WWII Underwood Finished by Winchester “AW” Code M1 Carbine CMP 1944

SOLD FOR: $1,625.00

WOA#: WY240520KE008

Make: Underwood Finished by Winchester with “AW” Code

Model: M1 Carbine

Serial Number: 6462421

Year of Manufacture: Late 1944 most likely December of 1944

Caliber: .30 Cal

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

Markings:

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

The top rear of the receiver is marked “UNDERWOOD / 6462421” and “AW” The Underwood is crossed out which means this gun was started by Underwood and then completed by Winchester with a Winchester Serial Number.

The barrel is marked, “6”, “Z”, a very faint “W B” towards the muzzle.

The barrel band is marked “C”

The right side of the rear sight is marked with a Shield “H”.

The left side of the hammer is marked “W”.

The bottom of the slide is marked “7160091”

The cross bolt safety is marked “”EW””

The magazine release is marked “M”

The underside of the trigger group is marked “A”

The lug is marked “W”

The stock is marked with “206” on the inside in front of the magwell, in the sling cut “W”, and an Ordnance wheel on the right side.

Barrel Length: 18”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a fixed blade set between protective wings and the rear sight is a late style adjustable sliding aperture sight dovetailed to the receiver.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is an oval cut low wood stock with a type III barrel band/bayonet lug, 4 rivet upper handguard, and checkered metal buttplate. The stock shows scattered marks, compressions and scratches. The upper handguard has a small chip out of the sighting groove. The metal buttplate has lost finish, turned brown with patina and has surface rust. Overall the stock is in Good to Very Good Condition considering its age.

Magazine Quantity & Condition: This rifle includes one 15 round magazine. The surface of the magazine shows some rust freckling. However the magazine is in Good Condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized and Blued.

Finish Originality: CMP Refinish

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is well defined. There is no visible erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8.5/10.

Overall Condition:  This rifle retains about 95% of its refinished metal finish. There are the typical surface marks and scratches present, with thinning finish on the front sight, and friction surfaces. The screw heads show light use but are sharp. The markings are mostly clear. Overall this rifle is in Very Good to Excellent condition as CMP refinished.

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 includes, the padded cardboard box, CMP chamber flag, M1 manual, CMP manual, paperwork, flyers, CMP packing sheet, and the magazine.

Our Assessment:  During World War II, the M1 Carbine was a highly popular firearm among American soldiers. Its lightweight design, accuracy, and reliability made it a favorite among troops, and the Underwood M1 Carbine was no exception.

The Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, known for its typewriters, quickly retooled its factories to produce firearms for the war effort. In 1942, they began producing the M1 Carbine, which quickly gained a reputation as a reliable and accurate rifle.

During the war, Underwood produced more than half a million M1 Carbines for the U.S. military. After the war, the company shifted its focus back to typewriters, but the Underwood M1 Carbine remains an important part of American military history.

Today, the Underwood M1 Carbine is highly sought-after by firearms enthusiasts and World War II historians. Its lightweight design, reliability, and accuracy make it a popular collectible, and it continues to be a symbol of American ingenuity and determination.  Since Underwood was one of the smaller companies producing M1 Carbines, they received parts and stocks from many of the bigger manufacturers like Inland and Winchester so rifles out of factory often had mix matched parts. This example is one of the M1s that Underwood began to make but ended up shipping to Winchester to be completed. Which is why the Underwood is crossed out and the “AW” was added on the receiver. It was then later refinished and sold by the CMP in 2008. If this rifle could tell a story…Please see our photos and best of luck with your bidding!!!-R.L.