Make: UN-Quality, Quality Hardware & Machine Co. with a receiver produced by Union Switch & Signal.
Model: M1 Carbine
Serial Number: 4443472
Year of Manufacture: Late 1943, barrel date 8-1943
Caliber: .30 Carbine
Action Type: Semi-Automatic fed by detachable magazines.
Markings:
Top rear of the receiver: "UN-QUALITY", and "4443472".
Top front of the receiver: "U.S. Carbine", "CAL .30 M1".
Barrel: "BUFFALO ARMS 8-1943" with the flaming bomb and the "P" Proof mark . The left side of the gas
block also has a flaming bomb. The barrel flat has a small faint ordnance wheel.
Front sight: "N"
Slide: "DA-Q" Dalkin and CO for QHMC
Rear sight: "GE-Q" and "S" Gerrard Co. for QHMC
Trigger group: "Q-NL" National Lock CO. for QHMC
Hammer: "LT-Q" Ludlow Typograph CO. for QHMC
Sear: "GE-Q" Gerrard Co. for QHMC
Mag catch: "LT-Q" Ludlow Typograph CO. for QHMC
Sling cut: "Q-RMC". Rock-Ola Music Co. For QHMC
Upper handguard "Q-RMC". Rock-Ola Music Co. For QHMC
Stock right flank: Ordnance wheel
Magazine is marked "UQ"-QHMC
Barrel Length: 18"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a fixed blade with protective ears. The rear sight is the early L type dual aperture "flip sight" dovetailed to the receiver.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is an oval cut, high wood with a 2-rivet upper handguard, Type I barrel band, and a checkered metal butt plate. The length of pull is 13.25". The wood has been sanded and refinished and shows scattered compressions, nicks, lines, and scratches. The handguard shows chips missing from some of the edges. There is a very small crack forming from the rear edge of the recoil lug. The butt plate is missing most of its finish, shows rub wear and marks, as well as some surface rust forming in the checkering. Overall the stock set is in about Good condition.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: This rifle includes one 15 round magazine in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is well defined. The bore shows some minor erosion and small scattered patches of pitting. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 9.25/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 95% of its metal finish. The bolt and receiver show rub wear on the friction surfaces. The finish shows some spots of discoloration from age. The front sight wings show some minor surface rust freckling. The action is smooth. The markings are mostly clear and the screw heads are sharp. Overall this rifle is in about Very Good-Very Good+ 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: Includes one magazine.
Our Assessment: This M1 Carbine was produced in late 1943 with a receiver manufactured by Union Switch and Signal for Quality Hardware Manufacturing Company, then assembled into a complete rifle by Quality Hardware under the "UN-QUALITY" marking. Union Switch & Signal produced only about 29,000 receivers for this contract, making these among the rarest of all M1 Carbine variations. This example is correctly fitted with a Buffalo Arms Corporation barrel dated August 1943, matching the production timeframe.
The rifle retains a strong concentration of correct Quality Hardware components, including the slide, rear sight, trigger group, hammer, sear, magazine release, and magazine. It is housed in a "Q-RMC" marked stock produced by Rock-Ola for Quality Hardware. Carbines built on Union Switch & Signal receivers were often rebuilt and mixed during service, making a near-correct example like this increasingly scarce today and highly desirable among collectors of WWII U.S. small arms.
