T3 WWII .30 Inland carbine stock - sniper rifle

[Darrell H]

I need to find an orginial T3 .30 carbine wood stock to complete a restoration project for a historically significant WWII military artifact. An Inland - Winchester or reproduction T3 stock will do. Can anyone help or offer some advice about where I can find this much need carbine part to complete this restoration?

Also, It is generally accepted that Inland only made 811 T3 carbines in 1944 and each had a 3 digit serial number preceded by one "zero" although a second series of serial numbers were issued to Inland by the Defense Department and that series consisted of a 3 digit serial number preceded by two "zero's). Supposedly rifles were never manufactored in the Inland second serial number series. The fact is that I have found at least 2 Inland T3 carbines made that are in the second serial number series. Can anyone shed light on the enigma? If this is true then the estimate of T3 Inland carbines thought to exist would greatly increase.

 

[Tommygunn]

All I can say is that it was wartime, and something like six million M-1 Carbines were made by a series of contractors and who knows how many subcontractors. A number of books have been written about them, and many have been found to have omissions and errors.
As soon as one person says "Aha! I figured it out!" someone else is ready to refute him and postulate something else.
One commom piece of advice I've heard on another forum is "buy the carbine, not the story." That is, if you like the carbine, for whatever purpose you intend for it, buy it for that, and don't cound on the "story" behind it being true.
Even if it is from a book.
It should be a surprise to no one that book-keeping in a war becomes problematic. Government book keeping in peacetime is "problematic" -- why should war make anything the government does easier????

 

[bannockburn]

Darrell H

I don't know about more T3 carbines being produced, as all I've ever read puts Winchester production at 1,108, and Inland production at 811. The only other related event that I could find was that in 1950, Rock Island Arsenal refurbished and rebuilt some 357 carbines. Is it possible that maybe some of the Inland produced carbines were given new serial numbers to reflect the arsenal rebuild?
I also don't know of any sources for T3 stocks, but supposedly additional stocks were produced at the same time as the arsenal rebuild program. I found one place online called Riverbank Arsenal, that while they didn't have the stock you're looking for, might be able to help you out with additional information as to availability, etc. They had quite a few carbine stocks listed.

 

[Gator]

Ask on the Jouster.com carbine forum. Chances are good someone over there either has one, or can point you toward one.

 

[Darrell H]

Still looking for a T3 stock, Inland, Winchester or repro.

 

[Jack Cunningham]

T-3 stock?

Having never owned a T-3 carbine, I'm not certain that the stock
that I accidentally picked up is correct, but it has been cut differently
with a four inch long step on the left side unfilled by a regular carbine
receiver. 'Extra' recess is approx, 1/2" wide X 4" long X 2"deep? Let me
know if you are still looking and if this sounds right. I can't figure what
else it might be.

Jack C.

 

[Jack Cunningham]

Correction: Sorry, measurements for the extra milled recess, space
on the left side between the receiver and stock are as follows: 4'' long X
1/4" wide X 1/2" deep. Is it a T-3 stock? I dunno.

Jack C.