Arms, Armor and Militaria

.30 Carbine. 18" barrel length. SN: 5306254. Parkerized metal finish overall with side folding metal buttstock and walnut pistol grip stock. Short stroke piston driven gas operated rotating bolt rifle fed by detachable box magazines. Produced between January and August, 1944. Falls into the second production run of M1A1 Paratrooper Carbines, and shows the correct low wood stock with "Slim Jim" pistol grips installed on those models. The upper handguard displays the IO marking for "Inland Overton", the primary manufacturer of M1A1 carbine stocks, but the pistol grip is struck SA, indicating it was replaced with a Springfield Armory built component during post-war refurbishment. Left pistol grip shows an RA rebuilder mark with a P proof to the forward pistol grip. Item mounts a Type II rear sight with the H.I. stamp indicating Inland manufacture. Sights of this pattern began appearing on M1 Carbine production starting in late April, 1944. Further Inland marked components include the hammer, and the barrel with the latter marked INLAND MFG. DIV./GENERAL MOTORS/2-44. Carbine mounts a type II wide barrel band, and comes with a leather cheek pad and an oiler struck IS for "International Silver", a prolific maker of M1 Carbine oilers. Correct cast buttplate displays the difficult to read markings typical of genuine M1A1 stocks, with the marks reading 257614 followed by the {Wheel Mark} and 3. Underside of barrel marked BI and O. with F stamp on forward receiver lug. Comes with a canvas sling, and nut and split ring pattern M8 grenade launching muzzle without manufacturer markings. Comes with no magazine. Item shows a muzzle erosion reading of between 0 and 1, and throat reading of between 0 and 1.