M1A1 Paratrooper Carbine - Page 2

jamesicus · August 23, 2011, 12:28 PM

Deleted by poster

James K · August 23, 2011, 04:26 PM

Chris, I never said it didn't happen. But some folks seem to think that every GI came home toting his M1 rifle or carbine. Someone even painted a picture c. 1945, showing a returning vet in full combat gear, rifle, pack and helmet, kissing his wife in front of the traditional rose-covered cottage. Didn't happen.

Jim

amd6547 · August 23, 2011, 04:46 PM

An uncle of mine served on a US Navy ocean going tug in the pacific theater. This tug was used to pull landing craft off active invasion beaches, and my uncle was sent ashore to coordinate. Armed only with a 1911, he picked up a carbine from a pile and carried it for the rest of the war.
When the war was over, he walked off the ship with his gear, including the carbine, slung over his shoulder...nobody said a thing.

kilimanjaro · August 23, 2011, 08:53 PM

My dad came back from the Pacific with no less than 5 Jap Arisaka rifles, the first one he picked off the pile on the dock in Tsingtao along with the rest of the crew of his carrier, every sailor got a trophy, and a lot of Navy officers got a pistol or sword. The other 4 rifles he bought on board the carrier heading home in early 1946, they sold for as little as two dollars when the card and crap games were going.

The mums were ground off as they came aboard the ship, but a bunch got by. Dad said quite a few spare 1911's in the arms lockers walked off the ship back in Long Beach. I have a photo of him, taken late 1945, he is guarding a work detail of Japanese soldiers unloading some lighters at the beach in Tsingtao, armed with a Thompson. He said he wanted to bring that home with him, but no dice with the automatic weapons, the pistols were another story, however, being traded and sold all over the ships.

rangerryda · August 24, 2011, 06:55 AM

The way I figure, if things along these lines (although not directly the same in regards to firearms) can still occur in our military today (which they do for a fact) then it wouldn't be all that difficult to do in the 40's.

32 Magnum · August 24, 2011, 04:46 PM

I'm in the process of reading "Warbaby! by Larry Ruth.
Looking through the wartime data I find that:
1. Production tests were run on 5 Inland produced M1 Carbines, randomly chosen from production - tests were run on Aug 30, 31 and September 1to 7, 1942 at Aberdeen. The s/ns chosen for testing were 9570, 10707, 12893, 13109 and 13242 - all having been made before Sept. 1, 1942. These were standardized tests. Note the serial numbers chosen.
2. M1A1 production began, undercontract in Nov. 1942 - by the end of Oct. '42, Inland had made 39,554 serial numbered carbines. By this reckoning the lowest serial numbered M1A1 would be some where above 39,554.
3. Serial number in the 115K range would have been made sometime in Jan. 1943 - during that month Inland made34,894 M1 and approx. 9,900 M1A1.
Total production of the M1A1 which ceased in December of '44 was right around 140,000 pieces.
This book is a treasure trove for Carbine collectors or anyone who wants to know the FULL story behind the Light Rifle/Carbine development. I even learned the H&R had submitted two versions of E. Reisings light rifle during the early stages of testing and later Marlin submitted a modified version of the Reising light rifle.
A good book - a slow read - but full of facts and figures.

rangerryda · August 24, 2011, 07:33 PM

Very cool! Thanks for the additional info! Tomorrow starts my weekend so the pics we've all been waiting for (including myself) should be posted.

rangerryda · August 26, 2011, 12:37 PM

The moment we've all been waiting for is upon us. I took almost 80 pictures of this thing to cover every nook and cranny. You can check them out here:

http://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ell/?start=all

Enjoy and any feedback is welcome!

Some were before cleaning so don't mind the filth :P

Chris_B · August 26, 2011, 04:32 PM

I...believe that what you have there is something very very special

rangerryda · August 26, 2011, 07:04 PM

That's what I've been trying to say!! lol Thank you though. It will forever be a cherished family relic that goes bang every time

Want to clean it more thoroughly one of these days (not refinish or sand anything though, just a few spots that still have a little gunk in them).

ronniejenny06 · November 3, 2011, 06:54 AM

I know this thread is old, but I found the content interesting. I was looking for info on a M1A1 that I got my hands on while stationed here iat an embassy in Africa. Long story short, the weapon was siezed from a drug dealer by local police, and placed in their lockup for an unknown amount of time. An embassy employee saw the weapon on a tour, and asked where it came from, because it was a U.S. military weapon from WWII. The police chief said, "You want it? Take it!" and sold the weapon as an auction piece. Very few locals can have weapons, but diplomats are allowed. He didn't want to go through the trouble of BATF paperwork, so he sold it to me. We couldn't find any info on the weapon, except that it is in Africa for some reason, possibly since WWII? It was well kept, with the original stock. S/N is 151XXX, and reading the post from rangerryda it could have been manufactured on the same day as his. Small world. Now, I am getting my ATF forms together to bring this piece of history home next year.

hammered54 · November 6, 2011, 08:57 AM

love reading these story's and always get a kick out of what all the "experts" seem to know.
what I get out of it is that ...for all they think they know they still don't know everything.... mostly about "bring backs" .
most of these "old Vets" are no longer with us (including my father) and the story's they told will fade with time , but some story's will stick with you and be told over and over ( I have a few of my/his own) and I believe them word for word.

yours is a great one.
Matt.

Rifleman55 · November 6, 2011, 09:37 PM

I knew a retired Lt. COL that brought back his 1911-a1 after WW2 he gave it to his son before he died.

August 23, 2011, 12:28 PM	#26
jamesicus Member Join Date: January 25, 2010 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 56	Deleted by poster Last edited by jamesicus; August 23, 2011 at 10:18 PM.

August 23, 2011, 04:46 PM	#28
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,313	An uncle of mine served on a US Navy ocean going tug in the pacific theater. This tug was used to pull landing craft off active invasion beaches, and my uncle was sent ashore to coordinate. Armed only with a 1911, he picked up a carbine from a pile and carried it for the rest of the war. When the war was over, he walked off the ship with his gear, including the carbine, slung over his shoulder...nobody said a thing. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

August 26, 2011, 12:37 PM	#33
rangerryda Member Join Date: August 20, 2011 Posts: 36	PICTURES!!!! The moment we've all been waiting for is upon us. I took almost 80 pictures of this thing to cover every nook and cranny. You can check them out here: http://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ell/?start=all Enjoy and any feedback is welcome! Some were before cleaning so don't mind the filth :P

August 23, 2011, 04:26 PM	#27
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Chris, I never said it didn't happen. But some folks seem to think that every GI came home toting his M1 rifle or carbine. Someone even painted a picture c. 1945, showing a returning vet in full combat gear, rifle, pack and helmet, kissing his wife in front of the traditional rose-covered cottage. Didn't happen. Jim

August 23, 2011, 08:53 PM	#29
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	My dad came back from the Pacific with no less than 5 Jap Arisaka rifles, the first one he picked off the pile on the dock in Tsingtao along with the rest of the crew of his carrier, every sailor got a trophy, and a lot of Navy officers got a pistol or sword. The other 4 rifles he bought on board the carrier heading home in early 1946, they sold for as little as two dollars when the card and crap games were going. The mums were ground off as they came aboard the ship, but a bunch got by. Dad said quite a few spare 1911's in the arms lockers walked off the ship back in Long Beach. I have a photo of him, taken late 1945, he is guarding a work detail of Japanese soldiers unloading some lighters at the beach in Tsingtao, armed with a Thompson. He said he wanted to bring that home with him, but no dice with the automatic weapons, the pistols were another story, however, being traded and sold all over the ships.

August 24, 2011, 06:55 AM	#30
rangerryda Member Join Date: August 20, 2011 Posts: 36	The way I figure, if things along these lines (although not directly the same in regards to firearms) can still occur in our military today (which they do for a fact) then it wouldn't be all that difficult to do in the 40's.

August 24, 2011, 04:46 PM	#31
32 Magnum Member In Memoriam Join Date: January 17, 2009 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 364	I'm in the process of reading "Warbaby! by Larry Ruth. Looking through the wartime data I find that: 1. Production tests were run on 5 Inland produced M1 Carbines, randomly chosen from production - tests were run on Aug 30, 31 and September 1to 7, 1942 at Aberdeen. The s/ns chosen for testing were 9570, 10707, 12893, 13109 and 13242 - all having been made before Sept. 1, 1942. These were standardized tests. Note the serial numbers chosen. 2. M1A1 production began, undercontract in Nov. 1942 - by the end of Oct. '42, Inland had made 39,554 serial numbered carbines. By this reckoning the lowest serial numbered M1A1 would be some where above 39,554. 3. Serial number in the 115K range would have been made sometime in Jan. 1943 - during that month Inland made34,894 M1 and approx. 9,900 M1A1. Total production of the M1A1 which ceased in December of '44 was right around 140,000 pieces. This book is a treasure trove for Carbine collectors or anyone who wants to know the FULL story behind the Light Rifle/Carbine development. I even learned the H&R had submitted two versions of E. Reisings light rifle during the early stages of testing and later Marlin submitted a modified version of the Reising light rifle. A good book - a slow read - but full of facts and figures.

August 24, 2011, 07:33 PM	#32
rangerryda Member Join Date: August 20, 2011 Posts: 36	Very cool! Thanks for the additional info! Tomorrow starts my weekend so the pics we've all been waiting for (including myself) should be posted.

August 26, 2011, 04:32 PM	#34
Chris_B Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 3,101	I...believe that what you have there is something very very special

August 26, 2011, 07:04 PM	#35
rangerryda Member Join Date: August 20, 2011 Posts: 36	That's what I've been trying to say!! lol Thank you though. It will forever be a cherished family relic that goes bang every time Want to clean it more thoroughly one of these days (not refinish or sand anything though, just a few spots that still have a little gunk in them).

November 3, 2011, 06:54 AM	#36
ronniejenny06 Junior Member Join Date: November 3, 2011 Posts: 1	I know this thread is old, but I found the content interesting. I was looking for info on a M1A1 that I got my hands on while stationed here iat an embassy in Africa. Long story short, the weapon was siezed from a drug dealer by local police, and placed in their lockup for an unknown amount of time. An embassy employee saw the weapon on a tour, and asked where it came from, because it was a U.S. military weapon from WWII. The police chief said, "You want it? Take it!" and sold the weapon as an auction piece. Very few locals can have weapons, but diplomats are allowed. He didn't want to go through the trouble of BATF paperwork, so he sold it to me. We couldn't find any info on the weapon, except that it is in Africa for some reason, possibly since WWII? It was well kept, with the original stock. S/N is 151XXX, and reading the post from rangerryda it could have been manufactured on the same day as his. Small world. Now, I am getting my ATF forms together to bring this piece of history home next year.

November 6, 2011, 08:57 AM	#37
hammered54 Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: Pinckney,Michigan Posts: 151	love reading these story's and always get a kick out of what all the "experts" seem to know. what I get out of it is that ...for all they think they know they still don't know everything.... mostly about "bring backs" . most of these "old Vets" are no longer with us (including my father) and the story's they told will fade with time , but some story's will stick with you and be told over and over ( I have a few of my/his own) and I believe them word for word. yours is a great one. Matt.

November 6, 2011, 09:37 PM	#38
Rifleman55 Junior Member Join Date: September 23, 2011 Posts: 7	I knew a retired Lt. COL that brought back his 1911-a1 after WW2 he gave it to his son before he died.