M1 Carbine Gun Parts & Accessories. Compatible with M1 and Universal Carbines. M1 Carbine First Issue 'L' Type Rear Sight This is a new production replacement blued-steel L-flip rear sight with two-position. I was thinking of getting a replacement barrel for my Quality Hardware M1 Carbine for when the time comes. What I wanted to know is what should I be looking for and what to avoid. Are there any places that sell USGI barrels at a decent price that still have a lot of life in them, or are there any commercial ones that meet the criteria of those from WWII?
Universal M1 Carbine InfoUniversal M1 Carbine InformationWant more detail on Universal? Here's an excellent history of theUniversal company, along with details on the various versions:These are the pages I've put together:Best Parts Sources for Universal M1 Carbines:Universal parts on(not very pro-gun, but sometimes thebest source for obscure parts). These aren't my parts, just what's therenow. UPDATE: ebay has banned listing of a wide variety of gun parts,so it's pretty slim pickings for these.
There were MANY! Manufacturers of the M1 Carbine rifle, including Winchester, here's a good place to brush up on them!I have a first generation 'UNIVERSAL' M1 carbine, it's just as good as any of the GI models!, in fact everything but the receiver, barrel and the stock are surplus GI parts, the bad rap comes from the 2nd and 3rd generation Universals, for some reason, probably manufacturing cost?, they changed a BUNCH! Of the parts, and they did have some serious issues!I have 2 30rnd magazines and two 15rnd magazines, both 30's and one of the 15's are GI issue, the second 15 is one of the current manufacture Korean imports, I have a fair amount of LC ball ammo on hand and all four magazines will operate as fast as you can pull the trigger, it has NEVER! Once offered to jamb, the only issue I have is the the sights were never setup properly, the front needs filed down some, the rear sight must be set at the 300yrd mark to get it on paper! (and I don't care for a blade front with peeps)Here's the place to brush up on the 'UNIVERSAL'. Owned several of them over the years, but there are differences and I doubt many GI parts would interchange.Quality was variable.good ones worked as well as any, but some of them had feeding problems. Usually one of three things:1.The extractor spring was often too strong.not enough travel for it to reliably snap onto the case, so it jams.2.The trigger housings were cast metal (GIs are steel) and often not well formed.so the magazines didn't lock in quite right.3.The gas piston was simpler than the GI guns (and not as good).
It often fouled up, which killed semi-auto cycling.They made a few odd ball ones on that action as well. Was a.256 Ferret model, which was the only other rifle in.256 I can think of besides the Marlin. The Vulcan was a manual pump action in.44mag, but could see the base of it was the same.30carbine action. My brother had the pistol version (Enforcer) that worked well.yeah, even back then, got odd looks at the range with that one.To be honest, cannot remember if the versions sold under the Iver Johnson logo were Universals or if they were Plainfields.but know that a 9mm version was made.Also made some in colors.sky blue and frog green.both were early experiments in Teflon coating guns. Had one of the frog green ones (not GI green.Kermit the Frog green) that might have been the ugliest gun I ever owned. But that one would cycle, shot great, and even oil would bead up and run off (and just like early frying pans, the Teflon soon abraded off). OF the half dozen or so that passed through my hands, got them all running right except one that had a pot hole in the chamber (can't think of anything else to call it but a pot hole.not a dent, was a rough edged crater).Usually the magazine locks in too low for sure feeding.oftn missing the case rim (OK.its rimless.but we'll call the back/top of the case the rim anyway) and ending up with a jam that has the bolt riding on the middle of the cases.
Often, if you test fire while pushing on the bottom of the mag, they'll feed.take your hand away, and they'll jam.IF that test works for you.then its probably the mag being held in place a touch too low.The trigger housing is not held in place firmly.there is slack, and gravity/spring tension always pushes that slack down.so the mag ends up a bit lower than it should.The latch that actually locks the mag in place is steel.but it runs in the Al housing and is often a sloppy fit. Again, that slop results in the mag being held low.Two cures:Solder and shim the actual mag latch to remove any slop in the system and jack the latch UP.
Same trick can be done to the trigger housing attachments.ORDedicate some mags to just that gun, and work on the mags locking area (again.working on jacking the mags up a bit).Did forget one. Plainfield marketed at least a few guns in the.22 SPITFIRE.which is a wildcat 22/30carbine.Now back in the old days, the Plainfieds were nicer made guns.steel rather than Al. Trigger housings and much closer to the GI design. I've got a USGI Underwood that was used in the ETO, later by Bavaria (southern West Germany in the US sector) and last issued to the Austrian Gendarmerie (US sector) before being returned to CMP.
So far its been a great shooter. Have also a EMF carbine that was has a commerical reciever, uses a cut down 1903A3 barrel and rest USGI parts. Did have a Universal for a short time that worked and was of the earlier production.Additional info can be found here.CDETA got the Underwood for the wife as her great uncle was David M. Williams, who designed the short gas system of the carbine for Winchester.CD.
OF the half dozen or so that passed through my hands, got them all running right except one that had a pot hole in the chamber (can't think of anything else to call it but a pot hole.not a dent, was a rough edged crater).Usually the magazine locks in too low for sure feeding.oftn missing the case rim (OK.its rimless.but we'll call the back/top of the case the rim anyway) and ending up with a jam that has the bolt riding on the middle of the cases. Often, if you test fire while pushing on the bottom of the mag, they'll feed.take your hand away, and they'll jam.IF that test works for you.then its probably the mag being held in place a touch too low.The trigger housing is not held in place firmly.there is slack, and gravity/spring tension always pushes that slack down.so the mag ends up a bit lower than it should.The latch that actually locks the mag in place is steel.but it runs in the Al housing and is often a sloppy fit. Again, that slop results in the mag being held low.Two cures:Solder and shim the actual mag latch to remove any slop in the system and jack the latch UP. Same trick can be done to the trigger housing attachments.ORDedicate some mags to just that gun, and work on the mags locking area (again.working on jacking the mags up a bit).Did forget one. Plainfield marketed at least a few guns in the.22 SPITFIRE.which is a wildcat 22/30carbine.Now back in the old days, the Plainfieds were nicer made guns.steel rather than Al. Trigger housings and much closer to the GI design.That is EXACTLY how my gun operates!
I basically have to shoot the thing with my left hand jamming the mag up into place, which will cause it to hardly ever jam. If I grip the forend, it will jam on every other round (when loading from the left side of the mag).Of the two cures you mentioned, which would you recommend? I would be confident of my ability to modify the mags, but would want a good gunsmith to do any work on the action.Thanks! Just learned to do the work myself.were not expensive guns back then, and thought they'd make a good learning project for me.so have no recommendation for a 'smith that would work on them (may be some.not aware of them if there are).So I'd work on the cheap part and mods some mags to work. Understand, getting the slack out of the locking system would be better.but the fast way nwouold be to mod a a couple of mags.the bad news is that you really should be able to weld (an in this case, even the little propane/oxygen set up will work).For various reasaons, would keep to the 15 round GI type mags (real ones.not the BS aftermarket mags). The 30's are harder to find, have had a lot of crappy after market mags made, and the results with the 15's have been SO MUCH better.Basically just going to strip the mag until you just have the stamped seetl body.weld up the bottom of the 'teats' that do the locking.and file/shape /polish them until they will just barely latch into place (as you added metal to the bottom of the teats, will end up loacking in place a bit higher). Hello,Sorry to hijack the thread, but its very hard finding anyone with experience getting Universal carbines to run.
My name is Shane. My father gave me a universal carbine that I've been trying to get to run.
I put in fresh springs, cleaned and polished and managed to get it feeding and firing 100%. Unfortunately the dang thing still jams 1 out of 10 rounds!
I seem to have the same issue each time it jams. Slow motion footage seems to show that the case is extracted and flipped lazily upward, then the bolt comes forward snatching it out of the air jamming it against the barrel hood in an orientation parallel to the barrel. I am just about stumped as to how to address this and would appreciate any and all input you my have. Thank you for reading my message, I appreciate your time and input. Thanks again,Shane. I have a Reimported from Korea Winchester Built USGI M1 Carbine and it Shoots Very well thank you.I also have A second USGI 'NOS' Winchester receiver and a New Make Fulton Armory Receiver and all three measure out the Same by my Dial Caliper.Fulton Armory States They Are Making their Receivers to USGI Specifications and Standards; so I believe they Are also of the Proper Steel Alloy and Heat Treatment Schedules.I note that For the Korean War and for a subsequent period Japan was provided A Full US.30 M1 Carbine Manufacturing setup along with a full set of inspection tools and U.S.
Government Inspectors to make replacement parts and overhaul carbines lasting into the Vietnam Conflict era.The Japanese Made parts Are Exact USGI Replacements and are 100% interchangeable in any USGI M1 Cargine.Chev. Calicarbine- Replace the ejector spring with a stronger one and be sure the plunger ejector is sticking out of the bolt face the proper amount.I just bought GI five 30 rd mags for $10 ea and 1200 bullets and a thousand new nickeled cases. I'm thinking rolling old atv tires full of tannerite might be fun and nickeled cases easier to find.When fitting carbing magazines, J-B Weld is your friend. No need to weld on the magazine or latch.I'm going to (FINALLY!) try the JB Weld on the magazines.
How long would you expect that to last before it wears out? There were MANY! Manufacturers of the M1 Carbine rifle, including Winchester, here's a good place to brush up on them!I have a first generation 'UNIVERSAL' M1 carbine, it's just as good as any of the GI models!, in fact everything but the receiver, barrel and the stock are surplus GI parts, the bad rap comes from the 2nd and 3rd generation Universals, for some reason, probably manufacturing cost?, they changed a BUNCH! Of the parts, and they did have some serious issues!I have 2 30rnd magazines and two 15rnd magazines, both 30's and one of the 15's are GI issue, the second 15 is one of the current manufacture Korean imports, I have a fair amount of LC ball ammo on hand and all four magazines will operate as fast as you can pull the trigger, it has NEVER! Once offered to jamb, the only issue I have is the the sights were never setup properly, the front needs filed down some, the rear sight must be set at the 300yrd mark to get it on paper!
(and I don't care for a blade front with peeps)Here's the place to brush up on the 'UNIVERSAL'A friend had a Universal. It was like new and I had to replace the recoil spring(s) (? Does it have TWO? Can't swear but that's what I remember) with something stronger because it would not cycle well. I have a couple of USGI M1 carbines, and I recall that some aspects of the Universal were different, even off-putting. This was 15 or more years ago, and the weapon was five to ten years old then.Please forgive me if my memory has lapsed here, but it was a knockoff, and I'm pretty sure it was a Universal.