M1 carbine question

[wolfcreek]

I have a Saginaw with an underwood barrel. How common is this or is it? How common is the Saginaw and is it a desired manufacture?

[Milsurp Collector]

Is it a Saginaw SG (made in Saginaw) or a Saginaw S'G' (made in Grand Rapids)? Saginaw SG used their own barrels, Saginaw S'G' used barrels made by other manufacturers including Underwood. Underwood barrels are desirable.

Inland Manufacturing Division, G.M.C...... 2,632,097.... 43.0%
Winchester Repeating Arms Co................ 828,059.... 13.5%
Underwood-Elliot-Fisher Co.................. 545,616...... 8.9%
Saginaw Steering Gear Div., G.M.C........... 517,212.... 8.5%
National Postal Meter Co.................... 413,017...... 6.8%
Quality Hardware & Machine Co............... 359,666.... 5.9%
International Business Machines Corp (IBM).. 346,500. 5.7%
Standard Products Co........................ 247,160...... 4.0%
Rock-Ola Co................................. 228,500...... 3.7%

The 517,212 number is the combined total for both plants (Saginaw and Grand Rapids). The Saginaw plant made more carbines than the Grand Rapids plant, and Saginaw S'G' carbines are actually rarer than Rock-Olas and more desirable than the Saginaw SG carbines.

[wolfcreek]

Looks like under the site it is S'G' Thats great to know thanks.

[coop44]

parts were freely interchanged among the makers of the m1, just because parts do not match, does not mean that your carbine was not produced that way. Try and and find a copy of craig reisch's book on the M1, he studied hundreds of carbines and volumes of material, he studied "as manufactured" and "as issued" pieces.

The m1 carbine is a very cool little weapon, suitable to be collected.

[bplvr]

"War Baby" by Ruth will tell you who traded parts with who, and who all the sub-contractors were. It is a facinating read.

[Dr.Mauser]

I love the book, helped me out alot...but for example, I have a Standard Prodcuts Receiver with an IBM barrel.