What you have is a Carbine that was bought from the US Army Director of Civilian Marksmanship, (DCM) program in the late 50's or early 60's.
This was a US Army administered program to provide surplus firearms and ammo to people who might be potential recruits in time of war.
They also provided rifles and ammo to gun clubs that were affiliated with the DCM program and ran a junior shooters club.
Obviously the idea was the juniors would be drafted into the service when they turned 18 or older.
The DCM was run out of an office in Washington with a US Army officer "in command" with all civilian workers.
Rifles and ammo were sold only to NRA members.
When rifles or ammo were surplussed, a notice was put in the American Rifleman magazine telling you what was available, and you sent in an application.
It was first come first served.
Rifles and ammo were shipped from whatever arsenal had them available when your application was processed.
The DCM was replaced by the current Civilian Marksmanship Program, (CMP).
Carbines were primarily shipped from Red River Arsenal, and were shipped in the early days by REA Express, later by UPS.
I got my Carbine in 1965, shipped via UPS.
It came in a similar box, cost was $20.00. That was $17.50 for the Carbine, $2.50 UPS shipping.
Carbines were in "serviceable, safe to fire" condition, and were almost always Carbines that had been rebuilt or upgraded during their service time.
When a Carbine was put through an official rebuild program, the arsenal doing the rebuild stamped the arsenal ID stamp on the stock. If it was put through two rebuild programs, the second re-builder added their stamp.
There were no inspectors stamps added to Carbines after they were manufactured, only arsenal stamps for official rebuilds, so CSA is not an inspectors stamp.
If a Carbine was just repaired while in service, Ordnance put no stamps on them, since it wasn't an official rebuild program.
A DCM Carbine with the original arsenal shipping box would have high collector interest. The box makes it worth much more, and if you have the shipping documents that would add even more.
The documents were considered "Proof of sale" from US Government to civilian ownership.
This was a US Army administered program to provide surplus firearms and ammo to people who might be potential recruits in time of war.
They also provided rifles and ammo to gun clubs that were affiliated with the DCM program and ran a junior shooters club.
Obviously the idea was the juniors would be drafted into the service when they turned 18 or older.
The DCM was run out of an office in Washington with a US Army officer "in command" with all civilian workers.
Rifles and ammo were sold only to NRA members.
When rifles or ammo were surplussed, a notice was put in the American Rifleman magazine telling you what was available, and you sent in an application.
It was first come first served.
Rifles and ammo were shipped from whatever arsenal had them available when your application was processed.
The DCM was replaced by the current Civilian Marksmanship Program, (CMP).
Carbines were primarily shipped from Red River Arsenal, and were shipped in the early days by REA Express, later by UPS.
I got my Carbine in 1965, shipped via UPS.
It came in a similar box, cost was $20.00. That was $17.50 for the Carbine, $2.50 UPS shipping.
Carbines were in "serviceable, safe to fire" condition, and were almost always Carbines that had been rebuilt or upgraded during their service time.
When a Carbine was put through an official rebuild program, the arsenal doing the rebuild stamped the arsenal ID stamp on the stock. If it was put through two rebuild programs, the second re-builder added their stamp.
There were no inspectors stamps added to Carbines after they were manufactured, only arsenal stamps for official rebuilds, so CSA is not an inspectors stamp.
If a Carbine was just repaired while in service, Ordnance put no stamps on them, since it wasn't an official rebuild program.
A DCM Carbine with the original arsenal shipping box would have high collector interest. The box makes it worth much more, and if you have the shipping documents that would add even more.
The documents were considered "Proof of sale" from US Government to civilian ownership.
