Quality Hardware M1 30 Carbine Semi Automatic Rifle & Infrared Sniper Scope & Box

Make: Quality Hardware & Machine Company
Model: M1 Carbine
Serial Number: 4797758
Year of Manufacture: March, 1944 – May, 1944 (http://m1family.com/topic20.html); Barrel Date 1 – 44
Caliber: .30 Carbine
Action Type: Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine
Markings: There is no visible import mark. The top of the receiver is marked “U.S. CARBINE / CAL. 30 M1” on the front and “QUALITY H.M.C. / 4797758” on the rear. The barrel is marked “INLAND MFG. DIV. / GENERAL MOTORS / 1-44” (Inland did supply barrels for Quality Hardware). The type III barrel band is marked “JM”. The top of the front sight is marked “PO-Q”, a Quality Hardware mark. The bottom of the trigger housing is marked “F”. The bottom of the pistol grip is marked with a “P in a circle” (a Winchester or Saginaw S’G’ mark). The left side of the butt is marked with the Ordinance Departments “crossed cannons” cartouche. The sling well on the left side of the butt is marked “IO”. The rear of the magazine is marked “AI”, an Inland mark.
Barrel Length: Approximately 18”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a bladed post set between two protective ears. The rear sight has been removed to mount the scope assembly. The scope is an M3 Infrared Sniperscope. It is part of a boxed military set marked “U.S / xxxxxxSCOPE (SNIPER is blacked out) / INFRARED / SET NO. 1, 20000 VOLTS”. The front of the scope mount is attached to a large metal clamp that surrounds the forearm and is attached to a straight grip below. The top of the mount is marked “8247-39-1”. The grip has a switch on the front that activates the infrared light. The grip has an incoming cord that runs to the battery and an outgoing cord that is attached to the light. The grip and mount assembly show fading and wear. They are in about Very Good condition. The light has two electrical leads that run to the scope. The plate mounted on the lower right of the scope is marked “CORPS OF ENGINEERS U.S. ARMY / TELESCOPE / SNIPERSCOPE, INFRARED, 20,000 VOLTS / AMERICAN OPTICAL CO. / BUFFALO, N.Y. / P.O. NO. 27-43200-03 DATED 6-23-51” and with patent numbers. The front band on the scope is marked “8247-38-1”. The left side of the scope is marked “775-97 / 8247-15-1”. The underside of the scope is marked “8247-6-1 B-775-85” and “8247-16-1”. The rubber eye piece is marked “8247-18 / B-77554”. The front connection on the top of the scope is marked “8247-19”. The cap behind the light is marked “8247-24-4”. The rear of the bulb is marked “CORPS OF ENGINEERS U.S. ARMY / LIGHT SOURCE / FOR / SNIPERSCOPE, INFRARED, 20,000 VOLTS”, “DATED 6-22-51” and with other info. The scope lenses and light need cleaning. We have not hooked up or turned on the assembly. When looking through the scope (scope is off) only red is visible. The scope and light show wear and handling marks. The right side of the scope shows scratches. There is surface erosion on the inside of the light housing. The scope and light are in about Very Good condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece stock is semi-gloss finished with a pistol grip, metal nose cap with sling loop, sling well, sling pass through and a metal butt plate. It shows various scrapes, scratches and compression marks. There are several small surface chips out of the butt. Some chips have removes the surface of the finish. The buttplate is slightly proud of the stock on the left side. The LOP measures 13 ¼” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion. The bore has an M.E. of 1.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. The front of the barrel and front sight band show wear and fading. The receiver shows discoloration and wear consistent with cycling the action. The trigger assembly shows light scratches. The buttplate is scratched and worn. The screw heads show use. The markings are deep. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. The trigger is smooth but requires a heavy pull. We have not hooked up or turned on the infrared scope assembly.
Box, Paperwork& Accessories: The rifle comes with one 15-round magazine that shows scratches and wear from use. It is in about Very Good condition. It comes with two manuals which are dirty and have bent edges. One is marked “DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY TECHNICAL MANUAL / OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SNIPERSCOPE INFARED SET No. 1 20,000 VOLTS”. The second is marked “DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY TECHNICAL MANUAL / REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS FOR SNIPERSCOPE INFARED SET No. 1 (20,000 VOLTS)”. They are in about Very Good condition. A green wooden box with metal edges marked “U.S / xxxxxxSCOPE (SNIPER is blacked out) / INFRARED / SET NO. 1, 20000 VOLTS” houses the scope and accessories. The box has two information plates attached to the underside of the top. The box is missing the lower portion of one latch and some of the interiors foam and tape have degraded with time. The interior has several compartments, one of which has a large foam insert with cutouts for small parts. The box contains one spare bulb with its housing, the power pack, the battery assembly, and one electron tube marked “CAPEHART-FARNSWORTH ELECTRON TUBE”. The inside hood of the wooden box, the battery assembly and the power pack are all marked “CORPS OF ENGINEERS U.S. ARMY” and “FOR / SNIPERSCOPE INFRARED 20000 VOLTS”. The wooden box and its accessories are all in about Very Good condition. See photos for other markings and to visually confirm the set is complete.
Our Assessment: This Quality Hardware M1 carbine has an infrared scope attached making it an M3 Carbine. It comes with the boxed kit that was provided to combat troops in Korea to convert their M1 or M2 into and M3. There is some interesting history in the development of this configuration M1 Carbine. From: http://weaponsman.com/?p=4192: “Mass production of a greatly improved infrared night vision system began in 1950 with the “20,000 volt Set No. 1”. This could be mounted on any M1 or M2 carbine, making it a “M3 Carbine.” About 20,000 of these scope sets were made in 1950-1951, and they were used during the Korean War and remained in inventory until the mid-1960s. The improvements in this system included better electronics, resulting in better vision, but still limited to about 135 yards. Heavy weight and short battery life remained major shortcomings. Moving the light source to the top of the scope instead of below the stock provided better illumination of the target and allowed shooting from the prone position. While the Corps of Engineers worked on the night vision sights, the Ordnance Department worked on the M3 Carbine. Instead of the T-3 carbine with numerous unique parts, they decided that a standard M1 or M2 carbine could be converted to use night vision sights using simple conversion kits in the field. These special parts would be included with the sight sets. The regular rear sight was removed from the carbine, and a clamp block attached to the barrel with a lug sticking up through a hole in the handguard. A long bar installed between the rear sight dovetail and the barrel block provided attaching points for the Redfield style mounts for the Sniperscope. A handle was attached to the front of the carbine to control the light source. A flash hider was added to conceal the user’s position. When a standard M1 or M2 carbine had these modified parts installed, the designation became “Carbine, Caliber .30, M3.””

Quality Hardware M1 30 Carbine Semi Automatic Rifle & Infrared Sniper Scope & Box
Quality Hardware M1 30 Carbine Semi Automatic Rifle & Infrared Sniper Scope & Box