Not a bad idea. Springs are pretty easy to replace but the major problems most people have are the bolt extractors and ejectors. Those aren't so easy to replace. I've rebuilt mine several time and it runs about 98%. That isn't good enough for a SD carbine however. Better off just forgetting about running one for SD. That's what I did.Originally Posted by Dave J
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
The M1 Carbine is one gun I’ve always kicked myself for not buying when they were cheap.
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
Here's mine with 10-round mags. Ruger Ranch for scale.
The mags actually fit tightly enough in the mag pouch that being shorter isn't really a problem, if anything they fit too tightly. Some kind of filler in the bottom of the pouch so they project would work pretty well. I haven't bothered because it's a classic used very occasionally at the range and not for hard field use.
I picked this one up several years ago, watched patiently, passed on several that were either overpriced or in rough condition, ended up getting a pretty good deal on it although usually they're not cheap anymore. Should have bought several when I was young, I once helped a friend's girlfriend pick one out for him for a birthday gift and they were very reasonable then, about mid-1970s.
Last edited by Salamander; 12-18-2020 at 06:45 PM.
Bores need to be checked before purchase. Some are pretty well worn out. The first one I bought was used up. I wised up and checked the muzzle on the last one. There are cheap gauges available to keep sellers honest. Highly recommended.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
I've got a 10-rd. Pro Mag brand that functions well in an Inland carbine. Sample of one, but it seems to do the job.
Brownells shows them out of stock but available for backorder.
I have a nice Winchester and could use some 10 round mags for travels to the west coast. I usually take my Mini, but the Carbine would work just as well.
EDIT: As a side note California has lost two cases now involving standard capacity magazines. If they lose again it would be a good win for the 2A movement. If the state should win, it might be a good case for SCOTUS and hopefully would end the need for 10 round magazines. Sorry for the divergence from the OP's topic.
CMP forums discuss ways of altering 15-round magazines into lower capacity. Some alterations are permanent and some just appear so.
I had an M1 Carbine in my teens, and traded it away because it lived down to its reputation in so many ways.
About a decade ago, the Civilian Marksmanship Program got a lot of them back from Italy and who knows where else. CMP also started having a match for Carbines at Camp Perry, something they stopped about 1960. I went through racks of them at the CMP North Store, and got one of the Italian returns, a mixmaster, with most of the parts "carried a lot/shot little."
The magazines are a problem with these rifles, but there are others. The CMP website had instructions on how to set them up to improve your chances of it shooting well...most of the time. Even when set up right, expect sudden shifts in POI, for no reason. The adjustable sights you will find on most, do not work very well, storing up clicks with no movement, then giving you a bunch of movement when you don't want it. Virtually all the military ammo you find out there is underpowered, and shoots worse than most soft point ammo, and some don't feed soft points reliably. Don't expect the bolt hold-open to actually work, if the rifle is jarred. ...and the magazines will go bad quickly: buy new ones at the first sign of trouble.
When I bought mine - a 1944 Underwood rearsenaled in 1951 - it came with 10 rounder of undetermined origin. Worked ok, but I subsequently got some GI 15 rounders. Agree that Fulton is probably a good place to start for reliable stuff and info. As far as ammo is concerned, I've found PPU a bit underpowered, resulting in FT ejects. Some Lake City GI ammo from circa 1970 runs reliably. I have found the spontaneous POI shift one time. A fun gun and a piece of history, but an 80-plus year old design and a 70-plus year old gun make it range toy, not a serious defensive arm. Worth having, if only for the vibes.
I’ve used new 10-rounders (Korean manufactured) and had no issues. I don’t shoot my M1 carbine much but every time I pick it up I’m struck by how tiny and light it is relative to a modern AR carbine. It feels more like my old Daisy Red Ryder — that’s a good thing. You can also pick up a replacement for the hand guard that is a metal pic rail. Forget who makes it but allows to you put on a light and a red dot if you want to bring the M1 up to date.
ETA: this is the one I have: http://ultimak.com/m6.htm
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