Home : Protect America :

Most Were Rebuilt

The M1 Carbine was made in larger numbers in a shorter time frame than any other U.S. military arm. But the little gun's career didn't end with Germany and Japan's surrender, as most were rebuilt and made ready for service again in Korea, Vietnam and around the world.

The gun that holds the distinction of being manufactured in greater numbers than any other United States' military small arm of World War II is the ubiquitous .30-cal. M1 carbine. The carbine had been developed just prior to America's entry into World War II as a replacement for the handgun in the hands of officers and other military personnel whose duties often precluded a standard service rifle as their primary armament. While it never succeeded in its envisioned role as a replacement for the M1911A1 .45 ACP pistol, the carbine soon became something of a "niche" arm. It possessed several desirable attributes, including light weight (just over 51bs.), great handling characteristics and generous magazine capacity. Soon after its adoption and initial issue to the troops, one early U.S. Army Ordnance Department report revealed that: "Army Ordnance officers state that the carbine is one of the most popular weapons they have ever issued to the service."

Demand for the carbine was far greater than originally anticipated and, eventually, production contracts were awarded to 10 firms for its manufacture. Interestingly, only one prime contractor (Winchester Repeating Arms Co.) had manufactured firearms prior to World War II. The firms selected for carbine production were an eclectic mix, and their pre-war products ranged from jukeboxes, to postal meters to office machines. The prime contractors used a wide array of subcontractors to supply most of the parts. This permitted production rates that would have seemed impossible just a few years earlier. The various contractors turned out the staggering total of 6,221,220 carbines from mid-1941 to mid-1945.

The Rock-Ola Ml Carbine Before World War II, the Rock-Ola Mfg. Corp. in Chicago was best known for its jukeboxes. After America entered the war, Rock-Ola became part of the "Arsenal of Democracy," making U.S. Ml carbines. Accounting for less than 4 percent of the total. The Rock-Ola Scale Co. was founded in 1927 by David C. Rockola. As the years passed, the small Chicago firm grew and began producing other products. In 1932 the name was changed to Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corp. Mr. Rockola indicated that he added the hyphen as people were prone to mispronounce the name. By the 1930s, Rock-Ola was manufacturing a wide array of products including scales, parking meters, pinball machines and furniture. However, in the eyes of the public, the firm became most closely associated with coin-operated jukeboxes. Large numbers of Rock-Ola jukeboxes were in use from the mid-1930s into the 1950s and well beyond. When the United States entered World War II, vast amounts of war materiel were needed and virtually all manufacturing entities were contacted regarding potential military production contracts. Rock-Ola was no exception, and the company was approached in very early 1942 regarding the possibility of becoming involved in the M1 carbine production program. Initially, Rock-Ola was going to produce only carbine barrels, but the U.S. Army Ordnance Department requested that the company manufacture complete carbines. After receiving the necessary drawings and other production information, the Rock-Ola Company stated that it could manufacture them at a maximum per-unit price of $58. To this end, a contract was granted on March 21, 1942, to Rock-Ola for 100,000 M1 carbines. The company also received contracts to supply barrels to other prime contractors, mainly its Chicago neighbor Quality Hardware Machine Corp. As was the case with most of the other prime contractors, Rock-Ola experienced a great deal of difficulty obtaining the production tooling and qualified machinists necessary for firearm manufacture. In order to boost production and cut costs, Rock-Ola, like the other prime contractors, utilized a large network of subcontractors to produce many of the parts required. Since the company was well versed in fabricating wooden cabinets for its jukeboxes and other products, Rock-Ola made its own carbine stocks and handguards. The company also manufactured stocks and handguards for other carbine prime contractors, again primarily Quality Hardware. Despite many problems, delays and setbacks, Rock-Ola was eventually able to get into production. The firm's initial batch of barrels was finished in December 1942, and the first completed carbines were delivered in February 1943. Even before the company delivered its first carbine, it was awarded supplemental contracts for an additional 152,746 carbines with a daily production goal of 1,500. Bruce N. Canfield

While the carbine was never intended to replace the standard service rifle, many combat soldiers chose it over the M1 Garand because of the carbine's light weight and greater magazine capacity. Once in combat, however, some soldiers' perception of the carbine changed when it was discovered that it lacked range, power and accuracy as compared to the Garand. Nevertheless, large numbers of carbines were used in front-line service in all theaters of the war.

In addition to the standard M1 carbine, there were several other variants developed during World War II to meet specialized needs. The first such variant was the "M1A1" carbine, which featured a folding metal buttstock to make it better suited for use by paratroopers. Except for its stock, the M1A1 carbine was identical to the standard M1 carbine. Inland Mfg. Division of General Motors was the sole manufacturer of this variant. The M1A1 carbine saw action in every American airborne operation of World War II.

Other variants of the carbine included the "T3," which had a special receiver for attachment of an infrared night vision sight, and the "M2," which gave the carbine a selective-fire (full-automatic and semi-automatic) capability. The T3 and M2 variants were only made by Inland and Winchester, and both saw limited use very late in the war. During the course of production, a number of improved parts were incorporated to increase the carbine's utility or to boost the manufacture rate and/ or reduce costs. Among the most noteworthy of these changes were:

Introduction of a rear sight that was adjustable for elevation and windage to replace the original pattern carbine sight that only had two elevation increments and was not adjustable for windage. A round bolt rather than the original "flat top" bolt. A rotary safety to replace the original push-button safety that could sometimes be confused with the magazine release (with results ranging from embarrassing to disastrous). Relieving a portion of wood on the stock (in front of the operating slide) to eliminate cracks that sometimes formed in that area. Collectors have termed the earlier stocks "high wood" and the later stocks "low wood." A barrel band (designated as the "T4") that incorporated an integral bayonet lug. Carbines with this new-pattern band did not appear until closing weeks of the war. Adding an extra set of two rivets (for a total of four rivets) to the handguard retaining flange to better secure that component to the stock.

There were other, less noticeable, changes made to some of the carbine's components. Most of the above features came later in production, and some manufacturers did not incorporate all the changes. For example, some prime contractors continued to use the earlier barrel bands, flat top bolts and push-button safeties for all, or virtually all, of their carbines. The vast majority of carbines used during World War II had the nonadjustable rear sights and barrel bands without bayonet lugs. Prior to the adoption of the T4 barrel band, troops armed with carbines were often issued "M3 trench knives." After the introduction of the barrel band with the integral bayonet lug, the "M4 Bayonet-Knife" (based on the M3 trench-knife design) was adopted.

Despite its shortcomings, the carbine proved to be popular, and by the end of the war the carbine was firmly entrenched as an important part of Uncle Sam's small-arms arsenal. Given the huge number of carbines produced, there were a sufficient number of the guns in inventory to supply any projected post-war demand, so no "G.I." carbines were manufactured after 1945.

Although relatively few carbines had been provided to some allied nations during the war, large numbers were supplied to numerous "friendly" (often a relative term) nations under various and sundry postwar military foreign aid programs. Only weeks after it was abandoned by the occupying Germans, the well-known Belgium arms-marking facility Fabrique Nationale, began converting some M1 carbines to M2 configuration for the U.S. Army. After the conclusion of the war in Europe, between June 1945 and June 1946, FN continued to inspect, clean and refurbish many types of small arms, including large numbers of carbines, for the US. 8th Army for shipment back to the United States. The plant also produced some small parts to repair the carbines. Fabrique Nationale cleaned, repaired and packed some 2,100,000 US. military arms (of various types) during this period.

As was the case with most other military arms, including the M1 rifle, the vast majority of carbines required some form of refurbishing to keep them serviceable after hard use during the war. The U.S. Army Ordnance Department formulated specifications regarding the procedures to be followed when a carbine was sent to an ordnance facility for inspection, cleaning, maintenance and/or overhaul.

Basically, a carbine was inspected and disassembled. Any worn, broken or superseded parts were replaced. The replaced parts were either serviceable components salvaged from other carbines or were newly manufactured, updated components. If the finish on the receiver or barrel was sufficiently worn, it was re-Parkerized. While there were some exceptions, updated parts added to carbines during a typical arsenal rebuild included adjustable rear sights, barrel bands with bayonet lugs, rotary safeties and modification of "high wood" stocks to "low wood" configuration. Occasionally, "high wood" stocks were not converted to "low wood" configuration as part of the overhaul procedure, but the vast majority of rebuilt carbines received this modification.

As originally manufactured, most carbine parts were stamped with code letters identifying the prime contractor and the subcontractor that actually manufactured the part. During arsenal overhaul, parts produced by any maker were used as long as they were serviceable and approved for continued use. Today's collectors have termed post-war rebuilt carbines as "mixmasters" since they contain parts of varying vintages and makers.

Unlike the earlier .30-'06 Sprg. cartridge used with rifles and machine guns, the .30 Carbine cartridge utilized non-corrosive primers, which resulted in less damage to carbine barrels due to reduced bore erosion and because extensive cleaning was not necessarily required after firing. While it may sound counterintuitive, many rifle bores were unnecessarily ruined due to excessive or improper cleaning. The use of corrosive-primed rifle ammunition resulted in relatively large numbers of M1 and M 1903 rifles requiring replacement of barrels as part of an arsenal overhaul. On the other hand, the fact that carbines utilized non-corrosive ammunition meant that a relatively large percentage retained their original barrels during rebuild.

The M1A1 carbines received the same sort of modifications during rebuild as standard M1 carbines, including conversion of the earlier vintage folding stocks to "low wood" configuration and adding adjustable sights, rotary safeties and barrel bands with bayonet lugs. While Inland was the sole manufacturer of the M1A1 carbine during the war, a carbine action made by any of the prime contractors could be installed in a refurbished folding stock as part of the rebuild process. While there were no selective-fire MIA1 carbines originally manufactured, a number of M1 carbines were converted to M2 configuration after the war by ordnance facilities by the simple expedient of installing a conversion kit (originally designated as the "T17"). The folding stocks that were so modified were inletted on the left side to accommodate the selector lever.

Whereas Inland and Winchester were the only two contractors that produced M2 carbines during World War II, any make of carbine could be (and was) converted to M2 configuration after the war. Sometimes the "M1" marking on the receiver was over-stamped by adding a "2," and sometimes the original marking was left intact.

Shortly after World War II's conclusion, Springfield Armory embarked on an ambitious program to repair, refurbish and rebuild large numbers of small arms that had seen hard service during the war. Since the carbine was made in larger numbers than any American design of the war, many of these arms required overhaul. In 1946, Springfield began manufacturing several carbine components needed for repair and overhaul, including barrel bands, trigger housings, rotary safeties, adjustable rear sights, sears, operating slides and stocks. In the early 1950s, Springfield also manufactured some replacement carbine barrels.

In addition to Springfield Armory, a number of US. ordnance facilities engaged in the overhaul of carbines, along with other arms, after World War II. In most cases, the initials of the entity that performed the overhaul were stamped on the stock. In addition to the ordnance facilities, Standard Products received a contract to repair and overhaul a large number of M1 carbines in 1949. After the work was completed, the initials of the firm and the supervising inspector were stamped on the left side of the stock.

Interestingly, in addition to rebuilding carbines, some of the ordnance facilities also "overhauled" carbine magazines (mainly the 15-round variety). This procedure generally consisted of disassembling the magazines, replacing followers with an improved design, and refinishing the originally blued magazine by Parkerizing.

After World War II, the Ordnance Department began preparing some M1 rifles and M1 carbines for long term storage by the process called "canning:'This procedure involved cleaning and oiling 10 carbines, and inserting them, along with slings and magazines, in a circular rack inside a metal drum. The drum was hermetically sealed, and a lid was soldered in place. Initially, the air inside was replaced by nitrogen but this procedure was later eliminated. From late 1947 until June 1948, some 254,520 M1 and M2 carbines were "canned" by Springfield Armory, Raritan Arsenal and Augusta Arsenal. Large numbers of these "cans" were supplied to some allied nations under various military foreign aid programs, and others remained in stateside storage.

With the outbreak of hostilities on the Korean peninsula in 1950, the carbine was soon called back into service, and large numbers of them rebuilt after World War II were used in the conflict. Many, but by no means all, of these carbines were of the selective-fire variety, and both M1 and M2 (original or converted) carbines saw widespread use from the time of the Korean War well into the Vietnam War era. Many carbines were also supplied to our South Korean allies.

Carbines were in the hands of many American military "advisors" during the initial stages of the Vietnam War, and they were widely used by the South Vietnamese, who appreciated their small size, light weight and lack of heavy recoil. Carbines saw widespread use around the globe well into the 1980s (and beyond), especially in Central and South America.

Despite sometimes being thought of as exclusively a World War II arm, the carbine's post-war tenure was actually much longer than many people may realize. The Ordnance Department's refurbishment of the carbine, which included the addition of improved components, resulted in giving the design a "new lease on life" and extended its service with the U.S. military decades beyond what was originally envisioned.

---

top of page

back a page