There were 10 main manufactures of the US GI wartime M1 carbine. Models made by Universal Hialeah and Iver Johnson are post war commercial models. M1 carbines made by Universal, normally have the ventilated hand guard and modified bolt.
- The M1 carbine is most identified with the Inland Division. Inland M1 Carbine serial number question. It is an Inland M1 Carbine in the 5 million range. Production numbers From To. The M1 1944 carbines feature many of the same characteristics of the original Inland Carbines and are manufactured in the USA! The 1944 M1 carbine has the same.
- During World War II the U S army assigned serial number blocks to the many makers of the M-1 carbine.Your serial number range 4,080,000-4,432,099 was assigned to the company National Postal Meter.These serial numbers were given a date of december 1943,to May 1944.Therfore your M-1 carbine was made by National Postal Meter between 12-1943,and 05-1944.
- Inland M1 Carbine – WWII General Motors – 1944 $ 1,299.99 Up for grabs is an Inland M1 Carbine semi-automatic rifle in.30 Carbine. Serial number-5227312.
Springfield didn’t actually make WWII M1 carbines, but did take a large delivery of tooling and parts in 1944 as production slowed down. They were then one of the main armouries to overhaul M1 carbine production post war and any parts manufactured by Springfield carry an SA stamp. Springfield did manufacture M1 carbines starting in the mid 1990s and these carry an SCxxxx casting.
There are many different components used on the wartime US M1 carbine. Each Manufacturer would use different components and change production at different times. Without going into endless detail, here are some of the main things to look out for, between early and late production M1 carbines.
The Rear Sights
The original WW2 produced rear L-type or ‘flip’ site had no adjustment for windage and had only two elavation settings of 100 or 300 yards.
These were replaced towards the very end of the war by the adjustable sights (milled and stamped) and only by only some manufacturers. Period pictures of M1 carbines with the later adjustable sights are extremely rare, with most M1’s having their sights upgrade to the later adjustable model, post war.
You can look up the date your specific gun was manufactured, but this may actually be before one with a lower serial number was made. As a simplified example though, lets say Winchester was assigned serial numbers 1 to 100, and Inland was assigned 101-200. Inland might well have built serial number 101 before Winchester built number 100. The bolt on all early to mid production M1 carbines have a flat top. In order to save time in production, later M1 carbines, from mid 1944 onward, utilised a round top bolt, which meant less machining. It should be noted, that all WWII production M1 carbine bolts were blued and not parkarized. M1 carbine early bolt; M1 carbine late bolt.
The Barrel Band
There are three types of barrel band for the M1 carbine.
Type 1
Inland M1 Carbine Serial Numbers
The type 1 was the model fitted on the vast majority of WW2 carbines. This consisted of a narrow band retained by the band spring. This band did not always secure the barrel to the stock.
Type 2
The type 2 band was fitted to some late war M1 carbines, around mid 1944. It was an improvement in that it had a larger surface area and was not nearly as often seen as the type 1 band, and was replaced by the type 3.
Type 3
The type 3 band was identical to the type 2 with addition of a bayonet lug. This late type 3 barrel band was introduced in 1945 towards the very end of WW2, the vast majority of M1 carbines having their barrel bands upgraded to type 3 after 1945.
The stock
The stock has been classified by collectors into 3 types:-
type 1 – early stocks with high wood and I-cut oiler recess
type 2 – mid war stock with high wood and oval oiler.
type 3 – late stock with low wood and oval oiler
Early M1 carbines had what has become know as “high wood” stocks. This referred to the area of wood covering the operating handle. As this area of wood was quite thin and often became damaged, the area was reduced on later M1 carbines and became what is known to collectors as “low wood” stock. Low wood stocks were introduced in early 1944 by most manufactures.
Very early stocks had what was known as an “I cut” recess. This was intended for an oiler that was never adopted on the M1 carbine. Later stocks had the more common oval shaped oiler recess.
The shape of the stock was also to change on type 3 stocks. Early M1 carbines had a flatter straight stock. The late production M1 carbines had a shaped “pot belly” stock.
The Handguard
There are two basic differences in the M1 carbine handguard. The early handguard had two rivets while later variations had four. The later four rivet handguard was introduced early 1945 by most manufacturers.
The Bolt
The bolt on all early to mid production M1 carbines have a flat top. In order to save time in production, later M1 carbines, from mid 1944 onward, utilised a round top bolt, which meant less machining. It should be noted, that all WWII production M1 carbine bolts were blued and not parkarized.
The Safety
The safety on early M1 carbines, used a push button method. This proved to be unsatisfactory, as it was closely located to the magazine release and of the same operation, but did remain in production till very late in the war, when replaced with a rotary style safety. This was then commonly retro-fitted to most M1 carbines.
The Sling
Lastly, a quick note on M1 carbine slings. All WWII carbine slings have a horseshoe shaped metal tab. The material was a light coloured khaki in the early war years and turned to a darker olive green later. Post WWII slings used a solid style tab. The colour of the material was dark olive green and the pattern of the weave changed subtlety.
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M1 Carbine Serial Numbers List
Middlesex, NJ |
| Section I | Section II | Section III | Section IV | Section V | Section VI |
| History of Iver Johnson Arms 1977-2012 | Models | Serial Numbers & Dates of Manufacture | Receivers & Markings | Parts | Brochures, Price Lists, Fliers & Manuals (Downloads) |
Understanding the Meaning of 'Date of Manufacture'The ATF Definition used in the AFMER Reports ATF files a yearly report to U.S. Congress on the number of firearms manufactured by each manufacturer. This report is called the Annual Firearms Manufacture & Export Report (AFMER). This report states, 'For the purpose of this report only, 'Production' is defined as firearms, including separate frames or receivers, actions or barreled actions, manufactured and disposed of in commerce during the calendar year.' The phrase 'manufactured and disposed of in commerce' infers everything was manufactured and sold within the same calendar year, which is rarely the case in manufacturing. All parts of a carbine, and all other firearms, are manufactured separately and completed at different times. When all of the parts are assembled into a functioning firearm ready to be sold, the date of manufacture of the firearm is usually the first day it is ready to be sold. None of the companies that have used the Iver Johnson name have provided any of the information you see on this entire website, this page included. Reconstruction of the dates of manufacture has been based on the history of the company, markings on the receivers, the firearm's serial number and the AFMER reports. Collecting and analyzing the serial numbers and their markings has been an ongoing process for many years. What's offered here may change slightly as more information becomes available. The ChartsSince the two letter prefix that starts each serial number was based on the model and various models were manufactured concurrently, each two letter prefix has it's own chart showing that particular prefix's dates of manufacture.
Rather than guess a specific year for a specific serial number the charts below present a serial number range and the years that range started and ended based on the markings and additional resources. Most charts narrow the time frame to within a period of 4 years or less. Conclusions as to the specific year within the time frame a particular number was manufactured are left for the reader to decide.
A few receivers with the markings of Iver Johnson over NJ have been observed sporadically among the carbines manufactured in AR by both Iver Johnson Arms and AMAC. Surplus receivers in various states of manufacture, various markings, and s/n's bought from Numrich Gun Parts have been built into carbines by other companies and by owners.
ATF records indicate 4,524 Enforcers were manufactured/sold between 1978 and 1981. The higher serial number quantity may include rejects and those left over and sold to the Jacksonville, AR investors.
These were receivers with the New Jersey markings and AA prefix absent the serial numbers left over from New Jersey. Serial numbers were added by Jacksonville, AR in 1986. Jacksonville, AR selected these randomly for use as Enforcer receivers and added the E prior to the AA to signify the Enforcer model. The numbers should not be viewed as a sequence. These were built into Enforcers in the months preceding Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in October 1986.
All of these carbines have the markings of Middlesex, NJ, all are stainless steel. The A suffix indicates they were surplus obtained from New Jersey and sold by Jacksonville, AR.
Cartridge was caliber .30 Short, for export to France. Receivers with these markings were purchased from the Iver Johnson bankruptcy sale and sold by Numrich Gun Parts.
All stainless steel carbines with the name of Iver Johnson are marked Iver Johnson Arms over Middlesex, NJ over the breach. The one attributed to Arkansas has the Middlesex, NJ markings and can be identified as one Jacksonville, AR obtained from New Jersey by the A suffix.
The American Historical Foundation first advertised this commemorative in the January 1985 issue of The American Rifleman as a limited production of 2500. Production was based on each order received and completed before Iver Johnson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy October 21, 1986. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||