I have a question on a couple of early carbine parts

[Duane Hansen]

I'm just learning about these Carbines and am curious about the mags. Is there any particular marking on a 15 round mag that would be more correct than another. Which ones would be more likely to have come with this early Inland Carbine. I know that there were many different marks on the mags so I just wondered.

[Tuna]

An early Inland magazine would be a type 1 with the flat base plate. It would be marked with IA, AI, SY-I, IU, II, KI, TI, SI. So in general any 2 letter combo with an I in it could have been made for Inland.

[Duane Hansen]

Thanks again Tuna for the information, it is most appreciated.

[rayg]

Regarding that only the spring was changed in my 42 carbine and not both the later hammer and spring at the same time and why if when the items were authorized and came in pairs to be replaced only the spring was replaced in the gun. Being curious about the springs which I never paid attention to them before, I checked the springs on my three mid and latter year 1943 dated M1A1 carbines and two of them had the type III springs and hammers apparently as authorized, but one of the mid year ones still had the earlier type II hammer but the later spring. Again the question of who added that spring? I guess this again just goes to show that nothing is certain with carbines.
Also in looking to see if by chance I had a 22 coil spring in my small stash of carbine parts, I came across a type II hammer with "MC" stamped on it, what mfg. would that be? Ray

[BrianQ]

The 26 1/2 coil hammer spring and the straight hammer (type IV) were not part of a kit. They were individually packaged parts, although some were repackaged by the Ordnance Dept. personnel in packs of ten each. If a carbine had a damaged or lost hammer spring the unit armor or operator could easily just replace the spring.

MC marked hammers were made by The Marco Company during WWII as field replacement parts.

[rayg]

Thanks Brian for that info. The springs maybe were replaced on the carbines even if the old springs that were on them were still ok as there may have been some problems associated with the weaker springs to cause the issuing of stronger springs. Ray

[rayg]

Well made the carbine a little more correct, I obtained a 22-1/2 coil spring and replaced the in-correct period spring that was in it. There must be a easy way of replacing a spring because I tried putting it back in the way I took it out, up and out, but it wouldn't line up in the hole and after trying for about 1/2 hr, I finally tried a different approach and removed the hammer pin and lined the spring up against the loose hammer and compressed the spring and at the same time moving/sliding the hammer back to were the pin holes lined up and replaced the pin to secure the hammer and spring. Not sure if that's the way it's supposed to be done but it worked. Also the carbine has an early magazine in it.

[emmagee1917]

With hammer fully forward , place spring and guide in hole by running along the right side of the hammer ( right is right , left is wrong ) . Use the tip of the mainspring guide in the hammer spring guide's loop to compress spring and guide the loop into the hammer's notch.
Chris

[rayg]

Thanks Chris. I was trying to put it back with the hammer back. If I would have had any brains, I would have realized the hammer should be forward. Oh well, never was the sharpest knife in the drawer, Lol, Ray

[emmagee1917]

Most people try to do it from the wrong side ......" Hey , they put a notch in the hammer here for the spring / plunger to clear " .
Chris