I have a question on a couple of early carbine parts

[rayg]

I tried to amend the heading but couldn't find how. Here are photos of my early carbine and one question I have is on the stock. In one book I read that the cartouche wasn't transferred to the right side butt stock until serial 30,000. Otherwise the stock appears to be a correct early high wood with no bomb stamped in the inside of the forearm and a bomb and IO in the sling well. Is that 30,000 number set in stone or is it possible the stock could be within the approx. range for the serial number and 7-42 date of my carbine? Ray

[Tuna]

Early on in 1943 about January time frame for the plunger. That would be roughly about serial number 160,000 for Inland. The type 2 plunger didn't last all that long before it too was replaced. The acceptance stamp moving from inside the sling well to the right side was also early on. Again roughly about serial number 30,000 the switch had taken place to the right side of the stock and before serial number 100,000 the large stamp was in use by Inland.

[rayg]

Thanks Tuna, Here's more photos, Ray

[rayg]

more

[Tuna]

Ray you have a beautiful carbine and it appears to be all original. Very nice indeed.

[Embalmer]

Nice. I'm a sucker for early inlands

[firstflabn]

If my counting skills are up to par - that's a 26-1/2 coil hammer spring. These were approved sometime soon after May 1, 1943.

[rayg]

Interesting, How many coils should the original period spring have and why would it be changed to the later one? Is it a stronger spring? Ray

[Tuna]

The original springs were 22 coils and the spring coil count was changed shortly after it was approved in May 1943 with the approval of the type 3 hammer which went into production in the September/October 1943 time frame. The 26 coil spring is stronger then the 22 coil spring and was changed to insure more positive hammer fall. Some manufacturers used the 22 coil spring up to about the end of 1943.

[rayg]

Thanks tuna. I guess I will have replace the spring with a 22 coil one if I want to return the carbine to it's period configuration as I won't be shooting it. Probably a company arms room replacement upgrade. Anyone have an extra 22 coil spring in their parts bin they could part with or if it's only the coil difference, I suppose I could just clip off a few coils. But I'd rather have an original one. Ray

[Tuna]

Look on GB or Ebay for one. I have seen them offered there before.

[rayg]

Finally got to my books. The coils on the 22 coil spring are larger/thicker in dia so it won't work just to cut down the longer one I need an original one, Ray

[rayg]

Just to make sure that the spring was the only thing changed/upgraded. I took the bolt apart and everything is as it should be. The cone shaped extractor plunger, the type #1 extractor, and correct firing pin, Ray

[firstflabn]

Straight hammer and 26-1/2 coil hammer spring for new production were approved at the same time. MWO ORD B28-W1 (for existing carbines) included the same requirement to replace hammer and spring together. In the latter case, quantities of the two parts would have been shipped together (I presume as a kit).

So, take your pick - perhaps a product of a field salvage operation where the niceties of paperwork were often ignored out of necessity - or - a later restoration/repair by who knows who. Either theory could account for the stock and HG almost certainly being a good bit later.

MWO-1 states its purpose as: "To reduce trigger pull."

[rayg]

Straight hammer and 26-1/2 coil hammer spring for new production were approved at the same time. MWO ORD B28-W1 (for existing carbines) included the same requirement to replace hammer and spring together. In the latter case, quantities of the two parts would have been shipped together (I presume as a kit).

So, take your pick - perhaps a product of a field salvage operation where the niceties of paperwork were often ignored out of necessity - or - a later restoration/repair by who knows who. Either theory could account for the stock and HG almost certainly being a good bit later.

MWO-1 states its purpose as: "To reduce trigger pull."

How and why the spring and stock got changed is Just one of those little things I guess we will never know. I was wondering though, the hand guard has the Ord bomb, and either just an "O", or a "O I", I can't make out which, would that also be later like you mentioned?
Also Just curious on how much later the stock is then my carbine. What month would a carbine be made starting at 30,000? (Well answered my own question as I just looked it up in War Baby. It would be approx. Oct.- Dec.), Ray