Page 63 - American Rifleman (February 2020)

The T3 carbine, tted
with the M2 infrared
scope, was used in the
Paci c Theater during
the closing days of
World War II. The bat-
tery dwarfed the gun.

tted with the T120 scope and infrared lamp was tested by
the Ordnance Dept. Engineering Board and recommended
for limited procurement on Feb. 17, 1944, as the “Carbine,
Caliber .30, T3, Sniperscope.” The recommendation was
approved on March 16, 1944.
The rst production contract for 1,700 T3 carbines was
granted to Inland, but the company manufactured only
811 before the contract was terminated due to the war
ending. Likewise, Winchester Repeating Arms Co. subse- The early T120 infrared
quently received production contracts for 5,160 T3 carbines scope was later standardized
but turned out only 1,108 by the time the contracts were as the “M1” (above). It was
cancelled soon after V-J Day. The Inland and Winchester T3 followed by the M2 infrared
carbines were very similar except for some con gurational scope (above, r.). There was
differences in the integral sight bases and, of course, the also a handheld M1 infrared
manufacturer markings. The right side of the rear sight “Snooperscope” (r.).
base was marked “US CARBINE/CAL .30 T3.” The Inland and
Winchester T3 carbines were serially numbered in special
blocks separate from the standard M1 and M2 carbines sights mounted on the T3 carbines, there was a hand-held
made by the two contractors. version, dubbed the “Snooperscope,” that was intended for
The original T120 infrared scope, later designated as the observational purposes. The Sniperscope and Snooperscope
“Sniperscope M1,” was followed by an improved version, the instruments were dubbed “Milly” and “Molly.”
“Sniperscope M2.” However, the latter version saw little, if The only signi cant difference between the T3 carbines
any, combat use in World War II. In addition to the infrared and the standard M1 carbine was the integral scope mounts
on the receiver and the con guration of the stock. All T3
carbines were semi-automatic and did not have selective-
The M1E7 carbine’s re capability. A cone-shaped ash hider, rst designated

receiver was modi- as the “T23,” was approved for standardization as the
ed for a sniper “Hider Flash, M3” on March 9, 1945, but none were put
scope. While not into production before the end of the war. After the war,
adopted, it became the M3 ash hiders were manufactured by Spring eld
the basis for the Armory and the Underwood Co., and these saw a sub-
T3 receiver’s inte- stantial amount of use with the later post-war infrared-
gral scope mount. capable carbines.
William W. Garstang, one of the individuals involved
in the development of T120 infrared scope, related in an
article he penned for the April 1946 issue of The Electronic
Beacon that the Electronics Laboratory produced 1,700
infrared scopes in World War II and built a total of 4,500

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