?'s about a 6.7 million Inland

[Ls6man]

Hi guys

I recently located a 6.7 Inland which I stuck on lay away at a local store. I have some questions about a few parts though as I've been out of carbines for a while.

The rifle is a 6.7 million, with a 12-44 barrel. The rifle appears to be original finish, and has the "1" in "M1"hand stamped.. It looks "text book" correct, except for a few parts, which while correct looking are throwing me off..

The type 3 band is unmarked from what I see. The "p" proof is in front of the type 3 band, and appears burnished, but I dont see any markings on the band itself. The rear sight (a milled adjustable) doesn't have any markings on it, neither does the front sight (no "N" or other markings) that I see.

The stock is an Inland M2 stock as well. It is marked in the sling well "HI" and has the large Inland wheel on the right side, but the M2 cut is present and the stock is a potbelly.

Any ideas? I know it is hard without seeing the rifle, but any help is appreciated.

Greg

[Tuna]

If the barrel band has been change if it's unmarked and it seems that it has, then the front sight most likely has been too. A correct milled type 2 rear sight should be marked PI or HI. While your barrel may be original ( first in the bin and last one out.) it could also be a replacement. Your serial number would date to about Feb.1945 and by that time barrel and receiver out put were in the same time frame so one who think a 1-45 or 2-45 barrel would be correct.

[Ls6man]

Hey guys

I went back and took a few more pics (not as good as I would have hoped..need a new camera..lol) and looked at a few more things..

The rifle is actually in the 6,670,xxx range

The stock is NOT a pot belly..it is Inland type 3 and has the M2 cut though. The stock is marked "HI" in the sling well and has the large Inland ordnance wheel.

The band IS marked "KI" but it is faint and harder to see...

The front sight doesn't appear to be marked that I could see. It appears to milled

The rear sight is also milled and I couldn't see any markings on it either. It is correctly staked though.

The rest of the internals are correct.

The rifle is definitely a "hand stamp"

[Tuna]

The barrel band being marked KI would indicate it's original. The front sight should be marked N or R. It looks like a typical Niedner made sight which is correct for Inland. Look behind the blade for a faint marking. But I do not believe the rear sight is original to your carbine. There were times during 1945 that Inlands production was higher then their contractors could produce adjustable rear sights and they would use the old flip sight till new shipments of the adjustable sights would come in. I am thinking that your rear sight is a replacement for an flip sight. If your stock is not a pot belly and the cut for the M2 selector appears to be factory done it's a type 4 stock. The barrel channel in the front should be an inch longer then the type 3 stock so if it's 4 inches + it is a type 4 stock.

[Ls6man]

Just curious but couldnt the rear sight just be a part which just wasn't stamped..for whatever reason? I guess is it better to leave it alone or replace it with a part marked "PI"? I will also look at the stock channel and see what the measurement is.

[Tuna]

It could be as far as the rear sight but something is not quite right with it to me. I have seen this type sight before and it was not on an Inland. I just cannot remember what it is about this unmarked sight.

[GBEAR1]

I may be wrong but the hand guard appears to be a very early wide groove type .

[Embalmer]

Hand guard is early 2 rivet deep grove

[Tuna]

And like many of the early ones it's cracking. The hand guard is not right for this carbine. Should be a type 3 four rivet hand guard.

[Ls6man]

It could be a FILO piece...

[Tuna]

No the time frame is way to long between the early type you have and the later correct ones. Well over a full year time difference between the two.

[Ls6man]

I'm not sure if the handguard is original to the rifle or not...but I wouldnt simply discredit it based on the time frame..FILO, FIFO, etc. explains how this can happen. Case in point..I've owned a '70 LS6 Chevelle where the engine assembly date and car assembly date were the same week, and I've also owned one where the time frame was out of the normal 0-3 month window but the engine was the born with block. This happens all the time in manufacturing. Keep in mind no one at Inland was thinking ahead to 2013 and some rifle they were assembling being collectible.

It is the type of thinking that you are advocating IMO that leads many original cars or guns to be "restored" incorrectly with original as manufactured parts to be removed and a more "text book" correct part added.

Just saying

[ChipS]

I have a 6,673,xxx Inland receiver with no Type 2/3 rear sight staking marks. I did put a 12-44 Inland barrel on it that had the original KI Type 3 band and Neidner (N) front sight. I believe the receiver was probably manufactured in December 1944 or January 1945.

[Tuna]

Most likely January 1945 for a 6.6 million Inland. As to the time frame with parts. You have to realize the speed that parts were used in making carbines. With such a large time frame there was no way an early hand guard was sitting in a bin for over a year. A month or two maybe but not over a year. When your carbine in the 6.7 range was made do you have any idea how many carbines a day Inland was making? About 4500 each day which translates to about 90,000 a month. And you really think a hand guard got FILO in a bin for over a year? You would have better odds playing the lottery.

[Ls6man]

I'm aware of how many rifles were being made..I've been collecting these things for a while...just not over the last 13 years.. and honestly I'm more of a German/Garand/03 guy. I'm also aware even the most experienced collector has looked at MAYBE .5% of the total number manufactured (and that is probably being WAY too generous) of truly original rifles and therefore the vast majority of what we "know" are assumptions based on the absurdly low number of truly original rifles viewed.

I'm not saying the handguard is original to the receiver...no way to tell really, but to automatically discount it based on the fact it doesnt fit into your "box" as to what is known isn't the right way IMO either.. Case in point @1997 I was on here (well the 03 section) chatting with Big Larry (where did he go BTW??) about a 1903 Springfield I was trying to pick up. This rifle had all the hall marks of being a Unertl equipped rifle..right serial range, "O" and "E" blocks, milled handguard with chatter, punch on the bottom of the barrel, filed guard, star gauge, etc....EXCEPT it was in a type "S" stock. I called Larry and we chatted. Long story short...I bought the rifle and after doing some detective work...we both determined the rifle was legit and was actually used with the type "S"..based on preference of some Marine RT member and that was how it was converted. A lot of guys based on your idea would have discounted the rifle as a fake or worse..switched the stock to a pre-war type C with NM number to make it "text book" correct...

My point is since no one on this board was there..and we can't say with 100% certainity (ie: the part wasn't made yet) it couldnt happen...sometimes you just leave it alone..same with cars as these..

Greg