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Inland Mis-stamped Serial Numbers

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Dan Pinto, Photo Editor

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (4) Thanks(4)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Inland Mis-stamped Serial Numbers
    Posted: Mar 08 2019 at 9:47am

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2019-E

Inland Miss-Stamped Serial Numbers


Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors was assigned 7 blocks of serial numbers.

Numbers 1 to 5 were pre-production tool room models and were made in accordance with the Winchester drawings.

Numbers 11 to 99 were engineering models with 100 being the first number for the production carbines


For this article, we are interested in the production serial numbers and quantities.

             100 to 999,999 = 999,900 serial numbers

2,912,520 to 3,212,519 = 300,000 serial numbers

4,879,526 to 5,549,921 = 670,396 serial numbers

6,219,686 to 6,449,867 = 230,179 serial numbers

6,629,884 to 7,234,883 = 604,000 serial numbers

7,369,661 to 8,069,660 = 700,000 serial numbers

Total 3,505,475 serial numbers assigned.


Taking figures from War Baby pg 361 the estimated number of Carbine M1, M2, M1a1 deliveries based on ordnance bar graphs was 2,392,388 carbines. This would suggest that 1,113,087 serial numbers went unused.

It is possible that Ordnance assigned more serial numbers to Inland with the expectation of receivers that would wind up scrapped due to manufacturing issues.


The club is aware of reuse of scrapped serial numbers with other manufacturers. The club is also aware of several instances where a manufacturer overran a serial block into another manufactures serial number range. In these instances, when caught, would be reported and the overrun serial numbers usually had markings to signify it was a duplicated serial number.


With over a million serial numbers unused it would seem that there was no need for Inland to reuse the serial numbers that were scrapped. What we have observed were various roll die stamping errors. This could be due to a mechanical malfunction or human error.


Inland with a Standard Products Serial Number 2049664



The markings in the front and rear of the receiver are undoubtedly Inland. Further investigation shows that the receiver is an Inland Configuration 11 receiver These were introduced sometime around the beginning of the early Inland 3 million serial number range. For more on the different configurations of Inland receivers see Chris Albright's Inland Manufacturing Updates in CCNLs 346, 353, 361,and 372
Either a serial number die was miss-indexed or a ratcheting error occurred during the stamping process at Inland which produced a serial number in the Standard Products 1st block allocation. The receiver has the 45º firing pin cut and is absent of the extra cut inside the receiver, characteristics of the configuration 11 receivers, which began in the 2nd block (2,912,520 - 3,212,519) which suggests the serial number could have been 30496xx. It was also theorized that the second digit could be in error (29469xx).However, receivers in this range were all reported as configuration 10 receivers.
Starting in the first block of Inland carbines there were reports of a number or letter on the bottom of the receiver on the trigger housing lug. In the second block of Inland receivers we see a progression of letters starting with C and on to K.
All receivers in Inland's 3rd block (4,879,526 - 5,549,820) are also configuration 11. This receiver has a U stamped on the bottom of the receiver on the trigger housing lug.

With the U on the lug and markings it shows that this receiver was part of Inland's 3rd block. Also notice the medium sized serial number and Inland Div (no period) stamped farther back on the receiver. This was to accommodate the new adjustable rear sights.
It is possible the ratcheting error included both of the first two digits. If the first two digits were supposed to be 49 through 55, that covers almost the entire 3rd block of Inland receiver serial numbers any time medium sized serial numbers were used. However, the simplest explanation is that only the first digit hung or was miss-indexed. I strongly suspect 5049664 was the intended serial number.


A backward two could have been mistaken for a five. Could operator error have been at fault? Inland was producing around 100,000 carbines a month from September through December 1943. A recipe for errors.
(Note: Picture of the stamps are for the illustrative purpose of reversed dies and not what the ratcheting die setup that was used.)






The barrel is stamped Inland 9-43. Looking at the odd fonts some had assumed the barrel was a Brown-Lipe-Chapin barrel made exclusively for Inland. The Inland stamp and date behind the front sight look like in-house Inland to me.





Although it has minimal hieroglyphics, there is no BI stamp seen on the flat. There are several partially stamped letters that might be miss-struck BI.

The single P proof is 6.5 inches back from the muzzle, it is not filled with park and reflects light. There is no discernible punch mark in the area about 1/2 inch in front of the receiver -- seen on all Inland barrels but not on Brown-Lipe-Chapin barrels.

"E" is stamped on the top near the breech which is consistent with the Inland made 9-43 barrel date and not B-L-C (NL 353-4). The swagged gas cylinder is an Inland I-I (9-43 thru 12-43) NL 353-4.

There is a flaming bomb stamped on the right side of the barrel near the breech. The barrel's phosphate finish looks original in sun light. The barrel and receiver appear to be finished the same. There is no discernible two-tone phosphate finish on the receiver. The barrel could easily have been a case of first in, last out, despite the miss-stamped serial number.
Semper Fi  
Bill Moore 




Inland with a Winchester Serial Number 5692805


Barry van Brunt submitted this unusual numbered Inland carbine.

Winchesters third block was 5,549,922 to 5,834,618 This Inland is 142,293 numbers into the Winchester block. The club is aware of Inland's duplication of Winchester and was reported in JB Powers group of articles in CCNL 357
According to the article somehow a numbering machine at Inland began numbering at 5,557,000 . Documentation shows that 1000 of Winchesters numbers were duplicated.
Another account of duplication of numbers occurred when an operator overlooked the serial block end at 5,549,921 and did not reset the numbering machine. This ran over 555 serial numbers into the Winchester block of serial numbers.
These 2 instances were caught and an X suffix was added to the serial number.
Looking at the receiver from the bottom we see it does not have the extra cut and is consistent with a Configuration 11 Inland receiver.
What is interesting is there is no discernible marking on the trigger housing lug. This makes it difficult to narrow down the serial range this receiver belongs.


    This has a 2-44 barrel that was made by Brown-Lipe-Chapin which was confirmed by the letters BI on the barrel flat. BI signifies Brown-Lipe-Chapin to Inland.

With the assumption that the 2-44 barrel is original to the receiver, we can best place this receiver in the serial number group of approximately 4,962,xxx to 5,109,xxx range. This is based on the reported barrel on submitted data sheets, reported in the Inland 3rd block update in CCNL 361

If it was re-serialized how do we explain this out of place chosen serial number? If it was a configuration 12 hand stamped receiver we could guess that it should have been 6,692,805


Taking a closer look at the serial number we see some artifacts. Next to the first digit looks to be a number 4. The last digit we can see a second number 5. This last digit double stamp may be due to the receiver being rolled back slightly into the die.


Looking at the light strike of the Inland I have to question if the original number was also rolled on very lightly and subsequently had the serial number reapplied.





A 6 Digit that is not! Inland Serial Number 947248

Though this Inland fits the first block with a 6 digit number there were some things that quickly jumped out.

First was the question of the missing or possible hand stamp of the number one on the front ring.

If it is a number it appears too small for what we see with hand stamped Inland receivers.

It may be the edge of the roll die coming into contact with the receiver.


Inland started production of the M2 carbine while still producing the M1 carbine in the 6.6 - 6-7 range. Being that the receivers were identical between the M1 and M2 Inland removed the number from the roll die leaving just the 'M'. When the carbine was assembled a worker would stamp by hand the number 1 or 2 based on the configuration that the carbine was being delivered to ordnance. This would have saved the time of changing setups or having dedicating roll die machines to one or the other.

Once Inland was finished with M1 production they started roll stamping the number 2 for the M2 carbines.

The marking of an M1 or M2 was a requirement for the manufacturers. The military used features to designate an M1 or M2 carbine regardless of what the receiver was marked.

The second thing that jumped out was the oval slide stop detent. This puts this receiver in configuration 12 this was the last change in Inland receivers we have observed. This receiver detail showed up in the 6,240,xxx range.

We know in the 4th block, that Inland was using the medium numbers of the above two reported carbines. Also in the 4th block Inland went to a small serial number sizes about the time that the oval slide stop detent showed up.

The Inland Div. on the receiver is pushed back so it would not be obscured by the adjustable rear sights.

The rest of the receiver conforms to what we see on configuration 11 and 12 with the 45-degree firing pin bridge, no extra cut.

The trigger housing lug has an “S” marking. This letter was not reported in the 4th block. In all probability, this receiver was from the 5th block.

The 6th block most likely is all M2 marked carbines.

To recap the 5th block was the 6,629,884 to 7,234,883 serial number range.

A quick assumption would be that this Inland is missing the first digit which could be a number six that would put the serial at 6,947,248?

The font of the serial numbers, however, are not consistent with the late Inland carbines I have observed. Also, notice how the serial number is centered.

We have never found any documentation that Inland reused any numbers, nor have we found any indication of the reuse of serial numbers on the Inland receivers.

Could this possibly be an indication as unlikely as it seems?


If you have an Inland with this serial number font, a 6 digit with late features, or a serial number that does not fall in line with a manufactures assigned serial number block, please report it to the club.


Best,                    

Dan Pinto  


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Bubba-7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 13 2019 at 7:02pm
Great job Dan, 
Typo on the 5,557,000, there were a 1,000 not a 100.
Roger
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moneawon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 13 2019 at 8:19pm
Thanks Roger. We'll get it corrected and the PDF updated.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 13 2019 at 8:41pm
your hired, we need proof readers.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David Albert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 14 2019 at 2:43pm
Dan,

Good job on this article. I enjoyed reading it.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Donnie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 14 2019 at 4:30pm
Dan, I really enjoyed your article. Thank you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 14 2019 at 6:08pm
thanks guys, but please note this is a multi article. Top half credit goes to Bill Moore

The 6 digit was my reporting
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m1a1fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 15 2019 at 9:19am
Excellent article Dan. Well written and researched. Looking forward for the rest of it. Thanks to you and Bill Moore!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nevinator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 05 2019 at 10:09am
Great article.  I’m always learning new things here.  Thanks!
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