Many older carbine collectors surely remember the Montgomery Ward catalogs. In a 1944 catalog there was advertised the "Boys' Drill Rifles" which not only offered up wooden toy Springfields for sale but also the M1 Carbine! The advertisement touts that these actual reproductions were the same size shade and design of the famous Springfield and Carbine Rifles. It also states that they were genuine Walnuts stocks that were made for the United States Army and were rejected for minor imperfections. In the 1945 Montgomery Wards catalog we find another offering of the toy carbine, this time along with the M1 Garand rifle. At first glance of these toy carbines something looks off about the stocks. On closer examination you can see that the top of the stock was  not machined at this point. An additional piece of wood was added to the top which bedded the wooden barrel. This piece also at least partially fills in the original barrel channel. The piece also required removing material from the recoil plate area. At first I had thought maybe this was where the defect was on the stock.Closer examination reveals that  material was removed down the back of the recoil plate area so the metal clicker mechanism can be installed. Observing another of these toy carbines reveals that this must be a high stress area as both had the same crack in the same location approximately 1 1/2 inches below the additional wood piece that was added to the top of the stock. Looking at the nose we can see further evidence of the added wood piece to fill the barrel channel as well as fit the wooden barrel. It is interesting to note that these toy carbines were the only wooden toy carbines that had a magazine. The features were much closer in actual shape of a carbine then the other examples.  The butt plate area is typically painted black, which is well worn and only noticeable when you look for it. The Butt area does not have any holes like the Emergency Equipment Toy. It is inconclusive if the hand guard was U.S.G.I. but it is clear that once assembled a quick and rough sanding brought the profiles together as well as defining the barrel band area. Clearly much more work was involved in producing them. These were offered up for $2.95, that would be $52.01 today. The trigger assembly still functions and cracks when you pull it. Excellent.