Interesting and original PT boat carbine?

[.Steve.]

Originally Posted by peteski

Gun put in stock later ?

My guess.

[d.swider777]

Thanks for all the input and interesting stories everyone! I agree that we'll likely never know the true history behind this rifle. I can also see arguments for both it being on or NOT on a PT boat in the pacific.

So at this point i would ask what the rifle should be valued at. $3,000 is the only amount that I have heard so far. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[6 Ring]

On original carbines it can be possible to check to see if the stock looks like it is original to the carbine. Of course everybody here knows how to do that, right?

[d.swider777]

I have no idea how to, but you are way more experienced than most and I trust your opinion. Please explain how you can do this

[Jeremy2171]

A rifle at sea (like on a PT boat) would look almost new... because there is a thing called "weapons maintenance".

I can guarantee you that all the .50s the Oerlikon and bofors 40mm looked brand new and corrosion free EVERY day on that (or any) PT boat. Because thier lives depended on them.

The carbines would likely have been in a weapons locker below deck and properly oiled. Only taken out when needed and cleaned on a regular schedule.

[35 Whelen]

Originally Posted by Jeremy2171

A rifle at sea (like on a PT boat) would look almost new... because there is a thing called "weapons maintenance".



The carbines would likely have been in a weapons locker below deck and properly oiled. Only taken out when needed and cleaned on a regular schedule.

My thoughts EXACTLY.

[d.swider777]

Yup, I was thinking the same thing. I doubt that the carbine was the weapon that they went to on a PT boat. They most likely would store it somewhere that it wouldn't be exposed to the elements all the time, especially salt water. My experience with weapons maintenance in the Army tells me that weapons in these kinds of elements would be taken well care of.

[Mark1]

It could be that one of the crew on the PT boat used a carbine. But after the war wanted a memory so purchased this carbine and marked it PT 365 to remind him of times past.

[BSAGuy]

Originally Posted by weimar_police

Always interesting to hear a story. but to me, its actually very irritating in getting a gun with a backstory.
Even when the last owner gives you a story, others will doubt it.
I have a 1944 Winchester carbine and my friend said it came with the following story.
During WW2, the locals up on the border between US and Canada the ice could be driven on in the winter. His family with friends were at a winter camp, and in the evening they were sitting around and they heard a vehicle coming over, assume they saw the lights / campfire. A grizzled old sergeant (ok, I added that), but he was a sergeant in the army and he had a wood box, full of new carbines. He was selling them for $50 each - sold a couple at their camp and he went to the next.

He had a story about the 1900 luger I bought also - he said a hunter came into their camp, many years ago and played poker, lost a 1900 model luger to them and it'd been in his family all these years.

The other guns he was selling did not have any stories My friend used to live in the USA but worked in Canada, and when it came time to retire, retired in Canada, so some guns had to be sold.

Just an observation - $50 sounds like nothing today, but in winter of 1944/1945, that was equivalent to $783 in 2022 dollars. People in those days carried more cash than we do these days, but it strains credulity to me to think that guys would take that kind of cash on a camping trip.

[deldriver]

Hmm, one of the reasons they switched from bluing to parkerizing was the harsh enviroment(s) of the Pacific theater. More of an observation rather than a blanket, damning statement though...a nice, early Winchester for sure.