U.S. M1 Carbine
IBM
Serial Number: 3,866,xxx

Landes Gendarmerie Kommando Burgenland, Austria (LGK.B.)

Background

Sold at an auction in Germany September 2006. This carbine is very rare. Very few M1 carbines served in Burgenland, Austria. Until finding this one and a second one, it was thought none had gone to Burgenland. This carbine does not have the customary last 3 or 4 digits on the parts that are visible, where they would normally be placed. This may have been replaced parts, or Burgenland may not have marked it in all the usual places. Unfortunately the seller did not have better pictures, but did authorize the use of these. Owner did not share details of the various parts of the carbine. I have included it because it's from Burgenland. Burgenland was in the Russian zone of occupation, as was Lower Austria.

Barrel Group

Barrel   unknown
Front Sight type modified
Barrel Band type 2  
Barrel Skirt    
Slide Type unknown

No close up picture of the barrel and it's components could be obtained. The front sight has the side upright tangs removed, leaving only the sight blade. This has been observed on a number of M1 carbines being sold and bought in Germany. Likely it was not done by the Austrian gendarmerie. Barrel band has non-U.S. swivel. The slide does not have the digits of the rifle's serial number.

Stock Group

Stock type 2 unknown
Handguard type 3 unknown
Buttplate   unknown

Handguard is for an M2 carbine.

Receiver Group

Receiver type 2 IBM
Rear Sight type 3  
Operating Spring Tunnel Housing    
Recoil Plate type  

Letters in rear sight are illegible.

Bolt Group

Bolt type 2  
Ejector    
Extractor    
Extractor Plunger    
Firing Pin    

No digits electropenciled into the top.

Trigger Group

Trigger Housing type 3  
Trigger    
Sear type  
Hammer type  
Trigger Spring type  
Trigger Housing Pin Type  
Safety type 4  
Magazine Catch type 3 underlined M

Bottom of trigger housing has markings LGK.B. with the inventory number 0598.

Additional Information

Seller was in Germany and purchased the rifle several years prior, in Germany.

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