Original M2 Carbines

[Devil Dog 1110]

Anybody know how many original Inland M2 carbines- not over stamp- were made?

 

Thanks

[jim c 351]

DD,

First off many original M2 carbines were hand stamped. When Inland Div started making M2 they ground the "1" off the stamping die.

If they had enough M2 parts to complete a gun they hand stamped a "2". If they lacked parts they hand stamped a "1".

I have never seen a Winchester M2 carbine that was machine stamped M2, all tho I have heard they exist.

Production records show that Inland made 199,500 M2 carbines.

Winchester made 17,500 M2 carbines.

Jim C

[johnsonlmg41]

The inland I have is machine stamped. We did have a Winchester that if I recall, was machine stamped as well, but as you state the majority of Winchesters seem to be overstamps, however it can be tough to tell if they were done at Winchester or later without seeing the original registration?

Production numbers are fairly irrelevant since the vast majority never made it out of gov't hands, so originals are pretty scarce in general.

[emmagee1917]

In WW2 they sent out conversion teams that would gather up a unit's carbines , take them to their mobile shop , convert them to M2s , and return them the next day . When all had been done in one area , they moved to the next . A lot of m1s became m2s when they went through the armory before being put into storage , Most of the overstamps are due to these actions on all makes of carbines from all production times .

Chris

[jim c 351]

Chris,

What you say is true but I don't consider such carbines "original as manufactured".

No way to tell if a Rock-Ola M2 was done in France or in Joe Blows garage.

Jim

[emmagee1917]

Agreed

Chris

[MG08]

I have an original Inland - Machine stamped and an original Winchester overstamp. Depending on the gun contract, overstamped Inlands could have been "original"

[jim c 351]

MG08,

Depends on what your definition of "original" is.

Jim C