1091 EXTREMELY RARE SERIAL NUMBER "A" WINCHESTER M1

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 2,000.00 USD
Estimated at 4,000.00 - 8,000.00 USD
SEMI-AUTO MILITARY CARBINE. Cal. 30 Carbine. S# A. Bbl. 18". This unusual carbine which is marked at the rear of the receiver "WINCHESTER" / "TRADEMARK" / "A" has an accompanying notarized letter from the consigner which states in part: "The carbine, "A" and also a second one marked similarly with a "B" were given to my dad (David Crosby by his supervisor (Merton...?) at the ballistics lab in Winchester's New Haven CT. plant. (circa WW-II) Dad gave the Carbine to me in 1964. It has been in our possession continuously from those war days until today.". This letter is extremely interesting because there were 2 other carbines produced by Winchester and marked "A" and "B" in the Cody Firearms Museum, Cody, Wyoming. These 2 carbines were also referred to by the experimental designations "M1", "E1" and had a different guide rod and gas piston then that used in production guns. These carbines are featured on pages 64-67 in the book, War Baby by Larry L. Ruth and have somewhat different, earlier features. The close-up of the milling marks shown in the book have a notably different pattern of milling marks in the operating handle guide slot as compared to this carbine. This carbine has many features from the early standard production carbines with the exception of the "A" serial # marking. This carbine has a flip type rear sight marked "S" on the right side. Blade front sight with protective ears. The sight base is unmarked. The blued barrel is marked behind the front sight with a flaming bomb over "W.R.A.". The "11-42" date is stamped parallel to the bore. The barrel does not have the "WP" oval proof. Narrow bbl. band w/ vertical clamping screw. Stamped sling swivel. The straight cut slide is unmarked as is the blued flat bolt. The machined trigger housing is marked "W" on the right rear. Push button safety w/out checkering is marked "SW" on the right side. Unmarked serrated magazine catch. Straight cut hammer is marked "W". The hammer is a type C straight M1 hammer as noted on page 29 of the book, The M1 CARBINE III by J. C. Harrison. Unmarked high wood T cut walnut buttstock. Sides of pistol grip have been reduced somewhat in width and right side of the grip has approximately 1/8" transverse screw hole. The recoil plate is unmarked. Buttplate has square checkering. Two rivet bull nosed handguard is unmarked. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: blued steel oiler marked "IW". 1 Unmarked 5 rd. & 4 - 15 rd. marked "BW" plus 1 unmarked 15 rd. Magazines show significant loss of blued finish. Included is a notarized letter from the consignor giving the known history of the carbine. CONDITION: stock set has very good appearing original finish w/ light wear, scattered handling marks plus sm. scattered flecks of white paint. Buttstock has notably thinner finish on sides of grip & crack between buttplate and top corner of sling slot. There is tiny crack behind recoil plate behind tang and at top of grip. Metal has original lightly worn, wartime gray green parkerized finish except for barrel assembly which has a lightly worn thinning blue. Very good, bright shiny bore with sharp lands. (24-1750/RW). CURIO. $4,000-8,000.