Feed Ramp Polishing

N

Nanaimo Barr

New member
I'm looking for advice on what Dremel attachement to use to clean up a feed ramp on a old M1 Carbine, not to grind it down, but to smooth it up


is a Dremel the best tool? or is there something else thats better

(or is it just best to take it to a pro?)
 
Brownell's sell Cratex rubber bonded abrasive cones. You will need to make a longer screw-tip mandrel from a long wood screw.
This will allow you to get to the ramp.
Use a Moto-Tool or flex shaft.

OR:
You can do an acceptable job by gluing strips of fine grit metal sand paper to a round wood dowl and using it by hand or in a drill.
 
I find I get excellent results with the felt bob that is about 1/4" in diameter and has a point. I use the Dremel polishing compound and have at it. Although the polishing compound won't take metal off quickly, it will take it off, so use caution! I do a little polishing, then wipe it off and check the result, then a little more polishing. You don't want to change the shape of the feed ramp, just smooth it. It's also not necessary to make it glass smooth with no flaws, just smooth to the touch. It's a mistake to try to polish every flaw out of the feed ramp, and you'll likely end up doing more damage than good if you get carried away.
 
thank you all Gentleman, I tried the felt bob method (had one in my dremel kit) and went in with the polish and it's looking and feeling much better. now I just have to wait till it stops raining to take it out and see how it goes.

this has also led me to think about getting one of those flex shafts, or going for broke and upgrading my dremel altogether (I have the little battery operated one)
 
I used to have the battery powered Dremel, but when it bit the dust, I bought the line powered one. I don't stray that far from the bench with it, and I don't have to screw around with batteries. :)
 
the batteries do go dead at the worst times don't they? I think if it dies while my wife is using it one more time she may drag me off to buy a new corded one. (the battery one is nice for the car and quick and dirty though)

(it's amazing how often when she needs to use it it dies after only a few minutes use.. interesting HEHEHEHEHEHEH)
 
thanks to you gentleman my attempt at home gunsmithing was a sucsess, my little M1 Carbine now feeds just about everything I fed into it with a 98% feed rate when I actualy used rounds with enough powder (it didn't seem to like the low end loads)

now I just need new magazines...

I thank you all again

NB
 
Another Dremel success story! If we keep that up, we'll slow down the bashing that always seem to follow anyone suggesting they might have the temerity to actually use such a tool on their guns. :D

Of course, you need to move a bit closer to 100% to consider it a real success. I can only remember one misfeed in my M1 Carbine with good magazines and factory ammo. I did have a couple of bad magazines, but they're lining a trash can now, and will give my no more grief! :)
 
well, I was using a mixed bag of 110 FMJ, 110 softpoint Speer that I had loaded not long after I started reloading, (nuff said) and some newly loaded 115 gr (I have been unable to find published loads for 115 lead .30 carbine) so I started low and was working up. 10.1 gr of 2400 didn't cycle right but the 11.1 of 2400 worked fine. what finnaly made me think part of the problem was the mag was when the last 2 rounds in the 15 round mag failed to feed every time. no mater which load I was using. (of course I had forgotten to bring the 5 and 30 rd ones) now I must search far and wide upon the internet sea to find more relable feeding devices for my sweet little carbini.....
 
I've found that the 15 round GI mags normally work best in both of my carbines, though the real GI 30 round mags do OK. I have some 30 round after-market mags that aren't as reliable. I have a couple of the short 5 round mags that I picked up at a show, but I haven't shot them yet.
 
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