According to the U.S. M1 Carbine Serial Numbers production chart, this Quality Hardware & Machine Co. U.S. Carbine was produced in 1944. MARKINGS: "QUALITY H.M.C./ 4819622" on the rear receiver, "UNDERWOOD/ 2-44/ Flaming Bomb" on the top of the barrel, "Star/ FAT/ 76" on the right side of the stock (FAT= Fabrica Armi Ternion - Italian Air Force, Post-War Italian Lend-Lease), "AMCO" on the barrel band, "PW" on the magazine and "U.S. CARBINE/ CAL. 30 M1" on the front receiver. SPECS: 18" Barrel, adjustable rear peep sight, front band sight with ears and green canvas sling. CONDITION: This gun is in nice condition with light wear, has an excellent sharp/ clean bore and appears to be in good working order. HISTORY: During the Cold War, the U.S. provided hundreds of thousands of military surplus M1 rifles & carbines to various anti-communist countries. Many of these guns were imported back to the U.S. and then sold on the civilian market.... The M1 Garand is a .30-06 caliber semi-automatic rifle that was the standard U.S. service rifle during World War II and the Korean War. The M1 rifle was named after its Canadian-American designer, John Garand. The M1 Garand replaced the bolt-action M1903 Springfield as the standard U.S. service rifle in 1936, and General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised". It is a gas-operated, 8 shot clip-fed, semi-automatic rifle that is 43.6" long, weighs about 9.5 pounds and has a 24" barrel. The M1 Garand was made in large numbers, primarily by U.S. Springfield, during World War II. FREE SHIPPING & NO PROCESSING FEES.