Post WWII Commercially Manufactured M1 Carbines (U.S.A.)

AMPCO

Miami, Florida

AMPCO Advance Metal Products, Inc. was incorporated in Florida on April 1, 1955. They were located at 2445 N.W. 76th St., Miami, FL. The officers were Louis Fine, Benjamin Rapoport, Ernest Rapoport, and Marcus Hyman. The business was a machine shop that accepted contract work from various different customers. Bullseye Gun Works was incorporated January 22, 1960 at 3434 NW 27th Ave, Miami, FL. The articles of incorporation indicate the business would include manufacturing, repair, and sales of weapons and their parts. The corporate directors are identified as Jerry (aka Jerome) Resnick, his wife Selma, Abe Seiderman, and his wife Sandra. Advance Metal Products Inc. was located 2.8 miles directly north of Bullseye via N.W. 27th Ave. The first advertisement located for Bullseye Gun Works was a small ad for M1 Carbine receivers in the April 1, 1960 issue of Shotgun News. The address used in the advertisement was 3434 NW 27th Ave, Miami, FL. The next advertisement that could be associated with Bullseye appeared in the October 15, 1960 issue of Shotgun News. The advertisement offered M1 Carbine receivers for sale using the same address, but under the company name of U.S. Carbines, Inc. U.S. Carbines Inc. was incorporated in Florida July 8, 1960 at 3434 NW 27th, Miami, FL. The articles of incorporation indicate the business would include manufacturing, repair, and sales of weapons and their parts. The corporate directors are identified as Irving Raider (President), Abe Seiderman (Vice-President), and Jerome Resnick (Secretary-Treasurer). Irving Raider was a business associate (De Roy, Inc. in Miami) of Louis Fine of Advance Metal Products, Inc. Of note is the U.S. Carbines Inc. advertisement indicates the receivers were forged from 8620 steel and advance orders were being accepted, inferring the receivers had yet to be manufactured. Neither of these first two advertisements included pictures of the actual receivers. Shotgun News October 15, 1960 Subsequent ads for Bullseye's carbines and receivers indicate they were made from 4135 steel and include photographs that show the receivers found on Bullseye carbines with serial numbers up to 1900. These receivers are significantly different in appearance than those made by Advance Metal Products Inc. The name of U.S. Carbines Inc. has only been found in the October 15, 1960 advertisement. All other Bullseye ads indicate the company name as Bullseye Gun Works. The ad, below, appeared in the November 1960 issue of The American Rifleman. So far, it is the only advertisement found for Advance Metal Products Inc. It is difficult to see, but the rear of the receiver in the ad is consistent with the flattened top encountered only on receivers manufactured by Advance Metal Products. It appears Bullseye Gun Works contracted Advance Metal Products Inc. for the manufacture of M1 Carbine receivers but when the first receivers arrived Bullseye chose not to use them, instead setting up their own machine shop and ordering forgings made from 4135 steel. This will be discussed further below. AMPCO Serial Number A102 A102 is consistent and representative of all AMPCO receivers with the AMPCO letters (on top of the receiver) that have been observed to date, including serial numbers 03X, A93, A101, and A104. Barrels have varied, likely due to AMPCO having offered the receivers without the barrels. All other parts have been surplus GI parts. Photographs of A102 are courtesy of Dan Beggs Receiver ring has no markings and is polished smooth. The handguard retaining ring is flush with the receiver ring, as opposed to elevated above the receiver ring. The bridge across the bottom center of the receiver lacks the cut that engages the tang on the rear of the firing pin. The cut was designed to retard the forward movement of the firing pin until the bolt rotated into the locked position. Elimination of this cut allows the firing pin to move forward before the bolt lugs are locked in place, which could result in an out of battery discharge. The gas piston housing has been swaged onto the barrel. Notice the rings around the barrel forward of the gas piston housing. The handguard retaining ring flush with the receiver ring can be seen a bit clearer. It appears AMPCO did not have the proper tools that would have allowed for properly machining the inside and rear of the receiver. Access to machine the inside of the receiver was via a large hole in the rear of the receiver. This hole was sealed with a steel plug that has the recoil plate lug attached. The hole for the recoil spring and recoil spring guide was drilled completely through the end of the receiver with the hole at the rear also plugged. The plug has been pinned from the left side of the receiver. The gap between the recoil lug and receiver can be observed below the plug. Bullseye Gun Works In late 1961 and early 1962 Bullseye Gun Works transitioned into Universal Firearms of Hialeah, FL. The receiver machining equipment was relocated to the new Universal Firearms facility as other aspects of manufacturing a complete carbine were added to Universal. Seiderman and Resnick from Bullseye Gun Works incorporated Universal Firearms, but within the first year Resnick opted out of Universal Firearms to continue operating his retail gun store and refinishing business he had incorporated as Bullseye Inc., located adjacent Bullseye Gun Works. When Universal Firearms began production, Bullseye Gun Works ceased to exist. Bullseye carbines through at least serial number 1900 were machined to the dimensions of the U.S. GI carbine receivers manufactured during WWII. The machining of these receivers was very professional and included distinct fine finish machining marks running lengthwise along the top of the receiver. The first carbines manufactured by Universal Firearms were a continuation of these Bullseye receivers and included the same distinct machine marks. Both receivers have a wide recoil plate tang on the rear, as opposed to the narrow recoil plate tang on the Advance Metal Products, Inc. receivers. Bullseye s/n 1627 Universal Firearms s/n 2214 Bullseye M1 Carbines with serial numbers 2027 and 2308 both have the early Advance Metal Products Inc. receivers with the plug on the rear, flat areas on top of the receivers both fore and aft of the rear sight platform, and the receiver ring without the lip that engages the rear of the handguard. It is believed these carbines were built during the final months of Bullseye Gun Works after Universal had moved the machinery to their new facility but before Universal started production. This theory would be consistent with Bullseye having contracted Advance Machine Products Inc. for the manufacture of their first receivers, which Bullseye paid for but didn't use until it became necessary after Abe Seiderman relocated the machinery and manufacturing operation to Universal Firearms. For further on Bullseye refer to the web page dedicated to their carbines. Unfinished Receiver by Advance Metal Products Inc. It's not known when this receiver was manufactured or why it wasn't finished. The receiver ring is still minus the normal M1 Carbine raised lip for the rear of the handguard. The flat surfaces on top of the receiver are absent, however, these were machined flat in the previous example. This receiver was made from forged steel. Note the presence of the letters AMC on the bottom of the receiver at the front. Also note the rear of the receiver no longer has the crude plug that included the recoil plate lug. Global Arms The company Global Arms has yet to be identified or located. Receivers with the name of Global Arms have the initials of Advance Metal Products, Inc. stamped on the bottom of the receiver at the front. These receivers were made from forged steel. Global Arms receivers bottom of receiver, letters forward of the front lug for the trigger housing The receivers have the distinctive flat area used by Advance Metal Products Inc. on top of the receiver behind the rear sight platform. The top of the receiver between the rear sight platform and bolt opening is rounded and the overall machining of the receiver had improved significantly. A number of the receivers with the name of Global Arms have barrels manufactured by Millville Ordnance Company (MOCO). MOCO manufactured barrels were only available from March 1961 through March 1962 (see the page on Millville Ordnance for further information on their company and carbines). Barrel manufactured by Millville Ordnance (MOCO) Union, NJ It's possible Advance Machine Products Inc. assembled carbines using the name of Global Arms but also possible Global Arms bought their receivers from Advance Metal Products Inc. and their barrels from MOCO. This is the subject of ongoing research. For further information about Global Arms, refer to the page devoted to their receivers. End Days of Advance Metal Products, Inc. Florida corporate records indicate Advance Metal Products Inc.'s corporation was canceled September 3, 1976 for non-payment of corporate dues.