CMP Quality Hardware & Machine M1 Carbine .30 Cal Semi-Auto Rifle 1944 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1,050.00

LSB#: LSB251209RR007

Make: Quality Hardware & Machine Co. 

Model: M1 Carbine

Serial Number: 4784973

Year of Manufacture: September 1943 to May 1944, Barrel Date 1-1-44 

Caliber: .30 Carbine

Action Type: Semi-Automatic, fed by detachable magazines. 

Markings: 

The top-rear of the receiver is marked “QUALITY H.M.C.”, and “4784973”. 

The top-front of the receiver is marked “U.S. Carbine”, “CAL .30 M1”. 

The top of the barrel is marked “UNDERWOOD / 1-44” over an flaming ordnance bomb. There is a “P” on top of the barrel about 5″ from the front sight. 

The inside bevel style Type I-B front sight is unmarked. The right side of the front sight has a Rock-Ola stake mark. – a Rock-Ola part.

The Type II Milled rear sight is marked PI for Inland.

The magazine release button is marked with an underscored “M” mark.  

The Type III (straight) hammer is unmarked.

The Type III, square rear lug, ribbed wall, no hole, trigger group is marked “Q-NL” for National Lock Co, made for QHMC. 

The sear is marked “SW-N” for National Postal Meter.

The Type III barrel band is marked “KI” for Inland.

The Type III slide is unmarked. 

The Removable spring tube is unmarked.

The Type IV safety is marked with a circled SS, a William Steinen Company part.

The handguard is marked “HI” for Inland. 

The sling well is marked with an Ordnance Bomb and “IO”, an Inland-Overton. 

The recoil plate is marked “J” on the bottom. 

The right side of the buttstock is marked with a “FAT / 82” – Italian Arsenal Stamp “Fabrica Armi Terni”. F.A.T. restocked and reworked carbines for the Italian Air Force which were then sourced in the mid 2000s for CMP. 

Barrel Length: 18″

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a fixed blade set between protective ears. The rear sight is the later style sliding aperture sight with a serrated windage knob dovetailed to the receiver.  

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is an I-Cut low-wood with a 4-rivet upper handguard, Type III barrel band, and a checkered metal butt plate. This rifle also has the late style rotating safety. The LOP measures about 13.25” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. There are scattered compressions, nicks, gouges, and chips. There are some losses around the I-cut. There is some marring on the left side of the buttstock in front of the sling well. The top of the wrist at the recoil plate has a small crack . There is a small crack in the stock next to the barrel groove, not visible when assembled. The metal buttplate has lost its finish and has heavy erosion around the edges. Overall the stock is in Fair to Good condition. No I-cut stocks were made with low wood, it is likely that the stock was reworked into a low wood by Fabrica Amri Terni for the Italian Air Force, or the stock’s high cut was damaged (which was quite common) and reworked to a low wood profile. 

Magazine Quantity & Condition: None. 

Type of Finish: Phosphate and Blued

Finish Originality: Original to Arsenal Refurbishment

Bore Condition:  The bore is bright and the rifling is well defined. There is very minor erosion. There are some lines in the grooves from use.  In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 7.5/10.  

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 95% of its current metal finish. There is finish loss in the high friction areas and thinning on the leading edges. The screw heads are sharp to tool marked with serviceable slots and the markings are clear though somewhat shallow on the barrel. Overall this rifle is in Good Condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a CMP certificate of authenticity, CMP yellow chamber flag, CMP rifle safety manual, and an Ordnance Field Service M1 Carbine manual. 

Our Assessment: The Quality Hardware and Machine Company M1 Carbine is another example of America’s wartime industrial adaptability, when companies with little previous experience in firearms manufacturing were tasked with producing critical military arms. Quality Hardware of Chicago manufactured carbines between late 1942 and mid 1944, producing approximately 360,000 rifles for the U.S. military. This receiver falls within the latter portion of that production run, and the Underwood barrel dated January 1944 reflects the widespread subcontracting system that kept wartime production moving at remarkable speed. The mix of Inland, National Lock, National Postal Meter, and other subcontractor components seen on this rifle is typical of arsenal serviced carbines that remained in military inventories through the later years of the war and into the postwar era.

Chambered in .30 Carbine, the lightweight cartridge developed in 1941 to give support troops a compact firearm with greater range and capacity than a service pistol, this rifle retains approximately 95 percent of its current arsenal refurbished finish with only moderate wear on contact points and edges. The bore is bright with well defined rifling and only minor erosion, rating 7.5 out of 10. The I cut low wood stock shows typical service wear along with Italian arsenal markings from Fabrica Armi Terni, indicating refurbishment and later service with the Italian Air Force before eventual import through the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Accompanied by its CMP certificate and documentation, this 1944 dated Quality Hardware M1 Carbine represents a historically layered example of a classic U.S. World War II service rifle that continued its military career well into the Cold War era. Please see our high definition photos and good luck on your bids! – L.S.