U.S. M1 Carbine
Underwood
Serial Number: 2,737,xxx
Gendarmerie Rural Police, Lower Austria

Background

Purchased at an auction house near Dallas, TX in March 2005. Prior owner purchased the rifle at Cheaper Than Dirt in Ft Worth, TX. Said they had a dozen other carbines like it, for sale. Cheaper than Dirt received a number of the INTRAC imported M1 carbines from Austria.

The trigger guard stamped LGKNÖ identifies this rifle as having been in the inventory of the Gendarmerie Rural Police, Lower Austria, Austria. There are no other markings on the rifle indicating it's an Austrian or Bavarian carbine.

Barrel Group

Barrel type 1 Underwood 9/43
Front Sight type 1 JQ (Quality Hardware)
Barrel Band/Swivel type 3 MMC/EMQ (Quality Hardware)
Gas Piston Nut type 2  
Barrel Skirt type 1 (long skirt)  
Slide type 2 .U. (Underwood)
Operating slide stop type 2  

Barrel has flaming bomb ordnance mark just below date of manufacture, letter P proofmark 4" below ordnance mark. Underside of barrel below manufacturer is stamped "INTRAC KNOX, TN". Slide has flaming bomb ordnance mark and last 4 numbers of serial number stamped on the outer side of the rail.

Stock Group

Stock type 3 IO (Inland)
Handguard type 2 IO (Inland)
Buttplate   (Inland)

Ordnance crossed cannon cartouche barely visible on right side of buttstock. No rebuild marks. Stock is stained and has clear protective coating. Left side sling well below manufacture mark and underside of handguard have last 4 digits of serial number individually stamped.

Receiver Group

Receiver type 2 Underwood
Rear Sight type 3 H in shield (various mfg)
Operating Spring Tunnel Housing type 2 .U. (Underwood)
Recoil Plate type 3 AU (Underwood)

Serial number and manufacturer name obscured by rear sight. Flaming bomb ordnance stamp on receiver top at rear.

Bolt Group

Bolt type 2 NPM (National Postal Meter)
Ejector type 2  
Extractor type 2 IB (IBM)
Extractor Plunger type 2  
Firing Pin type 2 .U. (Underwood)

Bolt has last 4 digits of serial number etched on top.

Trigger Group

Trigger Housing type 3 Inland
Trigger type 2 F1 (Inland)
Sear type 2 no marking (Saginaw)
Hammer type 3 SW (Standard Products)
Trigger Spring type 2  
Trigger Housing Pin type 2  
Safety type 4 J.A.O. (J.A. Otterbein Inc, Middletown, CT)
Magazine Catch type 4 M underlined
Magazine Catch Plunger type 2  

Trigger guard has last 4 digits of serial number individually stamped on rear "T", bottom of trigger housing forward of trigger guard is stamped LGKNÖ with 1957 underneath the letters. The 1957 would be the inventory number assigned by the Austrians.

Additional Information

First time shooting the rifle, after 12 rounds the bolt cracked. On removing the bolt the crack snapped the bolt into 2 pieces. This is a flat bolt manufactured 1942-1944, I figure it had served it's country well. Still have it. Replaced it with an Underwood flat bolt with "correct type" Underwood parts. It now functions flawlessly. At 100 yards it will maintain a 4" group with a bench rest, using PMC hardball ammo.

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