Tudorp Posted September 30, 2015 Share #1 Posted September 30, 2015 I just ended up with these. I have a Winchester M1 Carbine (WWII USGI), and have it in reproduction canvas case. But I just scored these two authentic ones. However, somewhere in the past they were defaced with these buck images on them. I know that kills any "collector" interests, but I don't care much about that. But what would you feel these might be worth being defaced? Even with the images on them, they are still authentic and better than a repop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted September 30, 2015 Share #2 Posted September 30, 2015 My guess is they were surplus and resold as civilian hunting rifle cases. Any markings on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted September 30, 2015 Share #3 Posted September 30, 2015 Have one identical to these.I wonder if they were sold through a supplier such as Herters back then.The paint on mine is rather thick but looks like a stencil was used and brushed or rolled on.I considered over painting it with OD spray paint and redoing the US as its there but never did.I have several others so left this one as is and store a carbine in it guessing $30 range for value.The repros are way thinner material wise and will cost close to this. Plus the zipper and carry strap could be used on a damaged bag as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted September 30, 2015 Share #4 Posted September 30, 2015 My guess is they were surplus and resold as civilian hunting rifle cases. Any markings on them? The US is visible under the paint.Mine is the same. mine is manufacture marked and dated 1994 on the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudorp Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted September 30, 2015 Does yours have that very same red printing on it as these do? If so, that would indicate that they were sent to some dealer that painted them for the commercial market. One of them is printed in side "Tent & Awning knoxville tennessee 1943" and the other is hard to read, i'll have to look at that one closer, but the date can be read is 1944. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted September 30, 2015 Share #6 Posted September 30, 2015 Yes sir..I can add a picture later. Mine is marked: M. D. MTG.CO. 1944 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudorp Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted September 30, 2015 Yes, I would like to see it. That being the case, yep, I would guess that marking is a commercial thing aimed at hunters for their rifles. I would like to find out more about it then, and find out who did it, and when. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted September 30, 2015 Share #8 Posted September 30, 2015 I would paint a block (black) over the deer then I would put my name, service number etc. and address. I think it would look better than the deer. Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted September 30, 2015 Share #9 Posted September 30, 2015 I don't know, I think they look kinda cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted September 30, 2015 Share #10 Posted September 30, 2015 I do too actually.. I'd probably leave them and they are what they are. you can still use them, see the US through the deer and has the markings inside. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted October 1, 2015 Share #11 Posted October 1, 2015 I agree, leave them as is. I nice one sold on ePay for about $150.And who knows, maybe the vet brought them home and did the stenciling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 1, 2015 Share #12 Posted October 1, 2015 Here is the one I mentioned.I had forgotten it had also had a piece spliced into the bottom to make the case longer.Have seen lengthend cases before sold as surplus in the past as well. My spoterized Krag rifle fits well in the case as does a Winchester Model92,Model1886 and a Marlin 336 30-30 and Model 94 30-30.Case is a bit long for the 30-30s but it works. Still of the opinion these were done to market them to the Sporting and Hunting sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudorp Posted October 1, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted October 1, 2015 I actually don't care for the image on it. I'm sort of a "purist" at heart, but also feel they should be left how they are. The post war modifications may or may not devalue it already anyway, so trying to put them back as they started in most cases devalues them even more, and more often than not tend to come out worse then the modification. from date of manufacture, through the war and then post war is all part of the history IMHO, and should be left as is. I collect militaria, and vintage military weapons, guns, bayonets etc. I have an 100% original Enfield Jungle Carbine that has some puky green paint on the receiver and barrel. I was planning to remove the paint when I first got it, but after some research found out that the green paint was a field "mod" and painted with the thick, green paint in an attempt to help protect the rifle from the humid, wet environments during the Malaysian Emergency during it's military service. Ugly as hell, but, it is a part of it's military history, so I turned to actually like the ugly green paint on it, and left it intact as part of it's military history, and overall history of the rifle. It's just part of the journey that our historic artifacts go through, and should stay with it. So, I'll be leaving my cases as is, even though I don't personally like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirt Detective Posted October 1, 2015 Share #14 Posted October 1, 2015 I believe this post WWII marking affects the value big time and the only collection it would belong in would be Original WWII items that were re-purposed for the civilian market, which might be a cool area to collect. If i could buy them cheap enough I would use for rifle cases..but in reality I like a little more padding in mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted October 1, 2015 Share #15 Posted October 1, 2015 Our local museum did a display once called "Swords to Plowshares" that highlighted items like this that were converted to civilian use after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 1, 2015 Share #16 Posted October 1, 2015 Our local museum did a display once called "Swords to Plowshares" that highlighted items like this that were converted to civilian use after the war. Matt That sounds like a very intresting and unique display.Really thinking out of the box which to me makes a display more intresting.Hope it was well recieved as Im sure most people are really not aware of how much of the surplus items were marketed for resale to the civilian sector or just plain copied due to the design or functionality of the item. Quite a while back I posted a barrel cover that was basically modified into a fly rod carrier.Over the years I have seen dozens of these in various forms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudorp Posted October 1, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted October 1, 2015 Actually, so much industry is spawned from war time. Prime example is the Willys CJ2A that was introduced post war due to the popularity of the MB used by the soldiers during the war. They got out, and loved the Jeeps they depended on during the war. Willys answer to the civilian world? The CJ2A. More currently after the 1st Gulf War and the use of the Humvee spawned the Hummer post war. There are plenty uses for post war military technology. History has proven that over and over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 1, 2015 Share #18 Posted October 1, 2015 I agree, leave them as is. I nice one sold on ePay for about $150.And who knows, maybe the vet brought them home and did the stenciling? Im guessing the over paint was more so to cover the US property mark to make it more appealing to commercial buyers.Not really thinking it had to be covered to show it was no longer issue but its funny how many people I will still run into that tell me its "illegal" to own or have government marked property... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 1, 2015 Share #19 Posted October 1, 2015 Actually, so much industry is spawned from war time. Prime example is the Willys CJ2A that was introduced post war due to the popularity of the MB used by the soldiers during the war. They got out, and loved the Jeeps they depended on during the war. Willys answer to the civilian world? The CJ2A. More currently after the 1st Gulf War and the use of the Humvee spawned the Hummer post war. There are plenty uses for post war military technology. History has proven that over and over. Agreed These cases are a good example as well.There were a lot of surplus rifles on the market as well as carbines.Pretty easy to resell the item to vets who saw and used the item during war time and to anyone who hada post war purchased carbine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudorp Posted October 1, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted October 1, 2015 Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. These too are lengthened like yours is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudorp Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share #21 Posted October 3, 2015 Would anybody happen to know anything about that deer logo? Or what commercial outlet it was that did these modifications to these M1 Carbine cases? I would like to learn and know more about them. I want to do some research and follow the trails of any other's of these that are out there. Im certain there will be more of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc. Posted January 31, 2016 Share #22 Posted January 31, 2016 I would research it and try to find out what company or distributor marked them this way and at what timeline they did this. Kinda neat piece of the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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