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Inlands First Production Carbines |
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moneawon
Grunt Joined: Nov 10 2015 Location: South of MDL Status: Offline Points: 1098 |
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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 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. 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? -30
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New2brass
Moderator Group Dan Pinto, Photo Editor Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CT Status: Offline Points: 4627 |
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Today I picked up a manual I did not have. Can you guess what was on the first page I opened it to.....
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welbytwo
Hard Corps Advanced Collector Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 802 |
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yeah I can
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