universal 1st generation m-1 carbine markings

[backfin]

New to site - Great site
Picked up a Universal M-1 Carbine serial # 62xxx for range shooting, Its been 47 years since qualifying in military with a m-1 and it really brought back some memories.
After reading about the universal carbine and being more educated about the USGI parts used in the 1st generation model, I'm hopefully these part markings can be identified by persons with knowlege about these firearms.

bolt - .u.
Barrel only marking - DS
Slide - PI (underlined) also a large D or U --Gas cylinder welded to barrel
Rear sight - H in shield
Mag catch = HI
Recoil Plate - DI
Receiver - (38) where scope plate attaches
Stock - 8210

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
backfin

[Tuna]

The parts you listed that end in I are all Inland. The barrel and the receiver are Universal made. The H in a shield rear sight is one that is most often found on late Winchesters. The bolt was made by Underwood. If there are no letters in the sling well of the stock it's a Universal made stock.

[backfin]

Thanks for part identification, since the barrel and receiver are universal made, is this model safe to use shooting at a 1000 round a year pace or should I invest in a used USGI barrel & receiver?

[kcw]

Thanks for part identification, since the barrel and receiver are universal made, is this model safe to use shooting at a 1000 round a year pace or should I invest in a used USGI barrel & receiver?

I've never heard of any unusual safety issues with this Universal model. In fact I believe that the U.S. government even bought a few thousand of them at one time. Several years ago the CMP offered some of them for sale as well used barreled receivers.

[backfin]

One of the concerns I had was welded gas assembly to barrel but if it was ok for the US government and CMP I can live with it. This universal groups very well at 100 yds and not bad at 200yds with right ammo. Won't handle a solf point bullet. Thanks for info.

[Tuna]

There is more to the Universal carbine. The early ones like yours called first generation do us almost all USGI parts and they interchange. But by the next generation Universal was making more of their own parts as surplus supplies were drying up. This was the start of the quality decline and by the end of production the quality was really very poor compared to the first ones. The gas blocks are known to break off on some. Their designed slides crack and break frequently and repairs on them don't last long. Parts are just about impossible to find as they have been out of business for a long time. USGI parts are not interchangeable with the later carbines. The carbines bought from Universal were not bought by the military but by agencies like the TVA or Department of Energy for security forces to guard their plants. USGI carbines were just not available at the time as the ones the military they had were going overseas to the likes of Viet Nam and Korea. In general there are better commercial carbines out there then the Universal.