U.S. M1 Carbines, Wartime Production, 7th Revised and Expanded Edition

I bought a "correct" WW2 manufactured M1Carbine., So just how "correct" is this thing? Now you M1 Carbine owners know there is "correct" and "as manufactured" & rebuilds. None of the 10 contractors making these firearms made every single part, so "parts matching" is not on the table with M1 carbines. Some are rebuilds during WW2 and some post WW2 (Korea, etc.). Some by gunsmiths WAY after the fact.. So how do you know with yours. Learn how to break it down to its every pieces part, and check it thoroughly with this book. You'll want to dismantle the firearm anyway for a good cleaning and permanent lube anyway, so why not follow every marked part with this excellent reference book? I did, and yes mine is "correct". Not "as manufactured" but every part is "correct", and its "rebuild was during the war at Augusta Arsenal, "AAU" stock marking. The infamous "P" on the stock handle doesn't mean your is NOT correct. You need to see the markings on parts as obscure as the trigger & sear. Maybe you don't care, and thats perfectly OK. If'n you do care, this book will provide you a wealth of knowledge on perhaps the most important firearm of WW2. There is a reason the made over 6 million of these carbines. They did their job.

I bought this book and the too pricey War Baby! book too. No argument, War Baby! is the magnum opus of the M1 carbine world, BUT for me, this book was way more useful. I didn't want a history lesson or to see pictures of the factories (now bulldozed) where they were once built. I wanted to begin collecting. If you're already familiar with M1 carbines but want to learn about the different part variations, dates and manufacturers, this book is what you need. For example, I was looking for a reference book that would show me the differences between say, a type I, II, III, IV, V, or VI trigger housing. This book does that for every major (and minor) part on the rifle. It includes pictures of the different types, often side by side. It has measurements to the thousandths of an inch of parts variations. Plus all the manufacturers of that part,what serial # of production that part began with and sub contractor codes for all the parts. It's organized well, it's concise. It also has some sections on accessories such as bayonets, slings, magazines, stock pouches, etc. it breaks these down by subcontractors and dates too. It also occasionally points out where parts have been faked and precisely what to look for to tell real from fake. I don't give out too many 5 star ratings on Amazon. This one is a solid 5 stars.

This is a great book for anyone who is disassembling and reassembling an M1 Carbine. It is a thorough and well-illustrated reference to almost every single part of the rifle, from the stock markings to the markings on the smallest parts. It provides a history to the changes made overt time, and makes documenting your own rifle fun. Anyone who knows about M1s knows they are a mixed assemblage of parts from several different makers and assembly plants, and discovering where the parts came from and who produced them and when, make the M1 jigsaw puzzle a fascinating endeavor. I really enjoyed this book as a reference to disassembling and reassembling two different M1s.

I bought two M1 Carbines a couple weeks ago. I've wanted one for more than 40 years. One is a 1942 Winchester and the other is a 1942 Inland. It is very obvious the Winchester is arsenal refurbished. I'm not completely sure yet about the Inland, which is why I bought this book. I must say I'm very impressed with the amount of information in this little book. It is greatly enhancing my efforts to learn about my two little rifles. I definitely recommend purchasing this book if you're looking to learn about war era M1 Carbines.

Collecting military rifles is a huge hobby shared by many, many people. One of the most popular of those is the .30 M1 Carbine. Over six million of these short, lightweight, versatile little rifles were made during World War II, from manufacturers as diverse as IBM, General Motors, and Rock-Ola. For shooters and collectors alike, the variations and improvements made to them on a continuing basis during the war requires a detailed road map to keep track of it all.Mr. Reisch's book, in its 6th Edition, is that road map, and then some! It breaks down the carbine by major groups, indentifying every major variation, production stamp, and then provides tables so the reader can tell when the various changes were made by manufacturer and serial number range. It is chock full of pictures showing each part, information on takedown and assembly, and history. Whether it is for knowledge, enjoyment, or the serious collector, this book provides the answers on nearly all things carbine!

I have about six of the leading (or so I am told) reference books on the M1 Carbine. If you are on a budget and can only get one, this is it in my opinion. The book is organized very well and makes for easy reading and is a quick reference guide to place in your bag will perusing gun shows and looking for M1 Carbines, parts or accessories. I am very pleased with this book and you will be as well.

Great resource for parts identification. A must have for the M1 carbine collector.

This 7th edition book is terrific. If you own an M1 Carbine and you want to find out how "correct" it is, this is the book to buy. It's 223, 5 1/2 X 8 1/2 pages of useful information. Many black and white photos and a couple color. There are production tables for all, or nearly all, the parts. There may be other books out there that are just as good; however, I don't own them and cannot give an honest comparison. What I can say is that if you buy this book you will not be disappointed.

great book lots of info for identifying the M1 Carbine!