.30 Carbine decisions

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dahermit

New member
I have a M1 U.S. .30 Carbine for which I have ordered (and received), a complete spring kit and a bolt assembly/disassembly tool. The Carbine had no problems, functioned (notice I did not say "ran") ...I just wanted to be prepared for any minor problem if it should manifest itself.

I swapped-out the recoil spring and noticed the new spring was longer than the old one and it took more force to collapse it to get it into its orifices in the gun, despite being labeled as "standard". The old spring showed no signs of being cut...both ends had the closed and flat ends one would expect from an unaltered spring.

At this point, I think I will order a replacement extractor inasmuch as it seems to be the most likely part to fail in the future.

What I cannot decide is, if I should just swap out the present springs and the coming extractor or just keep the new springs (other than the recoil spring), in reserve until if and when they malfunction and are actually needed.
 
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Scorch

New member
Your new spring is longer because it is new. After being fired a few thousand times, it will be shorter. After firing a few tens of thousands of times it will be the same length as your old spring. Install the new springs, keep the old springs as backups.
 
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dahermit

New member
Bill DeShivs said:
On the other hand- the gun worked fine with the old parts. Why change them?
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When I changed the recoil spring I found it to be much "stiffer" (more resistance to racking the operating handle). So my conclusion was that the new stiffer spring will result in less battering of the gun when firing.

Although I have a bandoleer of military ammo, I shoot only moderate level handloads. So combined with the new spring, I think it will be easier on the gun to have the stiffer spring installed. The rest of the springs/parts can wait until something fails before replacing.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
The new full length (full power) spring might give you issues with your mid power handloads. You might have to adjust your loads closer to full power to get reliable function with the new, stronger spring.

Just FYI the GI standard for recoil springs is length (not compression weight) in the 1911A1 and M14 & M16 rifles I worked on, and I'm pretty sure it was in the M1 Garand and Carbine as well.

Not rusted, cut, kinked, flattened, or otherwise deformed and of X inches length = serviceable. Shorter = unserviceable (even if the gun still works ok)

A new spring will (and should) be longer than the specified serviceable length.

If possible you should get copies of the Army FM and TM manuals for the Carbine (sorry I don't know the numbers) The FM (Field Manual)will have all the user needed information and the TM (Technical Manual -for repair shop use) will have the serviceability requirements.
 
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dahermit

New member
The new full length (full power) spring might give you issues with your mid power handloads. You might have to adjust your loads closer to full power to get reliable function with the new, stronger spring.
Click to expand...
If it baulks with the new recoil spring and my handloads, I will swap back to the old spring and keep the new spring in reserve in case I run into some cheap factory ammo...which is unlikely. Nevertheless, having one stiffer, one less stiff, I now have the option of some adjustment for the lighter loads...I know that my handloads function reliably when I use the old spring.
 
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Bayou

New member
I recently noticed that my carbine bolt was slapping the receiver on some shots. These were my handloads and were a bit mid-range.

I got a Wolff Extra Power recoil spring and installed it. For my rifle, this spring was the perfect medicine. Works perfectly with no issues...

Bayou
 
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RickB

New member
When I started to have some ejection issues, I replaced the extractor, ejector, and their springs - since I'd paid for the disassembly tool - and haven't had any issues, since.
I don't even remember if I replaced the recoil spring at the same time.
If you have the parts and the tool, why not do a "tune up"?
 
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natman

New member
My carbine worked fine. I did notice that it ejected brass all over the range. I changed the main spring and it started ejecting all the brass into a three foot circle. Not quite in a nice pile, but close. Much easier to recover and an indication that the bolt was better controlled after the change.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
M1 carbines from Universal, Erma, and maybe some other commercial makers parts are not guaranteed to meet USGI milspec.

Milspec magazines generally work but other parts might not.
 
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jrothWA

New member
May I suggest...

Glue some 320 grit emery paper onto a 1/4" or 3/8" dowel rod {wood], and lightly apply to the feed ramp surface to smooth that surface . [just enough to polish it], then when using soft-nose ammo, will minimize any stuttering of feeding that type of ammo.

My carbine was detailed when I bought it and the ejector spring was full of grease, so the bolt was detailed.

when sighting in completely tighten the front band screw and fire a group then back off three turns and fire a group, until the group grow larger.
 
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