U.S. M1 Carbine
Quality H.M.C.
Serial Number: 1,662,061
Hessen
Border Police
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The U.S. Office of Military Government (OMGUS) for Hessen designated the letters HE-B stamped in the top of the recoil plate as the markings to be used by the Hessen Border Police during the occupation of Germany. The Hessen Border Police was formed by OMGUS in 1945. In 1949 the responsibilities of the Border Police were transferred to the new German Federal Customs agency.
The finish on the receiver and other parts has been buffed to a bright blue. Unlike the police in other American Occupation Sectors, the police in Hessen normally did not use all or part of the carbine serial number to identify which parts went with which carbine. Instead, if a part was marked to keep it with the carbine it was on they chose a one or two digit number with the chosen number placed on the various parts. The number 5 was used on this example.
The barrel has the import mark of Century Arms, St. Albans, VT. In the mid 1970's Century Arms imported thousands of U.S. carbines that had been used by the police in West Germany. U.S. laws at the time prevented the carbines from being sold to anyone other than law enforcement. Police agencies eventually replaced their carbines. Some of these agencies auctioned their carbines. They were purchased by retailers and/or civilians.
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| Barrel | type 1A | Buffalo Arms 9-1943 |
| Gas Piston | ||
| Front Sight | type II | J-Q (O.D. Jennings Co. of Chicago, IL for Quality Hardware Mfg Co.) |
| Barrel Band | type 1A | Band marked UI (Union Hardware Co. of Torrington, CT for QHMC) Swivel marked QU (Union Hardware Co. of Torrington, CT for QHMC) |
| Handguard Lip | long | |
| Barrel Skirt | long | |
| Slide | type IV | N (National Postal Meter of Rochester, NY - provided QHMC with 1,075 operating slides as collateral support 12-14-43) |
Number 5 etched left side of front sight and on inside of slide arm. Century Arms St. Albans, VT import mark stamped on left side of barrel.
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| Stock | type III | Mark not visible but characteristics were specific to Winchester Repeating Arms Co. of New Haven, CT. |
| Handguard | type I | RMC (RockOla Mfg Corp of Chicago, IL - mfg handguards & stocks for QHMC) |
| Buttplate | (The A.C. Gilbert Co., of New Haven, CT for Winchester Repeating Arms Co.) |
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| Receiver | type I | Quality H.M.C. |
| Spring Tube | type I | Q (QHMC) |
| Recoil Plate | Rock-Ola | |
| Rear Sight | type III | I.R. CO. (International Register Co. of Chicago, IL for QHMC, also used as replacement rear sight) |
Receiver finish is buffed to a bright blue.
HE-B (Hessen Border Police)
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| Bolt | type I | U (Underwood of Hartford, CT - provided QHMC with 1,000 bolts as collateral support 10-1-43) |
| Ejector | type I | |
| Extractor | type III | WQ (Wadsworth Watch Case Co. of Dayton, KY for QHMC) |
| Extractor Plunger | type II | |
| Firing Pin | type I | W (Winchester Repeating Arms Co. of New Haven, CT.) |
Number 5 etched on bottom of right bolt lug.
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| Trigger Housing | type IV | ST (Standard Products of Port Clinton, OH) |
| Trigger Housing Retainer Pin | type II | |
| Trigger | type II | R.I. (Reece Button Hole Machine Co. of Boston, MA for Inland) |
| Sear | type I | GE-Q (Gerrard Co. of Chicago, IL for QHMC) |
| Hammer | type III | KR2 (Kal Machine Works of Chicago, IL for RockOla) |
| Safety | type IV (rotary) | unmarked |
| Magazine Catch | type II | W-I (Wadsworth Watch Case Co. of Dayton, KY for Inland) |
Number 5 etched on left side of trigger housing and rear of hammer.
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