I inherited a Plainfield circa 1962 (almost 60yo) that had sat, untouched, in a closet AT LEAST north of 40 years. The first time I fired it, I learned not to fill the 30rd mags to capacity (28 worked perfectly), and I had to bend one side of the 15rd mag back to shape (with my fingers) to make it work (loaded to 14rds). Keeping the feed ramp clean and wet with aerosol rem oil solved all 'failure to feed' issues upon my second trip to the range. That ramp seems to be the issue on mine. To my knowledge, no repairs/replacements have ever been made to it. I can honestly say that it runs so well, and is so accurate (at least at 100yds), that I would not hesitate to grab it for home defense. There is essentially ZERO recoil, and factory ammo rings my 9" steel plate just as loudly as my 5.56. I LOVE THIS RIFLE.
I spoke to a paratrooper from the 82nd who carried the M1 Carbine the whole war. He told me the magazines they were issued they considered them disposable. Every so often they would get new magazines in and they would ditch the old magazines.
@@stevostoys not cheap, affordable! cheap is bad quality at a low price, affordable is okay quality at a low price. cheap ammo would blow your gun up or corrode the hell out of it.
When this gun was built, a pickup engine was old and due for a rebuild typically around 70,000 miles. Today, 70,000 is just past the "still breaking it in" point, and 200k is when we expect a Pickup engine to start showing it's age.
@@kegankirkpatrick2688 The reliability of a 1940s Pickup engine was totally acceptable in the 1940s but would be considered Trash today. So it is not unreasonable that M1 Carbines reliability in the 40s and 50s was thought to be acceptable at the time, but LIKE THE PICKUP ENGINE advancements have made what was acceptable then, unreliable by today's standards. It was an analogy, a way to, by comparison show that many other things (like truck engines) have advanced to a point where 1940s & 1950s standards are far below today's standers. Was it really that unclear for you? 19 up votes, 19 others not only understood it but liked it. . . . . and a week later you need it explained?
Things change, metallurgy, milling/casting processes, design philosophies. People don’t realize the different mindset and technological limitations of the 40s and 50s
I put well over 100,000 miles on a 1948 Ford pickup with ZERO ISSUES ! By comparison : 5 mexican power steering pumps and the last one seems to be holding up . I also had a similar experience with FOUR electric window motors manufactured in Korea !
@@patriott3087 while interesting your experience is not germain. I am sure there is a person out there who had a 1948 ford that broke down on the way home from the dealership, that persons experience also means little. Did you not grasp the point of what we were talking about? Or didn't you care? Your statement is the same as if I said "Playing the lottery isn't a good investment strategy." And someone saying "I won the lottery" that's nice, great for you, still nothing changed "Playing the lottery isn't a good investment strategy."
If you're gonna run 30 round mags, source the M2 mag release piece. Pops right in (simple standard tool required) and holds the mags from two securing points.
For those malfunctions in the video, I would try replacing the extractor, extractor spring, ejector, and ejector spring. Just like any other gun, parts will become worn out or chipped or damaged over time and need replacing. Slide recoil spring should be at least 10 1/4" long. Also, for certain ammo and if you reload, the bullets used by the companies can sometimes have a different ogive from USGI ammunition and could "hang up" on the feed ramp randomly when shooting. The ogive of the bullet can be more fat and blunt, as opposed to USGI's somewhat more narrow, almost like a semi spitzer, meaning the bullets would have to be seated in deeper for reliable feeding. Good magazines are also important, KCI and Auto Ordnance 30rd mags work 100% for me. You shouldn't have to down-load less than 30 for 100% function, I always fill mine up to full capacity with no issues.
My A/O M1 Carbine has never hiccuped in 2000 rounds, keep them clean use good mags no problems at all. Knew a old Korean vet now long gone that told me in 1952 he used a M1 Carbine , the way they cleaned the M1 Carbine and Garand on the line was weird. He said they'd load a live round in the chamber pour a shot of military bore cleaner in the barrel and fire it. When I asked why they didn't just clean the bore normally he said why to many damn Chinese around and no one wanted to chance it by disassembling the rifle.
@@LuckyGunner Tear down and replacing the harder springs? No I don't expect that; realistically you did pretty much cover things for an overview and the rest can/should be left to the hardcore M1 Carbine fanatics to produce or watch.
Lucky Gunner Ammo Perhaps try shooting it at extended ranges, 300-500 yards? Maybe compare how it does at that range to a 9mm or 357mag carbine? Other than that, as much as I love the m1 carbine, I cannot think of anything you haven’t done. Though if I think of something cool I’ll be sure to let you know.
There in lies the problem. WWII guns are meant to run on grease not lube. I wonder how many people who have problems are just running on lube and no grease...
@@typen3k0 What grease do you recommend. I am not a gun guy. I just have my late fathers M1 Carbine, and I shoot it about every 5 years. But would like it in a state of readiness if there is any urban instability
typen3k0, I have always used grease on mine also reloads that are loaded at higher pressures are best. Although I use common sense I have killed a lot of coyotes and pigs with mine.
One thing that can improve the reliability with the 30 round magazines is changing to an M2 (FA) style magazine release. It actually holds the magazine more firmly and can eliminate a lot of problems.
A tip I received from 'Carbine Bud' Evers was to smooth the outside of the magazine follower on the 30 round magazine. A caution on the M2 trigger housing: If you possess any seven M2 parts ATF considers that a machine gun. The round bolt is considered one of the seven. My creds: I've been an FFL 07 license holder for over 40 years. Best to all in your endeavors.
I had an Inland(newly made), had over 4,500 rounds through it before I sold it. Out of all of those rounds, I can recall exactly what failed and why. I had one box of steel cased Tula ammo that was a bad lot, as at least half of the rounds fired in that gun were Tula. I had some PPU JSP's, 4 boxes that had the same problem of improperly seated bullets, so some were longer than others and this caused failures to feed. But it wasnt consistent... maybe every 4th or 6th round it may happen but not usually back to back. And lastly... 2 boxes of Hornady Critical Defense that failed in numerous ways from feeding, ejecting, extracting, and even a swollen case stuck in the chamber. As far as rounds getting stuck on the feed ramp, this only happened with the above mentioned malfunctions. The first time it happened with the PPU ammo, I polished the feed ramp after firing and never had a single round of FMJ fail. Federal Power Shok was always 100% and top notch. The Hornady Custom XTP's ran great, as did Israeli made .30 Carbine JSP's. Now I understand I'm a data point of 1, but this was simply my experience with the rifle. I had read several others having similar experiences to me. But most of the complaints appeared to be people who werent aware of an M1 Carbine's shortcomings or they got buyer's remorse because the price they paid. Oil them well, find what they like and keep giving it to them.
I've owned one for years...1942 inland . I don't seem to have any more problems with it than other semi-autos, clean and oil it when your done shooting it and it works great.
@@hopeforsanity4488 Main issues I encounter with my Inland were ammo related and not a fault of the gun. I know the magazines are the weakest point of M1's but as a whole I can't complain about my time with one.
@@smokingcrab2290 Not all M1 Carbines need to be "babied". Most M1 Carbines will run just about all .30 Carbine ammo. I've seen plenty of AR's and AK's shit the bed too.
This has been a topical series for me albeit with some sadness; among the firearms I'll inherit on my father's passing is a M1 carbine that he has probably had longer than I've been around (1962) along with a British .303, a 20 Ga single shot from Sears that I remember going with my Mom to get circa 1968 or so for Christmas that I think has been shot once to dispatch a mouse that the trap failed to kill, a strange little single shot .22 that had a trap door to fold back to extract the spent round, the bolt action .22 I got to shoot a few times growing up, a .25 in his nightstand and a few others that escape my memory at the moment. A lot of ammo for the M1 & .303 including some mags and stripper clips and "Western Auto" branded .22 LR. (Wouldn't trust any of it for defense, but for range fodder... heck yeah! And I know where to buy the fresh ammo.) I'll buy the bolt tool and spring kit when the time comes that it is in my gun safe to keep it fresh which based on e-mails from my Mom may be coming in the near(ish) future but I pray/hope i is not.
Same boat I'm in I will get my dad's inland one dad, as much as I NEVER want that day to come. I sure do love that boom stick. The unfortunate thing, when I take it my sister will step in and get the rem 870. With the history of the M1. That's somethin I'll have to live with. I'll still get the 16ga
Nice series on a historically important gun, and a really cool gun at that. All of the significant parts are stamped with a letter or symbol indicating the manufacturer, so mismatched parts most likely means it was rebuilt or arsenal overhauled. There are really good reference works on the M-1 Carbine.
More on the little carbine please. More ammo and magazine testing and figure out what’s causing it’s hiccups. I really think it’s an excellent home defense carbine being how handy and easy to operate it is and that it doesn’t take much to train someone on the basics of operation.
When it comes to reliability expectations then and now, it should be noted that the M1 Carbine was issued to members of a squad whose smallest subunit is the fireteam which is 4 guys. You were not meant to act on your own and if you had a malfunction, you had at least 3 other guys to cover you. There was also much more open field fighting back in WW2 and Korea so you had some space and time to quickly fix most issues. Today, most civilian shooters base their expectations on home defense or competions where in the close confines of your house or being on the clock, malfunctions can cost you dearly. Additionally, many are the sole firearm users in their home, so back-up is non existent. As for those with military experience, especially regarding close-quarters combat, I cannot say and welcome your opinions.
Yes, I have listened to other people on other youtube channels talking about the trouble they had with 30 rd magazines. Filling them up to only 25 rd.s like you did cut out the magazine failures. Thank you for a good and informative video. Sad that B.O. put a ban on importing US arms back into the country - usually from S.K. - I would like to own an M1 Carbine. Take care and stay safe and well.
I had an Inland GI M1 Carbine and I rarely had a problem. Most common was the half feed. Keep it clean, use the right ammo, and stick to the 15 round mags.
Mine is an import GI gun. I rebuilt it years ago with late model parts and NOS 1951 barrel. Late revision parts were created for reliability based on tests and field reports. SO it is a mixmaster but intended for shooting. I would say that nowadays building one and finding parts to hand select would be difficult and expensive. Not 20 years ago. Winchester ball has always been my benchmark for accuracy but there could be others as good. You can handload SP or HP ammo observing the critical trim-to length and OAL but it is hard to make it group quite as good as Winchester. But good enough for home defense. Now that beater carbines cost like a new AR, you probably will either work with the one you got, or select another platform unless you are a history nut.
David Huynh supposed but especially ammo with soft point will faul the gasport. Been there done that. Stupid yes I know but ammo was impossible to find at that time. With good ammo it is reasonable clean but not completely.
I got lucky with my repro M1, in that my AO carbine works really well. I use KCI 30rd mags that work great, and I shoot mostly Tula through it... with very good results. My example is pretty accurate, sorta 'good AK' - like at 100yds. I've had some good results with Federal FMJ out to 200yds, once you know the hold. It's good for man-sized targets out that far. I prefer to lube mine with lithium based grease over motor oil, as it sticks and stays. Overall, I'm very happy with the AO. I should note: I only load my 30rd mags to 25rds, seems to help.
Love the channel and series, but it drives me crazy the way you run the oprod with your trigger finger. The military taught that if you do that and it slam fires, it will hit you in the web of the hand and break your wrist. Always operate and oprod with your palm up to sky (use pinky and ring finger) if it slams it will slide over your palm and not injure you. Old timers taught me that on Garand first minute out.
I enjoy working on old firearms with problems. I enjoy a lot, finding and fixing the problems to make the firearm once again dependable. Plus it's good fun and great mental therapy for me.
I love this series and the model 66 series. I have always wanted a m1 carbine but like anyone else cash is a consideration and someone always seems to talk me out of buying one! Keep up the great work
This is the first gun I became fond of when I was a boy. Back in those days I was playing old First Person Shooters such as the original Call Of Duty, Brothers In Arms etc and watched a lot of films from the 50's and 60's which had GI's wielding the carbine.
Great video..spring fatigue is the biggest problem with U.S govt contacted ww2 carbines..op rod return spring and magazine springs lose their..resilience..GREAT handy rifle
Good magazines and checking to see if the extractor, ejector, and springs are not broken/worn are also key to making them run reliably. Ammo can also affect reliability if the bullet profile and powder charge isn’t close to the original spec ammo. The rifles are old so these parts have a good chance of being worn or broken down the line.
Hey Chris, I'm missing your handgun reviews. Would love to see a review of the Taurus 856 revolver, or that strange double-shot 22 magnum revolver. Thunder 333 or somesuch name. I really respect your discretion and even-handedness in the reviews.
Reliability problems on the M1 carbine mags usually due to opening between the feed lips being too narrow, or poor mag fit in the mag well which causes wobbly mags. Either dremel out and polish the space between the mag wells a little or put tape around your mags to reduce the wobble.
@Alyx, yep Ken Hackathorn attested to the fact that GI's would get magazines with their ammo resupply and just shitcan old mags. The mag I got with mine several years ago and the few mags I bought from the shelf have very thin sheet metal feed lips so I can't imagine those holding up to thousands of round of cycling without causing problems.
3 in 1 oil is cheaper and basically the same thing. Better yet, grease the rifle. Grease just works better for guns. Oil seems to be a fairly new thing (got a tin of GI rifle grease in the garage, Korea-era), and it's a dumb thing to use for gun lubricant. Grease stays where you put it and doesn't attract nearly as much dirt.
Modern oil should work with the Carbine since it's only 70 years old and in comparison to older rifles from earlier times it functions very much like a gun made now.
About 20 years ago I talked to a gunsmith- he was on his 60s then. Je did amazing custom work. He really knew his stuff. I asked him about "sewing machine oil" for guns. He said: it's made for seeing machines. Not guns. He recommended Wd40. As it prevented rust. And left a film of protection.... But we live in western oregon where it rains about 10 months out of the year.
Really like this four-part series on the M-1 Carbine, which is my "legally-safe" home defense choice. I've got a Ruger 556, but I don't want to explain to a jury why I needed an "assault rifle" to defend myself, my wife and my cats.
My Inland has a 12/1943 marked barrel and the serial number on the receiver is from late in the January-August 1944 block. It has sat in a safe for decades. I have some original GI magazines but those I am replacing with KCI 15 and 30-round magazines over time. I am getting a Wolf spring kit to at least replace the main spring with. I have a lot of 1950's manufactured 30 carbine ammo most in the original box.
A couple of things from my experience and what I have found in research. The M2 bolt works better than the M1 bolt and is interchangeable, it has more mass. My carbine had an M2 bolt. I could not load my 30 round magazine with more than 24 rounds or it would have feed issues, but loaded with less it worked well. Frequently lubricate with light lubricants, the guns were issued with an oil bottle for a reason. In WW2 and Korea some soldiers reported using Vitalis hair tonic to keep their guns running, I used Singer sewing machine oil. Though I have no personal experience with this, I have heard the Carbines made by Howa in the 60's are of very high quality.
I just purchased my first M1 Carbine a few weeks ago and I took it out to the range to test it out. I put about 60 rounds through it and I had no malfunctions at all. I was using PPU brass cased soft point and FMJ ammo, and I tested out two 15 round mags and one 30 round mag I purchased for $10. It is a National Postal Meter built in 1944 and it also has the Blue Sky marking on the barrel.
Feeding issues: Lead tipped bullets sticking to the feedramp. With each clambering a little bit of the lead will coat the reedramp thereby making it _sticky_ . Winchester leadtip being extremely troublesome.
I have owned two reproductions (Inland& Kahr) and one USGI Inland. I got the same reliability on all three. Basically they are kinda reliable in the end. Just a very cool range toy for me.
I would still switch mags and test. My KCIs are mostly good, but a few have been a bit dodgy. gas cleaning does need to happen at times, otherwise I think you hit the main points. If the slide is cleaned and smooth, and the unlocking isn't hanging- with new properly lubed (not gooped) springs int he bolt, and a cleaned gas system, if you still have more than an occasional failure, it's time for more detailed bolt cleaning and examination, i think.
The peening on the rear of the bolt is pretty significant and getting worse. The trigger pull is also abnormally heavy. I don't really know, but I suspect the source of the feeding problems and those two issues could all be related.
I have an aftermarket made in the 70s. Just had it taken in for all the same reasons you described. The smith, who is a friend of mine luckily. Did a deep cleaning, tested it and it cycled fine. He decided to shoot the two mags of ammo I provided for testing. And the firing pin broke. I don’t know if he checked the springs but he said everything seemed functionally sound. I might have him upgrade the springs since he already has it. And order that sweet rail at the same time
Chris - Thanks for ANOTHER great video. The information conveyed was, as always, excellent. BUT the ways in which you present it, your articulateness, your cogency and organization, your humor, and your tangible attitude of expertise without any condescension are even better. = = = = = = = = P. S.: FWIW, I’ve never owned an M1 Carbine, but my maternal grandfather (a World War I infantry corporal) carried one as a civil service security guard, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, during World War II. Generally, he loved it, BUT he always said the GI magazines were comparatively flimsy and caused many malfunctions.
Spot on assessment. For the record I have had excellent results with all KCI magazines. KCI AR15, AK47, and M1A magazines are well built and exceptionally reliable. Due to their weight and cost they are my dump mags for competition and they continue to run exceptionally well.
I have a Blue Sky marked carbine, bought straight from a distributor in the mid'90s. My understanding was that it was from Austria, used by police and was/is in absolutely beautiful shape. The carbine you are featuring sounds and looks the same.
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Carried one in Vietnam and loved it. Never had any issues but like one of the previous comments kept it wet. Inherited one from my dad, a very early production number built in Dayton Ohio. I believe it was Maytag and it has preformed well except when I neglect to lube it. Think I'll buy a spring kit and freshen it up.
Great vid series! I built my usgi spec carbine from new surplus parts except the bbl and receiver, it is new Fulton , barrel is new criterion match grade. I reload using ww296 15 grains, per load data. These guns were designed to run with a pretty consistent loading. They don’t respond well with downloaded or under pressured ammo.
Surprised you didn't at least mention the bayonet, I have a real nice one, I wanted a complete set up. Great video series, probably my favorite all time rifle, been shooting one since I was knee high to a grasshopper, absolutely love it.
Concerning ammo, some French surplus was imported that was corrosive, as well as a load of Chinese ammo that was indestingable from Lake City 1953 production, right up to the brown paperboard 50 round boxes. All of the above were berdan primed. I suggest cleaning with ammonia based cleaner, including the gas piston, then regular cleaning.
I got a 1944 with the import stamp not so long ago, probably the most anti-collector example you can get, and it maybe has a FTF 1 in 100 rounds. I've replaced the main spring and it works great.
I love my 43 Underwood but I have to say you are very correct regarding the magazines. The blued mags work best in my experience but the parkerized ones are a great second. I have yet to find an aftermarket 15 or 30 round magazine that feeds reliably. Thanks for the great vid!
They are old workhorses. My shooter Rock-ola hiccups once in a while, but still fun to shoot. It’s in battlefield pickup condition, which looks really cool. I find it to be picky with mags, and the occasional failure to extract.
The main recoil spring on one of mine is definitely worn. I get an ejection failure about every 5-6 rounds. It was also made by inland and imported by blue sky. My dad bought it in the early 80s and it was passed down to me. The barrel is almost completely shot out, but it’s still somewhat accurate considering how many rounds must have been put through it. The other one I own works fantastic though.
I ALWAYS had problems with feeding lead-tipped Winchester ammo in my GI (deport rebuilt in the 60's) Inland (1944 vintage) carbine.. The 'sticky' lead tips would rub against the feedramp and stick with bolt open and round partly out of the magazine and that leadtip hard against the feedramp. FMJ of any brand was not a problem.
Ultra2k Glocks do malfunction, but very rarely, and certainly not more often than any other polymer striker fire pistol. I’m going to guess that you’ve seen more Glocks fail because they’re so common especially among new shooters, so you’ve seen more of then, and most of the malfunctions you have seen are probably due to poor maintenance, crappy ammo or user error (hitting the slide lock before empty, or holding it down so it doesn’t lock back when empty are common among people that don’t know what they’re doing.) Glock wouldn’t be used by the majority of law enforcement officers or military units like Navy Seals if they were less reliable than other pistols.
@@JohnW-yv6yp Never is a bit of hyperbole., I will say that I bought a Colt AR15 Sporter a few years after I bought my Mini 14, and it was nowhere near as reliable as the Ruger.
terrycoxusa Well, you must’ve gotten lucky then, because the general consensus I’ve heard is that mini14s are inferior to AR15s, especially in terms of reliability. Or, unlucky in the case of the Colt.
My grandpa's who passed recently bout a ww2 1911 .45 surplus from the NRA for $25. Crazy to thing about. Still in great condition and well kept. I need money and probably couldn't take $2000 for it if offered. It's priceless to me.
Early on, I noticed that my rifle had the M-2 bolt, M-2 stock, and M-2 Magazine latch. In the 60's, it was easy to find the M-2 selector so mine was converted to M-2 . I was able to find the M-2 muzzle brake and folding stock. In full auto, it would empty a 30 rd magazine faster than you could blink. Sometime later when things got a little funny with the ATF I put it back in it's original configuration and disposed of the M-2 kit and accessories. It was fun while it lasted!
I shot a NPM once, a friend is a dealer and wanted me to try a rare model. friend said the ammo was too light for it to run well. still enjoyed the hell out of it.
I have a Universal M1 carbine that my father bought after WWII. I have never replaced any springs or parts, and to my knowledge, neither did my father. I have never had a malfunction of any kind.
I have an old M-1 Carbine, and the only issue I ever encountered was the extractor eventually wore down to the point that one out of few hundred rounds failed to eject. Replaced it, and updated the main string (might as well), and no more issues.
FYI, I put new wolff springs in my 30 round Mags, the wolff springs have xtra power and now my 30 round mags work great . you can now run 30 rounds in them no problem
The chamber needs polished and to be as clean and smooth as glass. Just FYI my experience with the AR15/ M16 is late 1979-82 in the Marine Corp and I was never issued one that did not jam. I tell my self some times I need another but I have yet to pull the trigger on one. I do have a lot of other Semi Auto firearms and they are all flawless and I truly believe reliably is with who maintains it.
have a plainfield problem I had was chamber smoothed it out works great only other issue I had was not cleaned properly something that is important regardless of firearm check and clean the firearm you purchase
Thanks for the video. That's good information and a fun video. If I were going for a carbine-type of firearm, I'd probably just go for one of the 9mm versions. I don't remember how the .300 Blackout compares in terms of power, but maybe an AR platform in that caliber would be a better choice as well.
I had that gun, exactly... 1944 Inland with a Blue Sky import mark, bought it 25 years ago at a gun show for $180. Had it for 20 years, never had a jam, NEVER... thousands of rounds. Wish I still had it, best gun I ever owned, accurate as hell with the original iron sights. Gave it to a old friend. He still has it. Get to see her once in a while. Too expensive to replace these days.
I guess mine's an anomaly since I've owned it for over 30 years, put over 10k rounds through it and haven't ever noticed a malfunction. I do religiously clean and lube it after every trip to the range and have detail stripped and cleaned it probably annually. It's a GM Saginaw plant SN 3516xxx. It has what may be an import mark, N.A. Co., Ridgefield NJ on the side of the barrel. I've no idea what it's history was prior to my buying it probably in the late '80s. I agree that it's great fun to shoot and probably one of my favorite rifles I own. Everything in the series except the reliability matches my experience.
Mine was finicky with brass ammo in general. FTE every 2 to 3 magazines. When I use Wolf or Tula (ODD I KNOW!) it never jammed. I can't stand using Wolf or Tula but the stuff worked flawless in my M1. I got the advise to change the ejector and spring and it did a lot better with brass but jammed once every 200-300 rds. I then did flitz polish the action and feed area, changed springs etc. Total cost under $30 total. Now I have 5k through it, no jams. I had a buddy with a brand new AR come out and every other mag he had a problem. I broke out my M1 and quick fired 5 30rd mags, no issue. I looked at him and said "GI Issue, Made for war :)" . Just treat your rifle right and it will be there when you need it. Old age means pitting and things so polishing is good, good cleaning and proper lubing is key. I use Super Lube in all my guns with great success. I also always polish feed ramps and slick up the slide actions.
great video, thanks ... have had all the same problems with my two carbines ... like you, i replaced all the springs -- better, but still the occasional failure ... interesting that you had good luck with steel case ammo ... they were performed the worst for me.
I was a child in Cuba when I was given an M-2 carbine. I do not know your point of reference, bur the one I had, and other I worked wiht over the years thereafte, were reliable. Granter, the ammunition was not a great stopper, but I never experienced malfunctions. with M-1 or M-2 carbines.
Great series, I've watched all four today, Ty! So, a new 2020 Fulton M1 Carbine might not have the various springs problems of the WW2 GI issued Carbines, correct? I have a M1 interest for range fun, not for defense nor historical retrieval. (Glad to hear about the Korean magazines.)
Have a Gen 2 Universal. Have repaved the slider (op rod assembly) and recoil springs. Works well with Korean 15 round mags. 30 round mag sits a little too low and will not feed
Awesome presentations as always. You are definitely one of the best TH-cam channels out there. What are your thoughts on running a mini 14 instead of a ar 15 for home defense considering any bans and possible views or judgment from legal action?
I addressed the Mini-14 briefly in Part 3. I'm not a big fan of them, but if you get one that runs reliably, it's probably an okay choice. I just think they're over priced and I hate that you can't get replacement parts for them -- any serious maintenance requires a trip back to Ruger.
I own two M1 carbines, and the only malfunctions I have had were related to worn out magazine springs, causing failures to feed. Total of six instances so far. Replaced the mag springs with Wolff springs and no further problems.
This response right on the money. ALSO weak ammo is a prob, like PMC or some of the eastern euro ammo. Commie ammo like Tula is OK. The gun needs a high gunpowder content ammo, like Lake City or equivalent.....
The M1 carbine is a case where G.I. magazines are not actually better. They are flimsy and garbage. Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers have confirmed this in their videos on the M1. The Korean mags are far better. Replace all of the springs in your rifle and get Korean magazines and you will eliminate 90% of the problems.
I've never seen a video of the M1 Carbine done by Larry Vickers? Also, USGI mags from my experience function 100% like the Korean ones. If you have bad ones, check the feed lips if they're dented from dropping them, how smooth the spring goes went you push it down with your finger, spring tension, the magazine lugs on the back, etc.
Hey LuckyGunner! For your snubby series, ever thought about the Taurus 856? It’s a 6 shot snubby in 38sp that is only 1/10 inch thicker than 5 shot snubbys!
Thanks for the series. I have an IBM original my grand dad brought home from WWII. It runs well and with my hand loads has not had a failure yet. *crosses fingers. I find that a H-110 and Hornady's 110 gr. 1/2 jacket bullet runs very well and very accurately. I only use 10 and 15 round mags, so that helps also.
I have an Inland carbine made in 1942. I have fired several hundred rounds thru it without a single failure. I replaced the bolt because the face of it was banged up pretty good and the person I bought it from said that it went full auto. That is the only thing I have done to it in the 20 or so years that Ive owned it. I reload my ammo so that may be part of the reason it works so well.
My Auto Ordinance Carbine is very reliable. Most failures are caused by the magazines. Often times the springs in the mags have been reinstalled backwards after cleaning as I discovered recently. I had a few that gave me problem. I went through my mags, sure enough some had springs in my mags backwards. Test fired, no further issues, performed perfectly.
It looks like your rifle has the proper M2 bolt, make sure it also has the proper M2 magazine catch/release, it will have the M underlined. If not replace that, it helps keep the mags, especially 30 round mags, from tipping in rapid/automatic fire. Also, watch how much you allow the rifle to move under recoil. If you can shoot 1 round every 10 seconds from the shoulder and experience no malfunctions, but they exhibit under 2 or 3 shot failure drills then the issue isn't the rifle, you may be letting it move freely too much. According to TM 9-1276 function testing is to be done from the shoulder or rest that allows at least 1/2" of movement under recoil. Rests that don't allow recoil may not identify a rifle that doesn't have sufficient power to cycle. I take this to mean you may be allowing the rifle to move too much in rapid fire robbing some of the energy used to cycle the action. Remember, a tiny, short stroke piston is moving that heavy operating slide, the bolt and pushing against the spring. Great video series, I've enjoyed all of them. I like the upper handguard rail system you have on there, looks nice and very functional.
I currently have a 43 IBM AND A 44 Inland and never have had all the problems your having. In the past I've owned Winchesters and Saginaw's also no problems. When I take them out which is often after I'm done I just clean the bore and wipe the fowling off. Good to go. I love these little guns.
I own 10 M1 Carbines and have only suffered one non-ammo malfunction and it was with my M2 - a chipped extractor. All function fine, even with 70-year old springs. One of our favorites firearms. reliability was high as our modern guns when these were initially issued with contract ammo. And as a factory certified AR-platform armorer, I can attest that most MSR's would not survive combat operations very well, unless they are made by a Tier 1 manufacturer.
Dude some of the Universals made after the war are excellent carbines with all the reliability of a GI model. It all comes down to the specific, particular rifle.
Tip of the day, newer phones have awesome slow motion video capture. Use this to take video of your bolt cycling, and any problems you witness in feeding and ejecting can be tinkered with and resolved, because you'll be able to see what's going on!
I have one of the reproductions, a Universal. I replaced the entire bolt assembly with a Winchester and replaced the gas piston and nut with the MIL spec design. Got all the parts at a gun show, new old stock, at reasonable cost. I have had no operation problems at all.
I would say on magazines if you want reliable feeding stick to the 15 rounders for an M-1, the 30 rounders are designed for an M-2 which has a third catch to hold it in place.
Would like to hear something about how well the magazine fits in this particular milspec M1. In my Universal, the mags flop around quite a bit and also ride a bit low. Building up the mags with tape may help; the single column single feed plastic 4-round (easily modded to 5-round) Universal mags work well.
I have a 1943 or 45 Standard Products and I’ve only fired it 15 rounds. I loved it! I feel a bit ashamed but I didn’t know how to check it before o did a 500 round range day. But it is coming because I do like this rifle a lot.
7:01: Looks like the rear sight was upgraded from the original 150/300 flip to the multi-range, windage-adjustable version. IIRC that's a fairly universal upgrade.
I inherited a Plainfield circa 1962 (almost 60yo) that had sat, untouched, in a closet AT LEAST north of 40 years. The first time I fired it, I learned not to fill the 30rd mags to capacity (28 worked perfectly), and I had to bend one side of the 15rd mag back to shape (with my fingers) to make it work (loaded to 14rds). Keeping the feed ramp clean and wet with aerosol rem oil solved all 'failure to feed' issues upon my second trip to the range. That ramp seems to be the issue on mine. To my knowledge, no repairs/replacements have ever been made to it. I can honestly say that it runs so well, and is so accurate (at least at 100yds), that I would not hesitate to grab it for home defense. There is essentially ZERO recoil, and factory ammo rings my 9" steel plate just as loudly as my 5.56. I LOVE THIS RIFLE.
Don't store it to capacity. Filling it and using it right away is fine
I spoke to a paratrooper from the 82nd who carried the M1 Carbine the whole war. He told me the magazines they were issued they considered them disposable. Every so often they would get new magazines in and they would ditch the old magazines.
"It liked Tula steel cased better than anything else"
We'll there's a sentence I've never heard before!
Well to be fair it ain't the worst kind of ammo. Not the best, but definitely not the worst!
@@joshuaarroyo7235 Its the bottom of the barrel that I will actually use. Mostly because its cheap and available.
My gi inland loves it
@@stevostoys not cheap, affordable! cheap is bad quality at a low price, affordable is okay quality at a low price. cheap ammo would blow your gun up or corrode the hell out of it.
My AO seems to prefer it.
When this gun was built, a pickup engine was old and due for a rebuild typically around 70,000 miles. Today, 70,000 is just past the "still breaking it in" point, and 200k is when we expect a Pickup engine to start showing it's age.
Saoirse well what are you getting at here?
@@kegankirkpatrick2688 The reliability of a 1940s Pickup engine was totally acceptable in the 1940s but would be considered Trash today. So it is not unreasonable that M1 Carbines reliability in the 40s and 50s was thought to be acceptable at the time, but LIKE THE PICKUP ENGINE advancements have made what was acceptable then, unreliable by today's standards.
It was an analogy, a way to, by comparison show that many other things (like truck engines) have advanced to a point where 1940s & 1950s standards are far below today's standers.
Was it really that unclear for you? 19 up votes, 19 others not only understood it but liked it. . . . . and a week later you need it explained?
Things change, metallurgy, milling/casting processes, design philosophies. People don’t realize the different mindset and technological limitations of the 40s and 50s
I put well over 100,000 miles on a 1948 Ford pickup with ZERO ISSUES ! By comparison : 5 mexican power steering pumps and the last one seems to be holding up . I also had a similar experience with FOUR electric window motors manufactured in Korea !
@@patriott3087 while interesting your experience is not germain. I am sure there is a person out there who had a 1948 ford that broke down on the way home from the dealership, that persons experience also means little. Did you not grasp the point of what we were talking about? Or didn't you care? Your statement is the same as if I said "Playing the lottery isn't a good investment strategy." And someone saying "I won the lottery" that's nice, great for you, still nothing changed "Playing the lottery isn't a good investment strategy."
If you're gonna run 30 round mags, source the M2 mag release piece. Pops right in (simple standard tool required) and holds the mags from two securing points.
This. It matters more than people think.
For those malfunctions in the video, I would try replacing the extractor, extractor spring, ejector, and ejector spring. Just like any other gun, parts will become worn out or chipped or damaged over time and need replacing. Slide recoil spring should be at least 10 1/4" long. Also, for certain ammo and if you reload, the bullets used by the companies can sometimes have a different ogive from USGI ammunition and could "hang up" on the feed ramp randomly when shooting. The ogive of the bullet can be more fat and blunt, as opposed to USGI's somewhat more narrow, almost like a semi spitzer, meaning the bullets would have to be seated in deeper for reliable feeding. Good magazines are also important, KCI and Auto Ordnance 30rd mags work 100% for me. You shouldn't have to down-load less than 30 for 100% function, I always fill mine up to full capacity with no issues.
My A/O M1 Carbine has never hiccuped in 2000 rounds, keep them clean use good mags no problems at all. Knew a old Korean vet now long gone that told me in 1952 he used a M1 Carbine , the way they cleaned the M1 Carbine and Garand on the line was weird. He said they'd load a live round in the chamber pour a shot of military bore cleaner in the barrel and fire it. When I asked why they didn't just clean the bore normally he said why to many damn Chinese around and no one wanted to chance it by disassembling the rifle.
Your ammo literally gets to my house faster than Amazon packages.
Love your videos and ammo.
Should definitely not be the final video on the M-1 carbine.
What else would you want me to cover?
@@LuckyGunner Lever actions!
@@LuckyGunner Tear down and replacing the harder springs? No I don't expect that; realistically you did pretty much cover things for an overview and the rest can/should be left to the hardcore M1 Carbine fanatics to produce or watch.
@Mike Campbell What other aspects of the M1 Carbine?
Lucky Gunner Ammo Perhaps try shooting it at extended ranges, 300-500 yards? Maybe compare how it does at that range to a 9mm or 357mag carbine? Other than that, as much as I love the m1 carbine, I cannot think of anything you haven’t done. Though if I think of something cool I’ll be sure to let you know.
Also the M1 carbine likes to run fairly wet, keep it well lubed and it runs well.
There in lies the problem. WWII guns are meant to run on grease not lube. I wonder how many people who have problems are just running on lube and no grease...
My M1 carbine shoots perfect when dry...never had any problems with that sweet little shooter running dry...
@@typen3k0 What grease do you recommend. I am not a gun guy. I just have my late fathers M1 Carbine, and I shoot it about every 5 years. But would like it in a state of readiness if there is any urban instability
Ronald McDonald lubriplate, it’s still made and what was originally issued
typen3k0, I have always used grease on mine also reloads that are loaded at higher pressures are best. Although I use common sense I have killed a lot of coyotes and pigs with mine.
One thing that can improve the reliability with the 30 round magazines is changing to an M2 (FA) style magazine release. It actually holds the magazine more firmly and can eliminate a lot of problems.
A tip I received from 'Carbine Bud' Evers was to smooth the outside of the magazine follower on the 30 round magazine.
A caution on the M2 trigger housing: If you possess any seven M2 parts ATF considers that a machine gun. The round bolt is considered one of the seven.
My creds: I've been an FFL 07 license holder for over 40 years.
Best to all in your endeavors.
Follower skirt. Often there are small burrs created during manufacturing
I had an Inland(newly made), had over 4,500 rounds through it before I sold it. Out of all of those rounds, I can recall exactly what failed and why. I had one box of steel cased Tula ammo that was a bad lot, as at least half of the rounds fired in that gun were Tula. I had some PPU JSP's, 4 boxes that had the same problem of improperly seated bullets, so some were longer than others and this caused failures to feed. But it wasnt consistent... maybe every 4th or 6th round it may happen but not usually back to back. And lastly... 2 boxes of Hornady Critical Defense that failed in numerous ways from feeding, ejecting, extracting, and even a swollen case stuck in the chamber.
As far as rounds getting stuck on the feed ramp, this only happened with the above mentioned malfunctions. The first time it happened with the PPU ammo, I polished the feed ramp after firing and never had a single round of FMJ fail. Federal Power Shok was always 100% and top notch. The Hornady Custom XTP's ran great, as did Israeli made .30 Carbine JSP's. Now I understand I'm a data point of 1, but this was simply my experience with the rifle. I had read several others having similar experiences to me. But most of the complaints appeared to be people who werent aware of an M1 Carbine's shortcomings or they got buyer's remorse because the price they paid.
Oil them well, find what they like and keep giving it to them.
I've owned one for years...1942 inland . I don't seem to have any more problems with it than other semi-autos, clean and oil it when your done shooting it and it works great.
@@hopeforsanity4488 Main issues I encounter with my Inland were ammo related and not a fault of the gun. I know the magazines are the weakest point of M1's but as a whole I can't complain about my time with one.
I prefer more modern, less finicky guns that can take any ammo available and don't need to be babied.
@@smokingcrab2290 Not all M1 Carbines need to be "babied". Most M1 Carbines will run just about all .30 Carbine ammo. I've seen plenty of AR's and AK's shit the bed too.
This has been a topical series for me albeit with some sadness; among the firearms I'll inherit on my father's passing is a M1 carbine that he has probably had longer than I've been around (1962) along with a British .303, a 20 Ga single shot from Sears that I remember going with my Mom to get circa 1968 or so for Christmas that I think has been shot once to dispatch a mouse that the trap failed to kill, a strange little single shot .22 that had a trap door to fold back to extract the spent round, the bolt action .22 I got to shoot a few times growing up, a .25 in his nightstand and a few others that escape my memory at the moment. A lot of ammo for the M1 & .303 including some mags and stripper clips and "Western Auto" branded .22 LR. (Wouldn't trust any of it for defense, but for range fodder... heck yeah! And I know where to buy the fresh ammo.) I'll buy the bolt tool and spring kit when the time comes that it is in my gun safe to keep it fresh which based on e-mails from my Mom may be coming in the near(ish) future but I pray/hope i is not.
Who uses a 20 ga to kill a mouse? Bashing it with the buttstock is overkill, let alone shooting it! That's like nuking a city to kill one terrorist!
Wow. I envy you the Lee Enfield. My dad and my brothers carried them. I played with toy versions of them.
@@regularfather4708 Perhaps the inference is that it's a mouse-calibre shotgun.
@@Zoco101 maybe for Mickey Mouse. Regular meese will still be catastrophically disassembled at the molecular level.
Same boat I'm in
I will get my dad's inland one dad, as much as I NEVER want that day to come. I sure do love that boom stick.
The unfortunate thing, when I take it my sister will step in and get the rem 870. With the history of the M1. That's somethin I'll have to live with. I'll still get the 16ga
Nice series on a historically important gun, and a really cool gun at that. All of the significant parts are stamped with a letter or symbol indicating the manufacturer, so mismatched parts most likely means it was rebuilt or arsenal overhauled. There are really good reference works on the M-1 Carbine.
More on the little carbine please. More ammo and magazine testing and figure out what’s causing it’s hiccups. I really think it’s an excellent home defense carbine being how handy and easy to operate it is and that it doesn’t take much to train someone on the basics of operation.
I have enjoyed the M1 carbine series. Thank you for presenting it in all its episodes.
When it comes to reliability expectations then and now, it should be noted that the M1 Carbine was issued to members of a squad whose smallest subunit is the fireteam which is 4 guys. You were not meant to act on your own and if you had a malfunction, you had at least 3 other guys to cover you. There was also much more open field fighting back in WW2 and Korea so you had some space and time to quickly fix most issues.
Today, most civilian shooters base their expectations on home defense or competions where in the close confines of your house or being on the clock, malfunctions can cost you dearly. Additionally, many are the sole firearm users in their home, so back-up is non existent.
As for those with military experience, especially regarding close-quarters combat, I cannot say and welcome your opinions.
Yes, I have listened to other people on other youtube channels talking about the trouble they had with 30 rd magazines. Filling them up to only 25 rd.s like you did cut out the magazine failures. Thank you for a good and informative video. Sad that B.O. put a ban on importing US arms back into the country - usually from S.K. - I would like to own an M1 Carbine. Take care and stay safe and well.
I had an Inland GI M1 Carbine and I rarely had a problem. Most common was the half feed. Keep it clean, use the right ammo, and stick to the 15 round mags.
Mine is an import GI gun. I rebuilt it years ago with late model parts and NOS 1951 barrel. Late revision parts were created for reliability based on tests and field reports. SO it is a mixmaster but intended for shooting. I would say that nowadays building one and finding parts to hand select would be difficult and expensive. Not 20 years ago. Winchester ball has always been my benchmark for accuracy but there could be others as good. You can handload SP or HP ammo observing the critical trim-to length and OAL but it is hard to make it group quite as good as Winchester. But good enough for home defense. Now that beater carbines cost like a new AR, you probably will either work with the one you got, or select another platform unless you are a history nut.
2nd version gasplug and clean the gasport. That also helps
@robin6512, can you clarify your comment please? When did the 2nd version gasplug installed in the M1 Carbine?
Or it's just a chipped extractor..... it's really that simple......?
MaxCruise73 the 2nd version has a little rim what meant it would take a bit more power from the gas.
You shouldn't have to. The piston is supposed to be self cleaning when firing.
David Huynh supposed but especially ammo with soft point will faul the gasport. Been there done that. Stupid yes I know but ammo was impossible to find at that time.
With good ammo it is reasonable clean but not completely.
I got lucky with my repro M1, in that my AO carbine works really well. I use KCI 30rd mags that work great, and I shoot mostly Tula through it... with very good results. My example is pretty accurate, sorta 'good AK' - like at 100yds. I've had some good results with Federal FMJ out to 200yds, once you know the hold. It's good for man-sized targets out that far.
I prefer to lube mine with lithium based grease over motor oil, as it sticks and stays. Overall, I'm very happy with the AO. I should note: I only load my 30rd mags to 25rds, seems to help.
ao lubed always work for me...only commercials ive ever had run right beyond an early iver johnson
Love the channel and series, but it drives me crazy the way you run the oprod with your trigger finger. The military taught that if you do that and it slam fires, it will hit you in the web of the hand and break your wrist. Always operate and oprod with your palm up to sky (use pinky and ring finger) if it slams it will slide over your palm and not injure you. Old timers taught me that on Garand first minute out.
I enjoy working on old firearms with problems. I enjoy a lot, finding and fixing the problems to make the firearm once again dependable. Plus it's good fun and great mental therapy for me.
I have two of these, one GI Winchester, and a Pennfeild. The repo is not horrible, love them both. Steel case runs fine in both. Loved this series!
I love this series and the model 66 series. I have always wanted a m1 carbine but like anyone else cash is a consideration and someone always seems to talk me out of buying one! Keep up the great work
This is the first gun I became fond of when I was a boy. Back in those days I was playing old First Person Shooters such as the original Call Of Duty, Brothers In Arms etc and watched a lot of films from the 50's and 60's which had GI's wielding the carbine.
Great video..spring fatigue is the biggest problem with U.S govt contacted ww2 carbines..op rod return spring and magazine springs lose their..resilience..GREAT handy rifle
Good magazines and checking to see if the extractor, ejector, and springs are not broken/worn are also key to making them run reliably.
Ammo can also affect reliability if the bullet profile and powder charge isn’t close to the original spec ammo.
The rifles are old so these parts have a good chance of being worn or broken down the line.
Hey Chris, I'm missing your handgun reviews. Would love to see a review of the Taurus 856 revolver, or that strange double-shot 22 magnum revolver. Thunder 333 or somesuch name. I really respect your discretion and even-handedness in the reviews.
Paul harrell says that the reliability is often contingent on the mags. The mags where originally designed to be disposable, allegedly.
Pretty sure once soldiers started carrying magazines instead of clips they were all meant to be disposable
I guess the FAMAS wasn't unique
ken hackathorne says the same in his interview with ian
Reliability problems on the M1 carbine mags usually due to opening between the feed lips being too narrow, or poor mag fit in the mag well which causes wobbly mags. Either dremel out and polish the space between the mag wells a little or put tape around your mags to reduce the wobble.
@Alyx, yep Ken Hackathorn attested to the fact that GI's would get magazines with their ammo resupply and just shitcan old mags. The mag I got with mine several years ago and the few mags I bought from the shelf have very thin sheet metal feed lips so I can't imagine those holding up to thousands of round of cycling without causing problems.
The gun oil from World War II was different than the oil of today. try sewing machine oil.
3 in 1 oil is cheaper and basically the same thing.
Better yet, grease the rifle. Grease just works better for guns. Oil seems to be a fairly new thing (got a tin of GI rifle grease in the garage, Korea-era), and it's a dumb thing to use for gun lubricant. Grease stays where you put it and doesn't attract nearly as much dirt.
Modern oil should work with the Carbine since it's only 70 years old and in comparison to older rifles from earlier times it functions very much like a gun made now.
For guns not used often, maybe grease which stays in place. However ordnance manuals specify oil for carbines and grease for the M-1 rifle.
immikeurnot grease would gum ups. Rifle on a modern battlefield in no time. There's a multitude of very good reasons it's not used
About 20 years ago I talked to a gunsmith- he was on his 60s then. Je did amazing custom work. He really knew his stuff.
I asked him about "sewing machine oil" for guns. He said: it's made for seeing machines. Not guns. He recommended Wd40. As it prevented rust. And left a film of protection....
But we live in western oregon where it rains about 10 months out of the year.
Wow this episode really put a damper on my M1 carbine craving.
I agree, I'm like changing my gun show shopping list
Why?
@@theykilledjoel1496 your money will be better spent other places
@@hovojefe what do you mean
@@theykilledjoel1496 I meant you'll get more gun for the money if you get something like a 1903a3 or something else. In my opinion
Really like this four-part series on the M-1 Carbine, which is my "legally-safe" home defense choice. I've got a Ruger 556, but I don't want to explain to a jury why I needed an "assault rifle" to defend myself, my wife and my cats.
My Inland has a 12/1943 marked barrel and the serial number on the receiver is from late in the January-August 1944 block. It has sat in a safe for decades. I have some original GI magazines but those I am replacing with KCI 15 and 30-round magazines over time. I am getting a Wolf spring kit to at least replace the main spring with. I have a lot of 1950's manufactured 30 carbine ammo most in the original box.
Recoil spring is one of the most common parts to cause reliability issues with this. That and the magazines.
A couple of things from my experience and what I have found in research. The M2 bolt works better than the M1 bolt and is interchangeable, it has more mass. My carbine had an M2 bolt. I could not load my 30 round magazine with more than 24 rounds or it would have feed issues, but loaded with less it worked well. Frequently lubricate with light lubricants, the guns were issued with an oil bottle for a reason. In WW2 and Korea some soldiers reported using Vitalis hair tonic to keep their guns running, I used Singer sewing machine oil. Though I have no personal experience with this, I have heard the Carbines made by Howa in the 60's are of very high quality.
I just purchased my first M1 Carbine a few weeks ago and I took it out to the range to test it out. I put about 60 rounds through it and I had no malfunctions at all. I was using PPU brass cased soft point and FMJ ammo, and I tested out two 15 round mags and one 30 round mag I purchased for $10. It is a National Postal Meter built in 1944 and it also has the Blue Sky marking on the barrel.
Feeding issues: Lead tipped bullets sticking to the feedramp. With each clambering a little bit of the lead will coat the reedramp thereby making it _sticky_ . Winchester leadtip being extremely troublesome.
I have owned two reproductions (Inland& Kahr) and one USGI Inland. I got the same reliability on all three. Basically they are kinda reliable in the end. Just a very cool range toy for me.
I would still switch mags and test. My KCIs are mostly good, but a few have been a bit dodgy. gas cleaning does need to happen at times, otherwise I think you hit the main points. If the slide is cleaned and smooth, and the unlocking isn't hanging- with new properly lubed (not gooped) springs int he bolt, and a cleaned gas system, if you still have more than an occasional failure, it's time for more detailed bolt cleaning and examination, i think.
The peening on the rear of the bolt is pretty significant and getting worse. The trigger pull is also abnormally heavy. I don't really know, but I suspect the source of the feeding problems and those two issues could all be related.
I have an aftermarket made in the 70s. Just had it taken in for all the same reasons you described. The smith, who is a friend of mine luckily. Did a deep cleaning, tested it and it cycled fine. He decided to shoot the two mags of ammo I provided for testing. And the firing pin broke. I don’t know if he checked the springs but he said everything seemed functionally sound. I might have him upgrade the springs since he already has it. And order that sweet rail at the same time
Chris - Thanks for ANOTHER great video. The information conveyed was, as always, excellent. BUT the ways in which you present it, your articulateness, your cogency and organization, your humor, and your tangible attitude of expertise without any condescension are even better.
= = = = = = = =
P. S.: FWIW, I’ve never owned an M1 Carbine, but my maternal grandfather (a World War I infantry corporal) carried one as a civil service security guard, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, during World War II. Generally, he loved it, BUT he always said the GI magazines were comparatively flimsy and caused many malfunctions.
Spot on assessment. For the record I have had excellent results with all KCI magazines. KCI AR15, AK47, and M1A magazines are well built and exceptionally reliable. Due to their weight and cost they are my dump mags for competition and they continue to run exceptionally well.
I have a Blue Sky marked carbine, bought straight from a distributor in the mid'90s. My understanding was that it was from Austria, used by police and was/is in absolutely beautiful shape. The carbine you are featuring sounds and looks the same.
Carried one in Vietnam and loved it. Never had any issues but like one of the previous comments kept it wet. Inherited one from my dad, a very early production number built in Dayton Ohio. I believe it was Maytag and it has preformed well except when I neglect to lube it. Think I'll buy a spring kit and freshen it up.
I have a Inland General Motors, made 9 44 , have issues when I use Federal soft points, 95 percent of the time it cycles good . Enjoyed your post. 🇺🇸
Great vid series! I built my usgi spec carbine from new surplus parts except the bbl and receiver, it is new Fulton , barrel is new criterion match grade. I reload using ww296 15 grains, per load data. These guns were designed to run with a pretty consistent loading. They don’t respond well with downloaded or under pressured ammo.
This was a great series, thanks. I can't believe no one makes a great copy of this gun. Hey Ruger!
Fulton Armory makes them brand-new and to original GI specs. They're expensive, however.
Chiappa makes a copy in 22LR and 9mm
Surprised you didn't at least mention the bayonet, I have a real nice one, I wanted a complete set up. Great video series, probably my favorite all time rifle, been shooting one since I was knee high to a grasshopper, absolutely love it.
Concerning ammo, some French surplus was imported that was corrosive, as well as a load of Chinese ammo that was indestingable from Lake City 1953 production, right up to the brown paperboard 50 round boxes. All of the above were berdan primed. I suggest cleaning with ammonia based cleaner, including the gas piston, then regular cleaning.
Yes, I've come across these Chinese loads. Never realized what they were til I went to reload the brass and discovered them being berdan primed.
I got a 1944 with the import stamp not so long ago, probably the most anti-collector example you can get, and it maybe has a FTF 1 in 100 rounds. I've replaced the main spring and it works great.
My A/O repro loves Tula, and actually overall is very reliable.
I love my 43 Underwood but I have to say you are very correct regarding the magazines. The blued mags work best in my experience but the parkerized ones are a great second. I have yet to find an aftermarket 15 or 30 round magazine that feeds reliably. Thanks for the great vid!
They are old workhorses. My shooter Rock-ola hiccups once in a while, but still fun to shoot. It’s in battlefield pickup condition, which looks really cool. I find it to be picky with mags, and the occasional failure to extract.
The main recoil spring on one of mine is definitely worn. I get an ejection failure about every 5-6 rounds. It was also made by inland and imported by blue sky. My dad bought it in the early 80s and it was passed down to me.
The barrel is almost completely shot out, but it’s still somewhat accurate considering how many rounds must have been put through it.
The other one I own works fantastic though.
I ALWAYS had problems with feeding lead-tipped Winchester ammo in my GI (deport rebuilt in the 60's) Inland (1944 vintage) carbine.. The 'sticky' lead tips would rub against the feedramp and stick with bolt open and round partly out of the magazine and that leadtip hard against the feedramp. FMJ of any brand was not a problem.
After watching this great series, I will stick with my Ruger Mini 14. Looks about the same, shoots about the same, cheaper ammo and never jams.
If a gun never jams you haven’t shot it enough. Ar15s, Ak47s, Glocks and revolvers all malfunction.
John W Especially glocks, I’ve seen glocks jam more then any Springfield, Ruger, S&W.
Ultra2k Glocks do malfunction, but very rarely, and certainly not more often than any other polymer striker fire pistol. I’m going to guess that you’ve seen more Glocks fail because they’re so common especially among new shooters, so you’ve seen more of then, and most of the malfunctions you have seen are probably due to poor maintenance, crappy ammo or user error (hitting the slide lock before empty, or holding it down so it doesn’t lock back when empty are common among people that don’t know what they’re doing.) Glock wouldn’t be used by the majority of law enforcement officers or military units like Navy Seals if they were less reliable than other pistols.
@@JohnW-yv6yp Never is a bit of hyperbole., I will say that I bought a Colt AR15 Sporter a few years after I bought my Mini 14, and it was nowhere near as reliable as the Ruger.
terrycoxusa Well, you must’ve gotten lucky then, because the general consensus I’ve heard is that mini14s are inferior to AR15s, especially in terms of reliability. Or, unlucky in the case of the Colt.
This video series has been hugely entertaining.
Purchased mine many years ago brand new from the military for $47.00 It's a National Postal Meter.
Would you like your money back? Lol
Money back? Ha I will give you 48 bucks for it!!!
My grandpa's who passed recently bout a ww2 1911 .45 surplus from the NRA for $25. Crazy to thing about. Still in great condition and well kept. I need money and probably couldn't take $2000 for it if offered. It's priceless to me.
Early on, I noticed that my rifle had the M-2 bolt, M-2 stock, and M-2 Magazine latch. In the 60's, it was easy to find the M-2 selector so mine was converted to M-2 . I was able to find the M-2 muzzle brake and folding stock. In full auto, it would empty a 30 rd magazine faster than you could blink. Sometime later when things got a little funny with the ATF I put it back in it's original configuration and disposed of the M-2 kit and accessories. It was fun while it lasted!
I shot a NPM once, a friend is a dealer and wanted me to try a rare model. friend said the ammo was too light for it to run well. still enjoyed the hell out of it.
I have a Universal M1 carbine that my father bought after WWII. I have never replaced any springs or parts, and to my knowledge, neither did my father. I have never had a malfunction of any kind.
I would like to see a lever action series with traditional lever action caliber and some new school ones would be really cool series
Ty Bailey l was thinking Winchester 74 type in .357 instead of 30-30 or .45-70.
@@10mikemikeshooter 357 is definitely the best lever action caliber.i have a Rossi 357 carbine lever action its my favorite gun to shoot
I have an old M-1 Carbine, and the only issue I ever encountered was the extractor eventually wore down to the point that one out of few hundred rounds failed to eject. Replaced it, and updated the main string (might as well), and no more issues.
FYI, I put new wolff springs in my 30 round Mags, the wolff springs have xtra power and now my 30 round mags work great . you can now run 30 rounds in them no problem
The chamber needs polished and to be as clean and smooth as glass. Just FYI my experience with the AR15/ M16 is late 1979-82 in the Marine Corp and I was never issued one that did not jam. I tell my self some times I need another but I have yet to pull the trigger on one.
I do have a lot of other Semi Auto firearms and they are all flawless and I truly believe reliably is with who maintains it.
Yea, I’m in MA. I’ll check out the suggestions and thank you to all.
have a plainfield problem I had was chamber smoothed it out works great only other issue I had was not cleaned properly something that is important regardless of firearm check and clean the firearm you purchase
Thanks for the video. That's good information and a fun video. If I were going for a carbine-type of firearm, I'd probably just go for one of the 9mm versions. I don't remember how the .300 Blackout compares in terms of power, but maybe an AR platform in that caliber would be a better choice as well.
I had that gun, exactly... 1944 Inland with a Blue Sky import mark, bought it 25 years ago at a gun show for $180. Had it for 20 years, never had a jam, NEVER... thousands of rounds. Wish I still had it, best gun I ever owned, accurate as hell with the original iron sights. Gave it to a old friend. He still has it. Get to see her once in a while. Too expensive to replace these days.
The Carbine performs similar to an AK-47 and SKS in terms of reilability but is a lot more easier to lug around due it's length.
I guess mine's an anomaly since I've owned it for over 30 years, put over 10k rounds through it and haven't ever noticed a malfunction. I do religiously clean and lube it after every trip to the range and have detail stripped and cleaned it probably annually. It's a GM Saginaw plant SN 3516xxx. It has what may be an import mark, N.A. Co., Ridgefield NJ on the side of the barrel.
I've no idea what it's history was prior to my buying it probably in the late '80s.
I agree that it's great fun to shoot and probably one of my favorite rifles I own. Everything in the series except the reliability matches my experience.
I don’t live too far from there being a Fort Lee resident but thanks for sharing the info.
Mine was finicky with brass ammo in general. FTE every 2 to 3 magazines. When I use Wolf or Tula (ODD I KNOW!) it never jammed. I can't stand using Wolf or Tula but the stuff worked flawless in my M1. I got the advise to change the ejector and spring and it did a lot better with brass but jammed once every 200-300 rds. I then did flitz polish the action and feed area, changed springs etc. Total cost under $30 total. Now I have 5k through it, no jams. I had a buddy with a brand new AR come out and every other mag he had a problem. I broke out my M1 and quick fired 5 30rd mags, no issue. I looked at him and said "GI Issue, Made for war :)" . Just treat your rifle right and it will be there when you need it. Old age means pitting and things so polishing is good, good cleaning and proper lubing is key. I use Super Lube in all my guns with great success. I also always polish feed ramps and slick up the slide actions.
I've found the Tula 30 carbine to be very reliable in my AO carbine, and pretty damn accurate. It's a bummer it's practically unobtainium now.
great video, thanks ... have had all the same problems with my two carbines ... like you, i replaced all the springs -- better, but still the occasional failure ... interesting that you had good luck with steel case ammo ... they were performed the worst for me.
I was a child in Cuba when I was given an M-2 carbine. I do not know your point of reference, bur the one I had, and other I worked wiht over the years thereafte, were reliable. Granter, the ammunition was not a great stopper, but I never experienced malfunctions. with M-1 or M-2 carbines.
The M2s were widely used in their revolt.
Great series, I've watched all four today, Ty! So, a new 2020 Fulton M1 Carbine might not have the various springs problems of the WW2 GI issued Carbines, correct? I have a M1 interest for range fun, not for defense nor historical retrieval. (Glad to hear about the Korean magazines.)
Have a Gen 2 Universal. Have repaved the slider (op rod assembly) and recoil springs. Works well with Korean 15 round mags. 30 round mag sits a little too low and will not feed
Awesome presentations as always. You are definitely one of the best TH-cam channels out there. What are your thoughts on running a mini 14 instead of a ar 15 for home defense considering any bans and possible views or judgment from legal action?
I addressed the Mini-14 briefly in Part 3. I'm not a big fan of them, but if you get one that runs reliably, it's probably an okay choice. I just think they're over priced and I hate that you can't get replacement parts for them -- any serious maintenance requires a trip back to Ruger.
AND they group 5 inches + at 100 yards....@@LuckyGunner
I own two M1 carbines, and the only malfunctions I have had were related to worn out magazine springs, causing failures to feed.
Total of six instances so far. Replaced the mag springs with Wolff springs and no further problems.
This response right on the money. ALSO weak ammo is a prob, like PMC or some of the eastern euro ammo. Commie ammo like Tula is OK. The gun needs a high gunpowder content ammo, like Lake City or equivalent.....
The M1 carbine is a case where G.I. magazines are not actually better. They are flimsy and garbage. Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers have confirmed this in their videos on the M1. The Korean mags are far better. Replace all of the springs in your rifle and get Korean magazines and you will eliminate 90% of the problems.
I've never seen a video of the M1 Carbine done by Larry Vickers? Also, USGI mags from my experience function 100% like the Korean ones. If you have bad ones, check the feed lips if they're dented from dropping them, how smooth the spring goes went you push it down with your finger, spring tension, the magazine lugs on the back, etc.
I have a Universal made from GI parts in the early '50s and it works well, it's been reliable and accurate so far.
Nice!
It's funny that the suggestions are "Get a GI M1 then change out all the old parts".
Hey LuckyGunner! For your snubby series, ever thought about the Taurus 856? It’s a 6 shot snubby in 38sp that is only 1/10 inch thicker than 5 shot snubbys!
Thanks for the series. I have an IBM original my grand dad brought home from WWII. It runs well and with my hand loads has not had a failure yet. *crosses fingers. I find that a H-110 and Hornady's 110 gr. 1/2 jacket bullet runs very well and very accurately. I only use 10 and 15 round mags, so that helps also.
I have an Inland carbine made in 1942. I have fired several hundred rounds thru it without a single failure. I replaced the bolt because the face of it was banged up pretty good and the person I bought it from said that it went full auto. That is the only thing I have done to it in the 20 or so years that Ive owned it. I reload my ammo so that may be part of the reason it works so well.
I have a ‘43 Winchester. Only malfunctions I’ve had was with a particular magazine, which is a newer one. It cycles fine with my old USGI mags.
My WWII M 1 carbine has given me no problems at all jamming. Fires very well.
My Auto Ordinance Carbine is very reliable. Most failures are caused by the magazines. Often times the springs in the mags have been reinstalled backwards after cleaning as I discovered recently. I had a few that gave me problem. I went through my mags, sure enough some had springs in my mags backwards. Test fired, no further issues, performed perfectly.
Great video.
I actually brought some 30carbine ammo from y'all a couple months ago. Left a review about not blaming your tools! 😂
It looks like your rifle has the proper M2 bolt, make sure it also has the proper M2 magazine catch/release, it will have the M underlined. If not replace that, it helps keep the mags, especially 30 round mags, from tipping in rapid/automatic fire.
Also, watch how much you allow the rifle to move under recoil. If you can shoot 1 round every 10 seconds from the shoulder and experience no malfunctions, but they exhibit under 2 or 3 shot failure drills then the issue isn't the rifle, you may be letting it move freely too much. According to TM 9-1276 function testing is to be done from the shoulder or rest that allows at least 1/2" of movement under recoil. Rests that don't allow recoil may not identify a rifle that doesn't have sufficient power to cycle. I take this to mean you may be allowing the rifle to move too much in rapid fire robbing some of the energy used to cycle the action. Remember, a tiny, short stroke piston is moving that heavy operating slide, the bolt and pushing against the spring.
Great video series, I've enjoyed all of them. I like the upper handguard rail system you have on there, looks nice and very functional.
I currently have a 43 IBM AND A 44 Inland and never have had all the problems your having. In the past I've owned Winchesters and Saginaw's also no problems. When I take them out which is often after I'm done I just clean the bore and wipe the fowling off. Good to go. I love these little guns.
This channel is sensible, well done- affable. Only took me 3 years to find it wth.
I own 10 M1 Carbines and have only suffered one non-ammo malfunction and it was with my M2 - a chipped extractor. All function fine, even with 70-year old springs. One of our favorites firearms. reliability was high as our modern guns when these were initially issued with contract ammo. And as a factory certified AR-platform armorer, I can attest that most MSR's would not survive combat operations very well, unless they are made by a Tier 1 manufacturer.
Dude some of the Universals made after the war are excellent carbines with all the reliability of a GI model. It all comes down to the specific, particular rifle.
Tip of the day, newer phones have awesome slow motion video capture. Use this to take video of your bolt cycling, and any problems you witness in feeding and ejecting can be tinkered with and resolved, because you'll be able to see what's going on!
I have one of the reproductions, a Universal. I replaced the entire bolt assembly with a Winchester and replaced the gas piston and nut with the MIL spec design. Got all the parts at a gun show, new old stock, at reasonable cost. I have had no operation problems at all.
I would say on magazines if you want reliable feeding stick to the 15 rounders for an M-1, the 30 rounders are designed for an M-2 which has a third catch to hold it in place.
Would like to hear something about how well the magazine fits in this particular milspec M1. In my Universal, the mags flop around quite a bit and also ride a bit low. Building up the mags with tape may help; the single column single feed plastic 4-round (easily modded to 5-round) Universal mags work well.
That was an awesome series on the M1 Carbine!!
I have a 1943 or 45 Standard Products and I’ve only fired it 15 rounds. I loved it! I feel a bit ashamed but I didn’t know how to check it before o did a 500 round range day. But it is coming because I do like this rifle a lot.
Just a note - The 1944 vintage M1 carbine did not have the bayonet lug. They got upgraded with the lug, between WW2 and the Korean war in 1950.
7:01: Looks like the rear sight was upgraded from the original 150/300 flip to the multi-range, windage-adjustable version. IIRC that's a fairly universal upgrade.