Winchester Born on Dates from www.jouster.com
Serial Number Ranges ofInteresting Variations: from www.jouster.com Beginning Number Ending Number Manufacturer Year Contract Completed 1,357,474 to 1,387,xxx Winchester duplicated SA s/ns(approx. 30,000) Jan. 1943 1,600,000 to 1,601,149 “Voluntary Contribution”[1]This one is something of a mystery.Several examples exist in this range and are generic SA WWII receivers. ? 1,601,150 to 1,640,xxx Duplicate s/ns used on “Win -13s” taken out of the SA s/n range Jan. – June ‘45 3,200,000 to 3,800,000 Serial number range of M1Cs 1944 – 1945 3,888,xxx to 4,200,000 Unaccounted for serial numbers between WWII and Korea. Oct.1945 – Jan. 1952 4,440,000 to 4,445,xxx IHC receivers produced by SA. Including “Arrowhead” and “Postage Stamp” logos. Exact quantity and ranges unknown. Experts feel that no more than approximately 1500 “Arrowheads” and 1100 “Postage Stamps” were produced. 1953[2] 4,638,xxx to 4,660,000 IHC 4 Million “Gap Letter” logo receivers produced by Springfield. (approx. 22,000) 1953 – 1954 5,198,034 to 5,213,034 IHC 5 Million “Gap Letter” logo receivers produced by Springfield. (total 13,243) 1955 – 1956? 5,213,035 to 5,217,xxx IHC receivers produced by HRA. End of range and total quantity unknown. 1955 – 1956? 6,034,330 to 6,034,729 Springfield s/n range assigned to HRA for an overrun of 400 additional rifles. Rifles MAY have HRA 1952, 1953 or 1956 barrels, or even SA barrels. Aug.1956 6,084,405 6,100,499 Last official M1 Rifle produced[3]vs. the last reported/observed serial numbered receiver. Assembly of new rifles continued into 1957 including many National Match Rifles. 17 May 1957 - ? X6,000,000 X6,001,9xx These are the so-called “X Guns”[4]among the last M1 Rifles assembled including many National Match Rifles. (Approx. 2,000) 1956 – 1957 Assigned[1]Serial Number Ranges:
The above worksheet provided by Timothy Traub Winchester's serial‑numbering system appears to have changed in January 1945. This seems to be about the time W.R.A. switched from 2.5 million serial numbers to 1.6 million. These are often referred to as WIN‑13 rifles. The 2.5 million numbers stopped in the area of 2,535,XXX which places it about 39,000 rifles from the end of production in June 1945. It is believed that approximately 40,000 WIN‑13 rifles were produced. In addition, rifles in the 1.6 million serial number range have been observed ranging from number 1,602,XXX through 1,639,XXX. All of this supports the January 1945 date for the serial number range change. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY 1932‑1934 – 80 [pre-production models] 1937 AUG‑120 SEP‑307 OCT‑539 NOV‑696 DEC‑1034 1938 JAN‑1186 FEB‑1338 MAR‑1809 APR‑2213 MAY‑2406 JUN‑2911 JUL‑2911AUG‑3537 SEP‑4386 OCT‑5242 NOV‑6072 DEC‑6972 1939 JAN‑7715 FEB‑8762 MAR‑9893 APR‑10703 MAY‑11511 JUN‑12848 JUL‑12911 AUG‑14823 SEP‑17010 OCT‑19410 NOV‑21293 DEC‑23567 1940 JAN‑26729 FEB‑30008 MAR‑33790 APR‑38034MAY‑41679 JUN‑46221 JUL‑51970 AUG‑59868 SEP‑68054 OCT‑78306 NOV‑90177 DEC‑100000 & 165001 to 169073 1941 JAN‑183519 FEB‑197811 MAR‑211228 APR‑228527 MAY‑248757 JUN‑269686 JUL‑296252 AUG‑324301 SEP‑349442 OCT‑377258 NOV‑401529 DEC‑429811 1942 JAN‑462737 FEB‑498216 MAR‑542494 APR‑588879MAY‑638679 JUN‑691401 JUL‑749779 AUG‑809016 SEP‑872343 OCT‑940250 NOV‑1008899 DEC‑1090310 1943 JAN‑1169091 FEB‑1200000 & 1357474‑1396255 MAR‑1469177 APR‑1547452 MAY‑1629565 JUN‑1710012 JUL‑1786469 AUG‑1877654 SEP‑1978407 OCT‑2092825 NOV‑2204430 DEC‑2305849 1944 JAN‑2543412 FEB‑2634316 MAR‑2723004 APR‑2810628 MAY‑2900312 JUN‑2981126JUL‑3051952 AUG‑3114434 SEP‑3180532 OCT‑3242497 NOV‑3302641 DEC‑3359159 1945 JAN‑3450503 FEB‑3532489 MAR‑3627442 APR‑3717867 MAY‑3797768 JUN‑3875601 JUL AUG‑3888081 SEP OCT WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. 1941 JAN‑100501 FEB‑100831 MAR‑102701 APR‑104901MAY‑107801 JUN‑111501 JUL‑115501 AUG‑120111 SEP‑122081 OCT‑126130 NOV‑131130 DEC‑137960 1942 JAN‑144110 FEB‑149130 MAR‑155310 APR‑162190 MAY‑165500 & 1200001‑1203692 JUN‑1210472 JUL‑1218972 AUG‑1228982 SEP‑1241002 OCT‑1254002 NOV‑1266502 DEC‑1276102 1943 JAN‑1282762 FEB‑1294762 MAR‑1309772 APR‑1323872 MAY‑1336882 JUN‑1349982 JUL‑1364982 AUG‑1380000 & 2305850‑2305932 SEP‑2318032 OCT‑2334032 NOV‑2349632 DEC‑2364642 1944 JAN‑2379642 FEB‑2394642 MAR‑2409642 APR‑2424642 MAY‑2439642JUN‑2454642 JUL‑2469642 AUG‑2484642 SEP‑2499642 OCT‑2513822 NOV‑2523942 DEC‑2533142 1945 JAN‑2536600 (Mid‑January to June 30 are WIN‑13 rifles. Their serial number range is approximately 1600000 to 1640000). Production records of M1 Rifles immediately following WWII until the outbreak of hostilities in Korea are less precise than for the WWII period. The last rifle produced during WWII by Springfield Armory WWII lies in the 3,888,xxx serial number range with production ending in October 1945. Springfield M1 production was resumed in 1952 with serial number 4,200,000 leaving a gap of approximately 312,xxx serial numbers Post WWII production totals: (approx.) Springfield Armory: 661,747 (from 1952 – 1956) Harrington & Richardson Arms: 428,600 (from 1953 –1956) International Harvester Corporation: 337,623 (from 1953 – 1956) 1952 – 1956 Assigned Serial Number Ranges: Not AssignedN/A 4,800,001to4,999,999 Springfield Armory 1952 – 1954sn#4,200,001to4,399,999 Aug. 1952sn#5,000,000to5,000,500 1954 – 1955sn#5,278,246to5,488,2461955 – 1957sn#5,793,848to6,099,905 International Harvester 1953 – 1954sn#4,400,000to4,660,000 1954 – 1956sn#5,000,501to5,278,245 Harrington & Richardson 1953 – 1954sn#4,660,001to4,800,000 1954 – 1956sn#5,488,247 to5,793,847 Assigned to HRA from Springfield s/n range for a 400-rifle contract overrun: Aug. 1956sn#6,034,330to6,034,729 |
The arm that holds the distinction of being manufactured in greater numbers than any other U.S. military firearm of World War II is the “U.S. Carbine, Caliber .30, M1.” The carbine represented a new category of service arm, initially intended to replace both the .45 ACP pistol and the Thompson submachine gun. Developed in 1941 by Winchester Repeating Arms Company and adopted after an exhaustive series of trials by the U.S. Army Ordnance Department, the carbine was a lightweight (roughly 5½ lbs.) semi-automatic shoulder arm that fired a .30-cal. cartridge fed from a detachable, 15-round box magazine.
The M1A1 was officially standardized in May 1942, and the first deliveries began in October. The sole manufacturer of the M1A1 was the Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors in Dayton, Ohio, which was also the largest manufacturer of standard M1 carbines. Inland produced about 43 percent of the total production of all carbines. In addition to M1s and M1A1s, the company produced the M2 and T3 variants. The initial subcontractor for the special M1A1 stock was Royal Typewriters, Inc., in Hartford, Conn. The wooden components of the stock were supplied by the S.E. Overton Company of South Haven, Mich., and Royal produced the wire butt and assembled the completed stocks. Royal apparently experienced some problems in its capacity as the lead subcontractor, and eventually, Overton assumed responsibility for assembling the M1A1 stocks and shipping them to the Inland factory.
The second production run was between about May and December 1944 and created less than 70,000 M1A1s. Serial numbers ranged approximately from 5,150,000 to 6,700,000. Although the basic design of the M1A1 stock did not change, the majority of the “Second Contract” stocks had “low-wood” and a slightly different shape to the grip. Also, during the course of production, many of the later production carbines (M1 and M1A1) were fitted with improved components, such as adjustable rear sights, round bolts and wider barrel bands. There is some disagreement whether or not any of these carbines originally left the factory with T4 barrel bands (with the bayonet lug). If so, only extremely late production M1A1 Carbines would have this feature, and the vast majority had either the narrow Type 1 or the wider Type 2 barrel bands (both types without bayonet lugs).
The M1A1 Carbine was generally issued with a padded canvas jump scabbard that attached to the pistol belt. The lower portion of the case could be strapped to the paratrooper’s leg during descent. Upon landing, the carbine could be quickly removed from the case, the stock opened and the gun ready for immediate use. Reportedly, the leg strap on the canvas case was rarely secured as it could cause injury (including broken legs) upon landing. Some paratroopers simply tucked the folded carbine behind their emergency parachute, or carried it in some other manner and dispensed with the jump scabbard altogether. The 15-round carbine magazines could be carried in either the standard two-cell, factory-made belt pouch or in rigger-made pouches fabricated by airborne unit riggers. These specially made pouches could hold either four, 15-round carbine magazines or three, eight-round Garand clips. Such pouches enabled more magazines to be carried on a paratrooper’s belt than was possible with the standard pouches. Similar rigger-made pouches were also constructed for the 20-round Thompson submachine gun magazines. M1A1 Carbines used the same type of sling as standard M1 Carbines.
SA: Springfield Armory
AA: Augusta Arsenal (usually followed by another single letter)
RA: Raritan Arsenal
RRA or RRAD: Red River Arsenal or Red River Army Depot
SAA: San Antonio Arsenal
BA: Benicia Arsenal
AN: Anniston Arsenal
- The inside of the stock (the barrel channel) will be marked “OI.” This denotes that the stock was manufactured by the Overton Company for Inland (Overton-Inland).
- The underside of the pistol grip on the First Contract M1A1 Carbines was also marked “OI” along with a small Ordnance Department crossed cannons escutcheon. Later production pistol grips were typically marked “RI/3.” These were made under subcontract by the J.S. Richardson Company (Richardson-Inland). On most of the later grips, a larger Ordnance escutcheon was stamped on the right side rather than on the bottom of the grip as found on the earlier examples. The configuration of many of the later grips was also somewhat different than the earlier examples.
- The inside of the metal buttplate had a drawing number cast (not stamped). The number, “B257614,” was followed by an asterisk-shaped marking enclosed in a circle (sometimes described as a wagon wheel) followed by a one- or two-digit number. This marking is often rather indistinct and can be hard to read. Reproduction M1A1 buttplates are usually unmarked although some fakes may be noted with a stamped (not cast) number.
- The early stocks typically had a circled “P” proofmark stamped on the rear of the stock. This marking was not generally found on the later stocks. It should be noted that many of the post-war rebuilt stocks had a proofmark applied as part of the overhaul procedure, but this was often a block letter “P” (not enclosed in a circle).
- The leather cheek pad was neatly attached to the stock and secured by rivets. Some rivets marked “7/4” have been observed, and these are believed to have been automotive brake shoe rivets made by Inland. Early rivets for the M1A1 cheek pad were typically made of brass, while most of the later rivets were made of Parkerized steel and usually painted brown to match the leather. The leather of the original cheek pads was fairly thin, and some original stocks have deteriorated or damaged pads. Some owners choose to replace the missing or damaged pads with newly made leather pads. Original leather pads will show evidence of factory-quality workmanship, whereas many of the replaced pads are somewhat ill-fitting or fabricated using leather that is too thick and/or too light in color.
After World War II, large numbers of carbines, including many M1A1s, remained in Uncle Sam’s arsenal and later saw use during the Korean War in the early 1950s. Although there were no selective-fire (M2) variants of the M1A1 Carbine manufactured, there have been some post-war overhauled M1A1 stocks noted with the inside of the stock routed out to accommodate the M2 Carbine’s fire-selector lever.