does anyone own an M1 Carbine that cycles/runs smoothly? I'd like to learn from you

[not-fishing]

Get a set of springs, they're cheap, I get mine from Fulton Armory. Mainly you'll need the recoil spring and hammer spring.

When you get the new recoil spring compare it to the old one. The M1's that I have put new springs in all had an inch or more shorter (from age) original recoil spring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ooRjT_LvNE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTEENWA_Xuk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACFaIhTIbYQ

After you get the carbine apart don't forget to clean the gas piston on the barrel. It will take a lot of soaking and scrubbing. If you do want to really clean it you'll have to buy a castle nut, carbine nut tool and the right sized drill bit. It is a lot of trouble and I've only done the castle nut disasembly & cleaning on one rifle.

If your adventurous (and I am) purchase the carbine bolt tool so that you can disassemble the bolt - otherwise I wouldn't take it apart. If your not going to take the bolt apart soak it and scrub it the best you can.

Once you clean and re-spring the rifle you'll be surprise how easy the action works.

[Lil Stinkpot]

Cover the ejector pin with tape, if you are going to take apart the bolt, and do it in an empty-ish room, with a hard floor. Under no circumstances do you disassemble that bolt over a sheepskin rug. That pin took me hours to find....

[calwoodbutcher]

Standard Arms here. Functions flawlessly with decent mags. I like the GI issue the best. I put in some crapola mags and nothing but problems. Really fun piece, don't give up on it.

[tmh1]

... i bought a magazine feed lip bending tool and ill try and learn what i can about the CMP about proper magazine maintenance and see if this helps me.

thanks ya'll

Can you enlighten me on this tool???

Thanks!

[gadela08]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/magazine-tools/ar-15-m16-magazine-feed-lip-tool-prod21511.aspx

There's the tool! Just something to bend it properly without chewing metal or marring finish

[bohoki]

mine works fine but i am using 15 rounders ive had for years

what exactly is your jam

not kicking one out or not shoving one in

[gadela08]

mine works fine but i am using 15 rounders ive had for years

what exactly is your jam

not kicking one out or not shoving one in

its not shoving one in.

the primer end of the fresh cartridge gets hung up on the magazine, and the projectile of the fresh cartridge barely makes it into the chamber. the bolt gets caught up in between this. if i slowly pull back on the bolt to behind the fresh cartridge, i can usually muster up enough momentum to push the entire cartridge into the chamber properly

[Sailormilan2]

I would put in a new recoil/op rod spring, as well as making sure it is lubed properly. Sliding parts should have a light coat of grease, rotating parts should have oil. I use moly automotive wheel bearing grease. But realisticaly, any grease nowdays is better than what they used 70 years ago when the gun was made.
It sounds like your slide doesn't have enough oompf to push the round fully into chamber. An M1 Carbine spring should not be any shorter than 10 1/4". Having said that, some replacement "hi speed" springs may be a bit shorter, but they are stiffer. Wolf spring can be too much of a good thing and cause issues. Especially with some M1 Carbine loads that are underpowered.

This diagram is for an M1 Garand, but works for an M1 Carbine.

[tmh1]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...prod21511.aspx

There's the tool! Just something to bend it properly without chewing metal or marring finish

Thanks!

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Before you start taking too much apart, check your gas piston. If it's loose or the housing is cracked, it won't provide enough rearward impetus to the bolt. My Inland had similar feeding problems when I got it; turned out to be a combination of tired recoil spring, loose gas piston nut and a slight divot in the receiver feed ramp from untold numbers of rounds. Replaced the spring with the correct GI item, bought the correct wrench, tightened the gas piston nut (do NOT use a punch), smoothed the divot with sandpaper, it functioned perfectly after that.

[gadela08]

i might go ahead and buy the gas piston wrench to check what you're talking about....

that is, if i decide that it's really not the magazines. at this point i'm going to try and figure out what's the best shape for those magazine feed lips

[dfletcher]

A dimension to check on magazines is the distance of the two "dimples" on the rear of the magazine from the top edge of the mag. IIRC it's supposed to be exactly 1.5" and if not proper will cause issues.

[koehn,jim]

Mine works very well with cast bullets in it and also with military ball. The piston and spring would me my first guess.

[Fate]

One of my USGI carbines hates soft point ammo. Another thing to consider.