to the heavy Blue Sky stamping to the barrel). Anyway, months later, I was reading Ruth & Duff's book “The M1 Carbine Owner's Guide” one night and thinking about the history of the rifle. When was it assembled? Where did it go? Where had it been prior to coming back to the States? So I'm thinking and I was looking at the serial number ranges for Inland April to June 1944 and my eyes froze on the beginning serial number 4,879,526...?...I was thinking to myself man that's got to be close to my carbine. I picked up my rifle...4,879,526! I glanced at the page at the number, back at my carbine, back at the book...Well HOLY (insert your choice of sentence enhancer here)!!!! There's my serial number in black & white as a beginning number allotted to Inland. What are the odds of that!? Well probably nothing to pop a cork over but for me that's pretty darn AWESOME! Lol It just makes me wonder even more where it saw service & with who Name, rank, branch, unit etc. And all because it was a number in black in white in several books I've read.

January '17 I bought my 2nd Inland carbine (guess technically 3rd one) another Blue Sky import. This one is a 6 digit, 723,745, subcontracted Saginaw “SG” marked receiver. The rear sight is moved off to the left of center but it shoots pretty strait especially compared to my other one.(ignore the fact in the pic its all way left that is in ref to staking or lack there of)


As of today, June 21st; I'm still working on the data sheets. Yes I have replaced some pieces to move towards factory-ish correct (assuming a perfect world of OEM parts) on the 6 digit. I've kept a list of the the parts as it was when I bought it. Not much has changed. I put an AI type II flat bolt in it (which I had bought for my 4.8mil rifle) and put the round bolt from the 6 digit in my 4.8. I replaced the type II sear with a type I BI marked. I have an original flip sight to put on the 6 digit and if my eyeballs work correctly I'm not seeing any stake marks. I did buy replacement non-import Inland barrels from Mr. Mears... another May '44 with type II band for my 4.8mil and a 0 ME and an August '43 long skirt and Type IA UI band / unmarked swivel for the 6 digit at a 1.5ME... So far both are strait shooting! Not 100% certain its an OEM band...it apears to be blued.   The 4.8 I had put in a M1A1 Para stock that I bought from Numrich's and the 6 digit got my Inland low wood I originally got for the 4.8.







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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HCSO249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 21 2017 at 10:15pm
sorry I keep getting that bass akwards....low wood on 6 digit....  

(edit)  LMAO   I thought I had said high wood in my original post so I put this to correct myself just to re-read again and.....well, my mind going in too many directions this week.... LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 22 2017 at 11:49am
That is awesome, now you need to find the last number in block to have with it!
 
No stake marks on the 6 digit? is it original finish?
 
On the bluesky barrels. It is possible that the barrel was aligned to witness, which is just a starting point for alignment. Need to time it with parallels to be sure.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HCSO249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 22 2017 at 12:25pm
Originally posted by New2brass New2brass wrote:

That is awesome, now you need to find the last number in block to have with it!
 
No stake marks on the 6 digit? is it original finish?
 
On the bluesky barrels. It is possible that the barrel was aligned to witness, which is just a starting point for alignment. Need to time it with parallels to be sure.



Yeah that would be the topping to the ice cream to have the last one too!

Sure looks to be original finish on the 6 digit!

Well, since changing out both barrels myself this go around and eyeballing via marks & parallels both are shooting great.  Smooth actions with no bind (wasn't any before), headspaced and straight shooting.  When I pulled the front sight off the BS barrel from the 4.8, I looked at the stamping area and it looks to be out-of-round and bit smooshed.  At this point I'd say both or at least the one old barrel would be good for a pistol or short barrel rifle project.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 22 2017 at 1:47pm
 
Originally posted by HCSO249 HCSO249 wrote:



 I looked at the stamping area and it looks to be out-of-round and bit smooshed.  At this point I'd say both or at least the one old barrel would be good for a pistol or short barrel rifle project.

 
It is believed that very few if any were damaged by the import markings. Then again its all in reporting with verification. There is a method in which a gauge is inserted into the barrel to check such things. I have never actually seen such a device. However I am sure a piece of correct size drill rod may work to test.
I suspect the bullet would be well deformed if barrel was flattened.
 
On the note of barrels there was an issue with barrels not being straight. Forget the details but it is in War Baby and newsletters. A team from one manufacture went and eye balled the barrels then wacked them straight with a mallet to make them usable. This is how it was done!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HCSO249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 23 2017 at 4:27pm
Ah like the fixed sight Smith & Wesson revolvers....windage adjustment needed... WHACK!  Try it now.  LOL  Whatever works LOL
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