New Member from GA

Hey all. Just joined from GA after using the info from the collector club to pick up a pair of Commercial Carbines: one Iver Johnson M1 and one AMAC Enforcer. I'll post pictures of them later. Anyway, thanks for being here and compiling all this information.

Edited by W5USMC - Oct 11 2021 at 9:10pm

Images are too big to upload so here's an Imgur link: http://imgur.com/a/DqAsXX6. Reason I decided to post here is that I have an AMAC Enforcer with the serial Number EF 00331, which is lower than the earliest known one from the website. Hoping people here can shed some light on that.

OP, welcome to the forum! You have some interesting carbines. There is much one can learn here. I learn something new all the time. The  experienced and knowledgeable folks are very helpful.

joeldworkin307,

Welcome aboard.

Thanks for sharing your info. I don't get around to updating the pages as often as I would like (or should) due to the research and work involved with the USCarbineCal30.com website. So many to do and not enough time to do them all. But I'm going to update the AMAC page later today. Nothing major, just a few minor updates.

The history of the Enforcer carbines can get a little confusing due to the changes in owners and different company names they used.

The "Enforcer" carbine was started by Universal Firearms about 1964/65 with production continued thru 1985. The serial number alone does not identify the receiver as one used on their Enforcer model. Serial numbers were the same format and in sequence with the serial numbers used on almost all of their carbines (s/n's 2054 - 488363).


1964/65-1967


Universal Firearms Enforcer 1964/65-1967


Universal Firearms Enforcer 1964/65-1967

All Universal Enforcers 1967 and later have the Universal Firearms hybrid carbine design (s/n 100,00 and up) with the twin recoil springs and open cam cut in the slide. Very different from the Plainfield/AMAC/Iver Johnson Enforcers.


Universal Firearms Enforcer 1967-1968


Universal Firearms Enforcer 1967-1968


Universal Firearms Enforcer 1967-1968

The 1968 Gun Control Act required all handguns to be identified as such but not how. Universal did this by addng the name "ENFORCER" to the top of the receiver.



In 1977 Louis Imperato bought Plainfield Machine in Middlesex, NJ. For the first 6-9 months he continued using the Plainfield Machine name. During this time he added an Enforcer model to their carbine lineup.


Plainfield Machine Enforcer

During 1978 Imperato changed the company name to Iver Johnson's Arms. Operations remained in the same location. The Enforcer became the "Super Enforcer". 1978-1982 the Enforcer stock was slightly changed along with the barrel length.


Iver Johnson's Arms Super Enforcer circa 1978





Stainless Steel version




About 1982/83 Imperato sold "Iver Johnson's Arms" in New Jersey to a group of investors in Arkansas. They moved the company and everything left in NJ to Jacksonville, AR. Their carbines, ads, and catalogs became a mixture of what was done in NJ and what was changed after the move to AR.

This AR group didn't make their own receivers. They used receivers in various stages of completion left over from New Jersey and receivers manufactured by Universal Firearms. Which they also bought but left in Hialeah, FL until 1985.

When I initially authored this post I indicated "All" of the Enforcers I've seen that were assembled by the group in Jacksonville 1983-1985 have had receivers left over from NJ. I found a few pics of one of the Enforcers during this time that was assembled using a Universal Firearms receiver. All parts, the serial number, and all markings but one are the same as the Enforcers built with Iver Johnson receivers. The one difference is the top of the receiver forward of the bolt is marked "CARBINE" over "CAL. 30". No U.S., no M1.


Iver Johnson's Arms, Jacksonville, AR - EAA prefix serial number
Receiver manufactured in Middlesex, NJ with AA prefix, repurposed to EAA for use on the Enforcer


Iver Johnson's Arms, Jacksonville, AR - EF prefix serial number (last digit obliterated)


Things changed again, in early 1987 when Imperato reacquired Iver Johnson. He used new receivers cast from a different mold than those prior. He switched the name to AMAC then back to Iver Johnson.


AMAC Enforcer
(thanks for sharing the pics, other AMAC Enforcer pics I have the Enforcers were modified in various ways)


Below is the serial number breakdown for Plainfield/Iver Johnson/AMAC Enforcers I've seen.

Plainfield Machine - Middlesex, NJ (Imperato)
    PP00167 - PP00596

Iver Johnson Arms - Middlesex, NJ (Imperato)
    BA006xx - BA05567 (Blued steel)
    BS00012 - BS00306 (Stainless)

Iver Johnson Arms - Jacksonville, NJ (ARK investors)
    BA05708 (only one seen)
    EAA62746 - EAA63659 (AA prefix receivers made in NJ repurposed for Enforcers and not completely sequential)
    EE00065 (only one seen)
    EF000xx - EF00180

AMAC (Imperato)
    EF00331 -EF00535

Iver Johnson Arms - Jacksonville, NJ (Imperato)
    EF00601 - EF00754

In 1985 the Arkansas investment group closed the Universal Firearms facility in Hialeah, FL. Everything was moved to their Iver Johnson's Arms Jacksonville, AR facility. They advertised the Universal Firearms Enforcer as one of the carbines they offered but all they sold had the Universal Firearms Enforcer markings. These were leftovers as Enforcer production had stopped when the Hialeah facility was closed.


Universal Firearms Enforcer 1968-1985
Offered in blued steel, nickel plated, and gold plated

Universal Firearms Enforcer 1968-1985

This isn't a complete breakdown of variations, markings and locations. Just an overall review.

Hope this makes sense.

Jim



Edited by sleeplessnashadow - Oct 13 2021 at 11:10pm

All Universal Enforcers 1967 and later have the Universal Firearms hybrid carbine design (s/n 100,00 and up) with the twin recoil springs and open cam cut in the slide. Very different from the Plainfield/AMAC/Iver Johnson Enforcers.

Hi Vinny,

I'm the researcher and author of the Plainfield and Iver Johnson web pages. I have no info specific to your Enforcer but do have general info about when it was made.

Enforcers with the Plainfield name were only manufactured in 1977 and 1978. Iver Johnson took over the Plainfield operations sometime in 1978.

BATF's annual manufacture reports indicate Plainfield made 246 in 1977 and 257 in 1978 for a total of 503. Obviously we've seen s/n's higher than that 503.

I think Iver Johnson probably completed Plainfield marked Enforcer receivers in various stages of production. Iver Johnson reported 563 Enforcers manufactured in 1978.

Jim