Type I rear sight

edgarrice · 12-16-2007, 10:00 AM

My Dad passed away 8 years ago. One of the Items left to me was M1 Carbine. This rifle was given to him while stationed aboard the J. Franklin Bell, Attack Cargo Ship. From 1942 to 1945. A Marine gave him this piece at Tarawa. Along with 4 Boxes of Ammo. One box is still sealed. He had since mounted a scope for dear hunting. Rear sight is not to be found, along with sling. Since I am new to M1 Carbine Clubs, I have a question concerning finding a type 1 Rear Peep Sight and Sling. Also< I have told that a special tool would be needed to install the rear sight? The date on the barrel was stamped May 1943 w/ 737XXX serial No. An 'SC' stamped on the trigger housing. Should I get the rifle registered? Insured? Is this rifle a collector's item?

mosineer · 12-16-2007, 01:51 PM

There are many here more knowledgeable than me and I am sure they will jump in here soon. Pictures would help a ton. But here is what I see. The serial No. indicates it is a Inland Division, General Motors manufacture. It may have other manufacturer components since there were often assembled with various manufacturers parts. Most carbines were rebuilt, yours may not be one of them. Does it have a bayonet lug? Not sure about the special tool for the rear sight. Though I haven't dealt with this site(others may know) looks like they may have what you need for the rear sight(not cheap). PARTS p.1- M1 Carbine
Your carbine may be worth a wide range of $ amounts, it is hard to tell with info given and no pics.(condition, bluing, mods). As an owner and shooter of the M1 Carbine, all M1 carbines are collectible to me. Hope this helped and I am sure more knowledgeable info will be forth coming......AND .. Welcome to the site and hope you enjoy the forums...

*****************************************************
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing

oldjarhead · 12-17-2007, 02:46 PM

Two places I use for parts.
Fulton Armory Home Page
Northridge International (M1, M1 Carbine Parts)

Both have original and new commercial. Northridge parts that start with SN are commercial the original will start with M1. Both have been reliable and have pretty good prices. The rear sight can be "original" with a flip style or an early adjustable. The early adjustable has a narrow windage knob compared to the later model sights. It will be easier to find the flip sight than it will to find the early adjustable; either would present your carbine correctly.
The unopened ammo...keep it that way...unopened. It has a collector value if in an unopened original military box.
Fulton has unissued USGI slings...I just got two from them.
As for the rear sight tool; yes there is a special tool but you don't necessarily need it. You can install the rear sight with a small hammer, drift puch, and center-punch but installation must be slow and careful using light taps to move the rear sight into place. The rear sight should be centered in the dovetail. I have centered and restaked rear sights on 2 of my carbines and it has worked well. It's a simple dovetail installation and the only real problem you may encounter is if the receiver dovetail is over or under sized with relation to the rear sight. At that point you may want to consider having a gun smith install the rear sight.

Orlando · 12-17-2007, 07:29 PM

Oldjarhead, think you got things mixed up there a bit. The type 1 flip sight is the earliest style and pretty expensive"if' you can find a original. Be very careful as there are some reproductions out there. The type 11 is adjustable andmilled base, Type 111 is adjustable and made from stamped parts

jimb2 · 12-17-2007, 10:53 PM

4 out of 5 of the type one rear sights you see for sale are fakes. You really need to know what you are doing if you hope to find a real one. And Orlando has the sequence correct. But just a side note on the type 2 and 3 sights....When they started making the type 3s, they did not stop production of the type 2s. In fact Springfield Armory produced a sizable number of type 2s after the end of WWII.

oldjarhead · 12-18-2007, 07:31 PM

Thanks guys but I don't believe I even mentioned Type I, II, or III; I mentioned flip and adjustable, nor did I mention any sequence. Sources list flip sights at $45 and milled adjustables at $35 whether they are actual USGI remains to be seen. The gentleman asked for information on locating a sight...

jimb2 · 12-18-2007, 10:00 PM

If the flip sights are that cheap, rest assured that they are repros. Originals are closer to $145.....

Orlando · 12-19-2007, 05:30 AM

$45.00 flip sight = reproduction

12-16-2007, 10:00 AM	#1
edgarrice Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Santa Rosa CA Posts: 1	Type I rear sight My Dad passed away 8 years ago. One of the Items left to me was M1 Carbine. This rifle was given to him while stationed aboard the J. Franklin Bell, Attack Cargo Ship. From 1942 to 1945. A Marine gave him this piece at Tarawa. Along with 4 Boxes of Ammo. One box is still sealed. He had since mounted a scope for dear hunting. Rear sight is not to be found, along with sling. Since I am new to M1 Carbine Clubs, I have a question concerning finding a type 1 Rear Peep Sight and Sling. Also< I have told that a special tool would be needed to install the rear sight? The date on the barrel was stamped May 1943 w/ 737XXX serial No. An 'SC' stamped on the trigger housing. Should I get the rifle registered? Insured? Is this rifle a collector's item?

12-17-2007, 02:46 PM	#3
oldjarhead Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mansfield, MO Posts: 817	Two places I use for parts. Fulton Armory Home Page Northridge International (M1, M1 Carbine Parts) Both have original and new commercial. Northridge parts that start with SN are commercial the original will start with M1. Both have been reliable and have pretty good prices. The rear sight can be "original" with a flip style or an early adjustable. The early adjustable has a narrow windage knob compared to the later model sights. It will be easier to find the flip sight than it will to find the early adjustable; either would present your carbine correctly. The unopened ammo...keep it that way...unopened. It has a collector value if in an unopened original military box. Fulton has unissued USGI slings...I just got two from them. As for the rear sight tool; yes there is a special tool but you don't necessarily need it. You can install the rear sight with a small hammer, drift puch, and center-punch but installation must be slow and careful using light taps to move the rear sight into place. The rear sight should be centered in the dovetail. I have centered and restaked rear sights on 2 of my carbines and it has worked well. It's a simple dovetail installation and the only real problem you may encounter is if the receiver dovetail is over or under sized with relation to the rear sight. At that point you may want to consider having a gun smith install the rear sight. Last edited by oldjarhead; 12-17-2007 at 03:01 PM. Reason: additional information

12-17-2007, 10:53 PM	#5
jimb2 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 513	4 out of 5 of the type one rear sights you see for sale are fakes. You really need to know what you are doing if you hope to find a real one. And Orlando has the sequence correct. But just a side note on the type 2 and 3 sights....When they started making the type 3s, they did not stop production of the type 2s. In fact Springfield Armory produced a sizable number of type 2s after the end of WWII. __________________ I am a nobody. Nobody is perfect. Therefore, I am perfect...

12-18-2007, 10:00 PM	#7
jimb2 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 513	If the flip sights are that cheap, rest assured that they are repros. Originals are closer to $145..... __________________ I am a nobody. Nobody is perfect. Therefore, I am perfect...

12-16-2007, 01:51 PM	#2
mosineer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 1,299	There are many here more knowledgeable than me and I am sure they will jump in here soon. Pictures would help a ton. But here is what I see. The serial No. indicates it is a Inland Division, General Motors manufacture. It may have other manufacturer components since there were often assembled with various manufacturers parts. Most carbines were rebuilt, yours may not be one of them. Does it have a bayonet lug? Not sure about the special tool for the rear sight. Though I haven't dealt with this site(others may know) looks like they may have what you need for the rear sight(not cheap). PARTS p.1- M1 Carbine Your carbine may be worth a wide range of $ amounts, it is hard to tell with info given and no pics.(condition, bluing, mods). As an owner and shooter of the M1 Carbine, all M1 carbines are collectible to me. Hope this helped and I am sure more knowledgeable info will be forth coming......AND .. Welcome to the site and hope you enjoy the forums... *************************************************** All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing**

12-17-2007, 07:29 PM	#4
Orlando Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 542	Oldjarhead, think you got things mixed up there a bit. The type 1 flip sight is the earliest style and pretty expensive"if' you can find a original. Be very careful as there are some reproductions out there. The type 11 is adjustable andmilled base, Type 111 is adjustable and made from stamped parts

12-18-2007, 07:31 PM	#6
oldjarhead Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mansfield, MO Posts: 817	Thanks guys but I don't believe I even mentioned Type I, II, or III; I mentioned flip and adjustable, nor did I mention any sequence. Sources list flip sights at $45 and milled adjustables at $35 whether they are actual USGI remains to be seen. The gentleman asked for information on locating a sight...

12-19-2007, 05:30 AM	#8
Orlando Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 542	$45.00 flip sight = reproduction