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Inland restoration project help |
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Unit91 
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Joined: Dec 20 2025 Location: Missouri Status: Offline Points: 16 |
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 Topic: Inland restoration project helpPosted: Jan 01 2026 at 2:17am |
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Hello! New member here! Little about myself, I’ve been collecting firearms for about 25 years now, mainly handguns. Being a history buff, I’ve started collecting World War 2 era firearms over the past few years; Garand’s, Arisaka’s, K98’s, etc. but never an M1 Carbine…until now. So, I found a sporterized Inland on an online auction and won it for a little over $500. My intention was (and still is) to restore it to its past military glory. When I picked it up at my dealer, he pointed out that it’s a 5 digit serial number (54xxx), marked 9-42 on the barrel. I’ve already done some research and I’ve got a few questions as I begin this restoration journey. I just want to confirm the stock I’m looking for is an IO marked high wood “I” cut, 2 rivet IO handguard, and the rear flip sights should be marked “p” on the left side? Next question, the aforementioned original parts appear to be unobtainium and counterfeits appear abundant for the rear sight. Does anyone have any good sources for parts on the interwebs? The sling swivel and screw is also missing, but the barrel band appears original and unmarked. Would a sling swivel on an early production gun be marked, if so, with what? Last question (for now), the previous owner decided the bolt would look better shiny. It appears he took a Dremel to it. Does anyone have any recommendations on someone who can match the parkerizing and check headspace to make sure Bubba didn’t do more than polish? Fulton armory or James River? |
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floydthecat
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Joined: Oct 13 2016 Location: Mississippi Status: Offline Points: 2307 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 6:52am |
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Nobody here wants to deflate anyones ballon, especially a new owner just being introduced to the carbine. Opinions will vary on what approach to take. Restoration is certainly a worthy cause but it can get very expensive. I suggest you catalog every component and determine where you stand. You might need many more correctly marked components to bring the carbine back to its original configuration and can easily get more $ invested than the cost of a certified original and have a carbine that will always be restored no matter how correct you make it. $500 is a very good price for a shooter and you could invest another $500 to “un-sporterize” it and still have a solid shooter. You could easily invest well over another $1,000.00 to correct it and it will never be original.
Nothing wrong with your intentions. One just needs to be aware of the costs and time involved with a complete restoration. Welcome to the forum! |
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DogDoc
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Joined: Feb 04 2022 Location: Arkansas Status: Offline Points: 91 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 8:12am |
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If you want to restore that correctly, it could take a long time to find the correct parts for an Inland that early. Definitely a worthwhile project and that is exactly what I would do with it. For your first carbine project, you’re taking on a big one. Also, you will have quite a bit in it when you’re done potentially. What would really help the forum members is a list of what you do have in the way of parts and some pictures.
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New2brass
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Dan Pinto, How Can I help Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CCC Status: Offline Points: 5527 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 8:39am |
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Congratulations on your find, and welcome to the forums. is the metal blued or parkerized? any modifications? Bolts were not parkerized, they were blued. Stock would have a flaming bomb in the slingwell as well. You may want to pick up CCNL 346 as a reference. for $10 bucks mailed you learn about what is correct for your serial number |
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W5USMC
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 10:26am |
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As Dan mentioned above CCNL 346 is a must, loaded with great information.
As mentioned above there are a lot of things to consider when thinking about doing a restoration. FWIW, the rear flip sight would be marked with a "S" not a "p" on the left side.
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Wayne
USMC Retired NRA Life Member |
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Unit91
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 1:12pm |
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http://photobucket.com/share/932972e1-01fd-49e2-b704-3f2809dc91d0
Thank you guys! I am in no rush as far as getting this thing restored. Money isn’t too much of a concern as long as the wife doesn’t find out. With all the reading I’ve been doing on the carbines, it’s only sparked more interest in collecting more of them. I’ll be picking up the CCNL also, but here is a manifest of what I do have and pics.
Receiver-marked “2” on the bottom Barrel- marked Inland General Motors 9-42 and a bunch of symbols closer to the receiver. Front sight- marked N Barrel band- no markings Bolt- marked IO Operating slide- marked PI in a circle and “3” Trigger housing- marked inland Hammer- marked HI and “8” Trigger- marked RI Mag catch-marked E1 Recoil Plate- no markings No other discernible markings on small parts |
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floydthecat
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 1:28pm |
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Those symbols near the receiver are referred to as Inland Hieroglyphics. Looks like you have some good stuff going on here. The hardest part might be finding the correct stock set someone will turn lose of and at an affordable price. Don’t know what was going on with the rear sight. Might have been secured with set screws? Don’t see any stake marks, which is a good thing.
It looks completely refinished. That bolt could likely be re-blued, since there can’t be much concern for matching the original finish.
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Unit91
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 1:55pm |
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There was an aftermarket Williams peep sight on it secured with two set screws. It came with a really cheap plastic stock as well, it went right in the trash.
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kro1970
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Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Central Florida Status: Offline Points: 334 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 2:07pm |
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PM sent
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New2brass
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Dan Pinto, How Can I help Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CCC Status: Offline Points: 5527 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 2:14pm |
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Well, looks like an original that has been buggered. so decent candidate* It looks refinished, but for due diligence, pic showing barrel band near gas cyl, is there any metal in the white (lack of finish) Need a picture of the left side of the receiver.
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floydthecat
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 2:38pm |
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As info, if you do elect to refinish the bolt APW Cogan (Accurate Plating) in Dothan AL has refinished and plated a good bit of stuff for me over the years. You could probably get by with something like Vans bluing solution.
All being said…..I think you made a good purchase for $500. Can’t find a decent receiver for that nowadays. At the very least, stick a good stock and a sight on it and shoot it. Have you measured the ME?
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welbytwo
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 2:39pm |
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take fotos using cardboard as background-the white makes everything look to dark--it screws with the lighting on camera--you have great candidate for restoration--that hammer has very unique marking-the 8 is a flaming bomb stamp-you need a nice stock for it-whether refinished or original as it looks nice either way
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Unit91
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 2:49pm |
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https://photobucket.com/share/be25edeb-79aa-4b3e-9174-cf2735da27fc
I don’t see anything in the white except for the gas cylinder I loaned the gauges I’ve used for my Garands to my buddy and never got them back. I added a pic using M2 ball, it looks like it’s got some life left.
Edited by Unit91 - Jan 01 2026 at 3:05pm |
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floydthecat
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 3:25pm |
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I agree. Someplace out there on the innerweb are the gage conversion numbers that relate to the bullet exposure between the case mouth and the muzzle, but in any event….it’s got life left. You need a bolt tool if you’ve not considered that already. Carbine bolts disassemble a bit differently than Garand or M14 bolts. Maybe grab a piston nut wrench for the tool box just in case.
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New2brass
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Dan Pinto, How Can I help Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CCC Status: Offline Points: 5527 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 3:48pm |
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That barrel and receiver were originally blued as per the CCNL it was not a bright or polished blue. Can you take a picture of the face of the hammer, the side that hits the bolt/firing pin Also the cam on the slide, the inner part that interacts with bolt
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Unit91
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 4:15pm |
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New2brass
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Dan Pinto, How Can I help Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CCC Status: Offline Points: 5527 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 4:35pm |
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thank you! did you notice the hieroglyphic in the trigger housing in front of the hammer?
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Unit91
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 4:47pm |
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I did not until you said something. Between that and the hieroglyphics on the bottom of the barrel, what significance did they have? Were they just inspection markings?
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New2brass
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Dan Pinto, How Can I help Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CCC Status: Offline Points: 5527 |
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 5:31pm |
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It is believed to be inspection markings
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welbytwo
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Posted: Jan 01 2026 at 8:02pm |
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trigger house and hammer looks to be orig finish and only has type 1 hammer marks--I think by sight of these you may have a real winner--need to see photos of both sides of receiver for determination
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