Question on M1A1 carbine serial number

[rayg]

I know for years the general accepted serial number range for a 1943 dated M1A1 has been within the serial block up to 9,999.99. However I read a post a couple of years ago that M1A1 carbine manufacture also included 1943 made carbines number ranging from 2,712520 to 2,995100. Can't recall were I saw that.
I have an M1A1 # 2,921478 w/bbd date of 10/43 and I always wondered if that serial number range above was ever confirmed as being included in the estimated M1A1 carbine manufacture range.
Anyone know? Ray

[JOHN42768]

Ray, This info is based on Carbine Club approximations. First run, 11-42 thru 10-43, serials 50K thru 950K. Second run, 5-44 thru 12-44, serials 5.1M thru 6.7M. All info Approximate. John

[rayg]

Well I found part of the post I read where I had saved it. Sorry I didn't save it all and who the author was.
Here's the part I saved, not sure if it's an exact quote, Ray

Another thing to consider about Original M1A1's... the Serial number ranges are going to vary... For example, there were 4300 produced in total in 1942, all manufactured in november and december of that year. Indicating an earliest SN of 24700 to a latest SN of 104700. 66648 were manufactured in 1943, ranging from sn 104700 to 999999, and 2712520 to 2995100. 69,052 were produced in 1944, ranging from sn 2995100 to 3212500 and 4879500 to 5546900. No new M1A1's were known to have been produced in 1945.

there were a total of approximately 140,000 M1A1's made by Inland from 1942 through 1944, leaving a serial number range from 24700 to 5546900, set into specific Inland blocks of serial numbers shown above. Keep in mind also that there was no set "M1A1" block either... as the receivers came down the assembly line they had equal chance of being assembled as an M1 or M1A1. I do have one notation of test carbine serial numbers out of WarBaby showing that ten M1A1 rifles were pulled from production batches for quality control and interchangeability testing. The rifles pulled for this November 4th 1942 test report are noted in the M1A1 section of Warbaby as SNs: 36356, 43097, 43460, 44405, 45296, 49541, 51220, 53054, 54032, and 54165. There is yet another interchangeability test from "lot FA" showing two rifles, SNs 42091 and 45578.

This post appears to include more numbers then the 950,00 end number, and if memory serves me right, I seem to recall that I may have read that the Carbine club does have some M1A1 carbines in their records that are in the 2,700, 000, 10/43 date block, Ray

[rayg]

This was posted on the Gunboard's forum in answer to the same question about the serial number I had posted there. Ray

Approximate amounts of M1A1 carbines delivered by month:
1- 11 and 12 of 1942; serial numbers about 200k to 300k
2- Jan of 1943, 3 through 10 of 1943; but not 11 or 12 of 1943; 2,900,000 to 3,000,00 and 400,000 to 1,000,000(all approx.)
3- 5 through 12 of 1944, not 1-4 of 44; 5,200,000 to 5,500,000 and 6,200,000 to 6,400,000 and 6,600,000 to 6,900,000(again all approx.)

Hope this helps.

Serial number 2,921,478 could have had an 8, 9 ,10, or 11 of 1943 bbl when produced, so yours is right in the middle of the expected range; barrel dates are based on observations of original carbines published by the carbine club way back in 1977.

[rayg]

I have two other M1A1 carbines that fall in the correct 1943 range. But this one, which I had gotten some 15-20 yrs ago looks like it has had some battle history as you can see. So I was hoping that it was an original M1A1 in it's original stock despite what the earlier books and information had stated about the 1943 carbine production ending at 999999. Ray

[rayg]

more

[rayg]

Here's another indication that the carbine most likely had been used in a war zone.
The polished blued lift the dot fastener on slings can actually shine or reflect a glint a bit, especially when new. The fastener on this carbine had a dab of OD paint applied to it to prevent any reflection. Maybe a minor thing, but in combat you want to cover all bases. Ray

[Tuna]

M1A1 carbines were produced from the 20,000 range in to the 2.9 million. Production of the second run started at the top of the 5.1 million range in May 1943 and ended no higher then the 6.5 million range in December 1944. No M1A1 carbines were made in 1945. Your carbine does fall into the possible category for sure.