Winchester played a pivotal role in the development and production of the M1 Carbine, and is credited by most historians as the major force behind the development of the iconic rifle. The genesis of the M1 Carbine began with the U.S. Army Ordnance Department's quest for a "light rifle" in 1938, a formal requirement that solidified in 1940. Winchester engineers, under immense wartime pressure, responded with remarkable speed. In less than two weeks, they developed a functional light military carbine and its proprietary .30 Carbine cartridge. A key innovation in Winchester's design was the patented short-stroke gas piston system, developed by David M. Williams. This design proved to be extremely reliable during Army testing, leading to the M1 Carbine's standardization on October 22, 1941.
As a key player in the development of the new carbine, Winchester was among the first to receive a contract to produce the new rifle; with the company receiving its first official contracts only a few days after the rifle was officially adopted in late 1941. As a primary contractor Winchester was instrumental in the mass production of the M1 Carbine. The company produced more than 800,00 units during the war; making them the second largest producer of M1 Carbines behind Inland. While Winchester's production of 800,000 M1 Carbines might seem substantial, it represents only 13% of the total wartime output. This figure, combined with the fact that eight other manufacturers also produced carbines, means that Winchester M1 Carbines are considered relatively rare by many modern collectors, especially when compared to Inland's production of 2.6 million units.
This particular example is in great shape and matching with both a Winchester-marked receiver and stock - this isn't some "mix master" post-war rebuild, but a true piece of WWII history. It's serial number puts it's date of manufacture in August, 1943 nearly a year before the Allied invasion of Europe!
This is easily the nicest M1 Carbine that we've ever had! The stock is beautiful and wonderful figured grain in the butt, as well as very crisp Winchester cartouches. This, along with the perfect wood-to-metal fit are both great indicators that the wood was never sanded or refinished.
The finish of the metal components is excellent with a wonderful grey-black Parkerizing with no areas of wear or rust. All the markings are crisp and legible.
The action is wonderfully smooth and the bore is fantastic! It shines like a mirror with beautifully crisp rifling and and no rust or pitting. There are no import marks anywhere, indicating that this gun has been owned by the good old U-S-of-A since it was originally built nearly 80 years ago.
Included with this rifle is an original magazine in good condition with excellent bluing.
*This weapon was made after 1899 and/or fires a modern cartridge. MUST be shipped to Federal Firearms License holder for transfer. Never bought a gun through an FFL before? Give us a call at (262) 473-5444 and we'd be glad to walk you through this simple process
