Thompson M1A1 cartouches

[ebeeby]

Anyone ever see these cartouches on an M1A1 stock?

 

[Got Uzi]

“p” is proof tested 

“AOC” is Auto Ordnance Corp 

crossed cannons rebuild mark

USMC wasn’t a normal mark like that (least that I’m aware of)

 

Is there anything marked on the receiver? Is it an AOC or a Savage?

[Doug Quaid]

Those stamps look extremely fake to me.

I used to be a rabid Garand collector, I had about 25 of them.  And I can tell you that fake stamping is literally a cottage industry with those rifles.   It has completely run amok, 75% of the stamps you see now are fake.   It's really a shame because the collectors and sleazy dealers are ruining the originality of stocks by applying these new stamps.

There are 20,000 sets of fake Garand inspection stamps floating around and someone "dressed up" your stock with a selection of them.

See how the wood fibers are all crushed and the impression is super deep, like Hercules hit the stamp with a hammer?  If those stamps were genuine, they wouldn't look anything like that.  They would look 70 years old if they were real.  Stamps fade out over time.  I've seen real ones where all that was left on the wood is just staining.

 At least it wasn't fake SS stamps.

https://www.sarcoinc.com/u-s-crossed-cannon-metal-hand-stamp/

Also, FYI, those are "inspectors stamps", not cartouches.   A cartouche is a decoration, like when old military rifles would have the manufacturer's name or the king's name stamped in a fancy design.  
 

[TSMGguy]

All fake. There were no original external markings on the M1A1 TSMG butt stock. 

Edited March 31 by TSMGguy

[2ndArmored]

SARCO admits as much in their description:

https://www.sarcoinc.com/set-of-wwii-german-inspectors-stamps/

"Perfect for adding interest and value to your original or reproduction..."

[Doug Quaid]

"Perfect for adding interest and value to your original or reproduction..."

I wonder if other collecting communities have as many greasy little swindlers as gun collecting does.  

It's so bad in gun collecting that we now actually have part vendors like Sarco selling inspectors stamps as a normal retail item, as if it was perfectly natural to buy a set of stamps so you can make fake stocks.  What a joke.   

I'm not trying to strike the pose of the noble hero here or anything, but I am genuinely disgusted.

Edited April 6 by Doug Quaid

[bug]

Stamps don't make fake stocks...

[Rekraps]

1 hour ago, bug said:

Stamps don't make fake stocks...

"Quaid" speaks the truth. That's like saying fake $20 bill engraving plates are being sold, but nobody will use them.

[reconbob]

   Many years ago I was requested to put a PD marking on a Win M97 stock. Nothing nefarious - they just wanted the gun to be identified as their property. And DQ is right. When stocks are new fresh wood, the wood is soft and easily marked/impressed by the stamps. 
     But 30+ years later the wood has dried out, seasoned, etc. And when you stamp it the stamp does not make as deep an impression and the wood fibers, now brittle, break and stick up. Once you see it you don’t forget it. 
     And the USMC stamp is not stamped - it looks like it was done with a router.

Bob

[Doug Quaid]

18 hours ago, bug said:

Stamps don't make fake stocks...

It's true that someone could buy a set of those stamps just for the magical thrill of having a set of those stamps.

But the likelihood of that occurring is 0.0000001%.



 

[Rekraps]

5 hours ago, reconbob said:

   Many years ago I was requested to put a PD marking on a Win M97 stock. Nothing nefarious - they just wanted the gun to be identified as their property. And DQ is right. When stocks are new fresh wood, the wood is soft and easily marked/impressed by the stamps. 
     But 30+ years later the wood has dried out, seasoned, etc. And when you stamp it the stamp does not make as deep an impression and the wood fibers, now brittle, break and stick up. Once you see it you don’t forget it. 
     And the USMC stamp is not stamped - it looks like it was done with a router.

Bob

Great point, I suppose there are circumstances (mostly civilian) where a PD or some agency wanted to add some type of identifying mark (other than SN) to the gun, and maybe the stock was the easy way to go. 

[Rekraps]

48 minutes ago, Doug Quaid said:

It's true that someone could buy a set of those stamps just for the magical thrill of having a set of those stamps.

But the likelihood of that occurring is 0.0000001%.



 

Times 10 to the minus 10th power.

[Doug Quaid]

And the worst part is -

Suppose there is a nice Winchester Garand with an original Winchester stock that some WWII GI got soaking wet and then polished and linseed oiled until the inspector's stamps were practically gone.

And then some greasy weasel comes along and festoons a set of fake stamps on into it.

Now it's a ruined stock.  Not an improved stock, not a restored stock, not a "freshened up" stock, but a RUINED stock.

Look at the OP's Thompson stock, it's ruined.  
 

[Doug Quaid]

Okay, I'll stop venting.

[ranger1385]

Nah, your right.  They do the same exact thing with Colt's.  I actually have a book or two that tell you how to spot the fakes.