Make: Saginaw S’G’. Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors– Saginaw, Michigan.

Model: M1 Carbine.

Serial Number: 1800262

Year of Manufacture: Receiver between July and September of 1943.

Caliber: .30 Carbine

Action Type: Semi Auto, fed by Detachable Magazines.

Markings:

The top of the receiver: “U.S. CARBINE / CAL. 30 M1” and “SAGINAW S’G’ / 1800262”. The right rear side of the receiver: with a small flaming bomb inspection mark. The left side: “D”.

The barrel: “BA” for Buffalo Arms. There is also a “P” a Circle “B” station mark, and a faint ordnance wheel on the barrel flat. The left side of the block has a faint flaming bomb mark.

The front sight: “N”

The Barrel Band is unmarked however the sling ring is marked with “KV-S’G’”. Knapp and Vogt made for Saginaw.

The slide is marked on the inside with “S’G’”.

The rear sight: “S” and “B-S’G’” Beckwith MFG Co. for SG.

The magazine catch: “IP-W” Irwin Pedersen

The hammer: “S’G’”

The Sear: “SW-IP” Star Watch Case for Irwin Pedersen

The Trigger group: “S’G’”.

The safety is marked “IP-A” American Electric Heater for Saginaw, Irwin Pedersen

The lug is unmarked.

The upper handguard: “RSG” Rock-Ola for SG

The stock: “RSG”, “SG” and an ordnance wheel. Rock-Ola made for SG. The stock also has “143” painted on the side.

The oiler: “ISP” International Silver Co.

Magazine: “OSG”.

The Buttplate: “PM-IP” Irwin Pedersen

Barrel Length: 18”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a fixed blade set between protective ears. The rear sight is the early L type dual aperture sight dovetailed to the receiver.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is an oval cut, high wood, with two rivet handguard, type 1 band, crossbolt safety and metal checkered buttplate. The LOP measures 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The wood has been sanded and refinished as a result it shows only minor lines and compressions. There are a few places where a chip existed and then was mostly sanded away. There are no visible cracks in the stock. The buttplate shows minor rub wear and finish loss with sharp checkering. Overall the stock rates in about Very Good to Excellent condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized / Blued

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is visible. There is no visible erosion / pitting in the bore. There are visible lines from use and cleaning. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9.25/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The friction surfaces of the action and flat bolt show very little rub wear. The action and trigger group show some very minor spots of discoloration from age. The markings are mostly clear and the screw heads are sharp. Overall this rifle is in Excellent condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This M1 includes a 15 round magazine in Good+ condition showing light oxidation on the bluing. .

Our Assessment: This Saginaw Gear M1 Carbine, marked with the distinctive “S’G’” designation and a tooling hole on the receiver, was manufactured between July and September of 1943 at the Grand Rapids facility originally established for Irwin-Pedersen. After IP’s contract failed, Saginaw Steering Gear, a division of General Motors, took over the operation but retained the use of IP-marked receivers and some leftover parts. This particular carbine reflects that crossover, built with mostly Saginaw Gear components but including several Irwin-Pedersen subcontracted parts in the trigger group, notably the American Electric Heater Co.-made safety, which is typical of early IP production.

The barrel was made by Buffalo Arms, a known subcontractor during WWII, and the stock was produced by Rock-Ola under contract specifically for Saginaw Gear. The carbine also features an early L-type flip rear sight and a crossbolt safety, representing a transitional configuration commonly seen in mid-1943 production. The presence of the tooling hole, a remnant from IP receiver manufacturing, is a unique visual indicator and of collector interest. Altogether, this rifle is an excellent example of a Grand Rapids S’G’ carbine that bridges parts and manufacturing practices from multiple contractors during the height of wartime production.