Worth restoring Inland mixmaster?

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I'm not really an M1 Carbine guy, but when a guy walked into my LGS with a carbine-in-a-box and the LGS owner wasn't interested, I thought it was a good gamble. I'm ashamed to say how little I paid for it, but it's better than having the guy turn it in to the police department, which is what he was going to do with it if he couldn't sell it. He said that it belonged to his father, a retired LEO, for many years before he got it. Below is what I've found on the carbine and what I think I'd need to do to restore it parts wise. Finish is another matter, it's very well worn but shoots straight. I bought it with the intent to flip it, but it shoots so well I've decided to keep it. Monetarily, I won't be putting more into it than it's worth, I think... so I'm looking for a sanity check before I get too deep into it.

I know someone will say, "This thread is useless without pics" or something along those lines, so will put 'em up when I can. :)

M1 "Bargain Carbine"

Inland receiver 4,98X,XXX manufactured Jun-Aug 1944

Stamped rear sight base is marked “H” in shield (Rock-Ola, Standard Products or I.B.M.)
No markings visible on front sight

Barrel made by Brown-Lipe-Chapin Division (General Motors mfg. for Inland)
No date stamp, no markings at all behind front sight
“BI” on bottom flat for Brown-Lipe-Chapin Division
“I-I” on front of gas piston housing for Inland subcontractor
Type 3 barrel band marked “JMQ”
No import marks on barrel (or anywhere else!)

Round bolt marked “A.I.” on left lug (Inland)

“FAT81” cartouched potbelly stock
Milled for M2 lever
May have “I” stamped in barrel channel, can't tell
Can't discern any marking in sling channel due to heavy finish and what looks like hammer marks where stamp should be
Recoil plate is unmarked cast part
Buttplate is Winchester late, worn

4 rivet Handguard is marked “H.I.” – Hillerich & Bradsby Co., Inland contractor

Quality Hardware late milled trigger housing, to be replaced with Inland housing (already on the way)
Flip safety – Winchester marked
M2 sear – unknown manufacturer
Magazine catch “M” and “CC” stamped (NPM became Commercial Controls in April, 1944), this is a replacement catch made May 1944 – Jan 1945
Original hammer missing, replaced with Inland part (HI = Hemphill, Inland contractor)

Slide is commercial cast part marked “PMC” in triangle (Plainfield) and will be replaced with Inland (I think the Type V slide is correct for this carbine?).

[melloman]

Whatever you do, have Tim repark it. He did one for me and it looks fantastic. If you are going to correct it you will probably end up having more into it than it is worth.

[Orlando]

Cant really tell alot without pics but its probably worth more left exactly as is.

[MH53GUNNER]

Love to see pics. I would agree with replacing the slide, but would leave the rest alone.

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I do indeed plan to have Tim repark it, definitely will replace the slide, and I appreciate the opinions expressed.

Would it make any difference if I said that I got it for under $200?

The photos show it a LOT better looking than it looks in person, though. I will try to get better photos tomorrow in direct sunlight that should show all the warts clearly.


http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/Rightside800x600_zps5cdb04a8.jpg

http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/Leftside800x600_zpsc21ebba7.jpg

http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/Topview800x600_zpsc4eb87d0.jpg

[jak]

+1 on replacing the slide and getting it reparked. I concur that it needs the type V slide. Have you tried pricing the parts to make it correct ?

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I'm just starting to, hence the sanity check before I get too far into it. So far, my ballpark estimate is that I'll have something around $450 in it before reparking but I suspect that it could be higher.

I also have a National Postal Meter that might be better worth the effort.

[cuppednlocked]

Nice looking rifle.

[melloman]

I'll give you $400 for it and you have doubled your money.$clapper$

[KnickKnack]

If you have under $200 in it, and plan on putting another $450 into it, you are still way ahead of the game. You won't find many carbines for $650 right now. Any WWII carbine is worth fixing. I agree on replacing the slide, and I'd maybe replace the stock. It's easy to find reasonably priced Inland stocks because they made so many of them. Remember, too, that any parts you replace can be sold to at least get part of your investment in the new parts back. Or you can trade some of the old parts for what you need. That is all part of the hobby. Congratulations on getting a great deal!

[Orlando]

Nice looking pea shooter!

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I'll give you $400 for it and you have doubled your money.$clapper$

Um, thanks but no thanks... nice try though! :D Just hate the thought of turning a bargain into a loss, I've seen it done a time or two. Think I'll put the Inland trigger housing on that I already have coming, snag up an Inland slide, then keep an eye out for the other parts I need as long as I can get them at a good price. Eventually, it'll be good to go or I'll get tired of looking for the correct parts and then it's off to Tim for a park job.

Spent an hour or so last night stripping the nasty varnish from the butt of an extra stock that came along with the carbine only to find out that it's an IBM subcontractor. Oh, well, guess I'll finish the job. Somebody will want that stock later on.

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

This photo shows what a hard life this poor little carbine has had, the barrel looks like someone clamped it in a vise, although it may have been from the cheap clampon compensator that came with it... more photos here (http://s619.beta.photobucket.com/user/grumpyoldretiredcop/library/M1%20Budget%20Carbine?).



http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/Muzzle_zpsba80e241.jpg

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

So, this should give some of you a good laugh... along with the "carbine in a box", I got an extra stock. Finally looked at the stock carefully last night, looks like a WRA stock (Type III?) with crossed cannons and inspector's cartouche, "W" marked recoil plate. I think the stock may be worth what I paid for the rifle! It's on my NPM now until I can find a Trimble stock and handguard for it.

[melloman]

I don't see anything wrong with the barrel - nice score on the stock!

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

The picture is pretty bad, the first 3/4 or so of the barrel behind the step looks like someone put a pipe wrench on it and turned it, letting the wrench slip. A little cold blue (yes, sacrilege I know, but this one's a shooter) and it is a lot less obvious.

[MH53GUNNER]

I'll give you $400 for it and you have doubled your money.$clapper$

I up the bid to $401.00.:o

From what I see the finish looks fine. I know that if you do send it to Tim for a repark he will do a great job. What ever you plan to do paying 200 bucks for a carbine these days is a fantastic deal.

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I up the bid to $401.00.:o

From what I see the finish looks fine. I know that if you do send it to Tim for a repark he will do a great job. What ever you plan to do paying 200 bucks for a carbine these days is a fantastic deal.

I could almost make a profit on that offer, even if I win the stock I'm bidding for on eBay. :D Looks like I'll be into it for around $450 as I probably won't have this one reparked now that I've touched up the worst of the barrel scuffs. The photos do make it look a little better than it does in person though. Guess I'll be saving the park job for the National Postal Meter (just picked up an NPM I-cut high wood stock for that one, considering getting it back to "as issued" - that should be a fun project!). It won't be absolutely correct, but it's a good shooter and will look good. Bidding now on an Inland stock on eBay, as long as it's not cracked I'll be good to go. The Italian stock turned out to be cracked at the nose in a way that repair isn't really going to hold.

I am pretty darn happy I grabbed it when it came along!

[grumpyoldretiredcop]

I've finished putting the "Bargain Carbine" back in shape, with the exception of either finding an Inland stock in decent shape, or putting on a Fulton Armory stock (a shame since it has an Inland marked handguard). The stock is a heavily sanded Johnson Lounge Co. stock that was the recipient of my first attempts at Carbine stock repair. There were a couple of cracks in it, but it was easier to repair this one than the FAT stock that I had on it, which was heavily cracked at the nose and beyond my amateur salvage efforts.

Your collective advice was good; why spoil a bargain in an expensive attempt to make it "correct"?


http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/BudgetCarbineAfterRight2_zps92048ed1.jpg


http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/BudgetCarbineAfterLeft1_zps438da4da.jpg


http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/BudgetCarbineAfterStock1_zpsaffd026c.jpg


http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/grumpyoldretiredcop/M1%20Budget%20Carbine/BudgetCarbineAfterReceiver_zps64767899.jpg