Info On Federal Ordnance Carbine - The Carbine Collector's Club

Brian

Thanks for sharing your info and pics.

I have info on 34 FedOrd carbines with various quality pics saved for 23 of them but not showing everything.

We know the 4 prefix signifies 1984 and the 5 prefix started in 1985 but may have continued into 1986. I assume from the markings s/n 24-240 was 1986 or later.

All of the receivers have consistently been the same. They appear to have been cast using the same mold. Info from an employee was the foundry they used was Ecrimesa in Spain. Barrels have consistently been a new barrel inserted into the rear half of a demilled carbine barrel having the GI gas piston cylinder and threads for engaging the receiver. A legit method for making barrels if done correctly. Parts have been a combination of GI and commercially manufactured.

The difference in the receivers has only been the manner in which the markings were applied. I don't consider this significant enough to warrant labeling them as type 1, type II, etc.

40003-50992

Receiver ring markings cast with the receiver mold

Letters were stamped.

51048

Receiver ring markings cast with the receiver mold, same as above

Letters were engraved

51781-51820 & 24-240

Receiver ring markings cast with the receiver mold. There was a change in the name plate they used inside the mold. we don't know if the ML vs M1 was intentional vs a mistake or flaw. A U.S. foundry has also done the ML on receivers they made for iai and Auto Ordnance.

Letters were cast with the mold.

Serial numbers were stamped by FedOrd throughout production. The stamped circled F shows up s/n 51614 and thereafter.

The name plates used to cast markings are fairly easily changed inside the mold. Sometimes they wear out and have to be replaced.

I suspect FedOrd made the decision to start casting their name and location so they didn't have to waste time stamping them. At the same time they swapped out the name plate for the receiver ring markings.

As far as a date when yours was made the 5 prefix cinches it as 1985. Since it's the lowest so far I'm guessing early 1985.

Hope this helps. Thanks again, I'll be updating the FedOrd web page to show the new low for the 5 prefix.

Jim

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belairbrian Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Recruit Joined: Apr 08 2022 Location: Alabama Status: Offline Points: 7	Post Options Post Reply Quote belairbrian Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Info On Federal Ordnance Carbine Posted: Apr 09 2022 at 6:07pm
	I have this Carbine made by Federal Ordinance. I was trying to date it with the info here and ended up sending an email to the site admins. So that email was based to a guy named Jim and he asked that I post some pics of the receiver. So here they are. Edited by W5USMC - Apr 09 2022 at 11:46pm
	US Air Force Retired CAGC Member

sleeplessnashadow Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: Nov 09 2015 Location: SoCal Status: Offline Points: 1117	Post Options Post Reply Quote sleeplessnashadow Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 09 2022 at 9:33pm
	Brian Thanks for sharing your info and pics. I have info on 34 FedOrd carbines with various quality pics saved for 23 of them but not showing everything. We know the 4 prefix signifies 1984 and the 5 prefix started in 1985 but may have continued into 1986. I assume from the markings s/n 24-240 was 1986 or later. All of the receivers have consistently been the same. They appear to have been cast using the same mold. Info from an employee was the foundry they used was Ecrimesa in Spain. Barrels have consistently been a new barrel inserted into the rear half of a demilled carbine barrel having the GI gas piston cylinder and threads for engaging the receiver. A legit method for making barrels if done correctly. Parts have been a combination of GI and commercially manufactured. The difference in the receivers has only been the manner in which the markings were applied. I don't consider this significant enough to warrant labeling them as type 1, type II, etc. 40003-50992 Receiver ring markings cast with the receiver mold Letters were stamped. 51048 Receiver ring markings cast with the receiver mold, same as above Letters were engraved 51781-51820 & 24-240 Receiver ring markings cast with the receiver mold. There was a change in the name plate they used inside the mold. we don't know if the ML vs M1 was intentional vs a mistake or flaw. A U.S. foundry has also done the ML on receivers they made for iai and Auto Ordnance. Letters were cast with the mold. Serial numbers were stamped by FedOrd throughout production. The stamped circled F shows up s/n 51614 and thereafter. The name plates used to cast markings are fairly easily changed inside the mold. Sometimes they wear out and have to be replaced. I suspect FedOrd made the decision to start casting their name and location so they didn't have to waste time stamping them. At the same time they swapped out the name plate for the receiver ring markings. As far as a date when yours was made the 5 prefix cinches it as 1985. Since it's the lowest so far I'm guessing early 1985. Hope this helps. Thanks again, I'll be updating the FedOrd web page to show the new low for the 5 prefix. Jim