One manufacturer separated out smaller blocks of serial numbers for use by subcontractors who would use these

Some manufacturers used more than oneĪ few of the manufacturers used subcontractors to manufacture their receivers. Some of these blocks were split up and used before or after other blocks. There was no requirement as to using the serial numbers in order.Ī few manufacturers used some serial number blocks out of order. Contracts had a completion date but there was no requirement for completing one contract before starting another. Think of each serial number block as a separate contract. Serial number blocks were assigned by the Ordnance Department on an as needed basis, generally in response to the awarding of a contract to a given manufacturer. This is not an accurate means of estimating the date the carbine was finally assembled or when it passed its final inspection. Some people estimate a carbine's date of manufacture by adding the quantities manufactured month to month Understanding Serial Numbers - Understanding Dates of Manufactureĭating a carbine by its serial number alone is difficult and not always accurate given the circumstances inherent with manufacturing and the logistics situationĭuring the time the carbines were manufactured. Inland Mfg - Engineering & Presentation Gifts

M1 carbine serial number lookup