M1 Carbine Won't Cycle

K

KA3N

New member
I bought a used Universal M1 carbine from an auction on GunBroker.com. It’s the Nickel plated model, and I’ve wanted it for 16 years or so now. (I know it’s not the best brand..)

Picked it up today, went to the range tonight.

The bolt assembly never comes back after firing. I have to manually cycle it after every shot.

How do I fix this problem?
 
Majority of guns which fail are because they are improperly maintained. Not an accusation against you since you just bought the gun.

So, what's probably wrong? Since the Bolt Handle works freely, I wouldn't attribute it to that and I suspect that the Gas Piston may be stuck. Suggest squirting some oil down it and seeing if you can work it loose with a M-1 Carbine gas piston wrench. Once it's out, clean it thoroughly prior to installation. You may want to get a brass wire and poke it from the gas piston housing into the barrel to clear out the gas port from the barrel. Squirt some aerial gun solvent through to help clean it out.
 
Note that the gas piston is staked into place, so it may be a chore to get it out. You'll also have to stake it when you put it back together. You may be able to get some solvent into it and loosen it up without actually taking the nut off, that would be more desirable.
 
I have it disassembled at the moment, and have been cleaning the insides.

There is nothing resembling a nut. It looks like a cylinder driven through a block. I found a parts drawing for a USGI M1, and it appears to have a nut.

Do I just drive it the cylinder from the muzzle side towards the breech? (Taking note first of how far out of the block it is extending)
 
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Hoo, boy! Sounds like something may be missing, which may be why the previous owner got rid of it. The Universal gas system is not like the GI one; there should be a piston and a pin that holds it in.

The Gun Parts Corp. catalog shows they have those parts for the Universal, so you might try them at www.gunpartscorp.com.

Jim
 
Ah yes ... there is a pin ...

I'll try drifting the pin out and go from there..

(I tried to post two pics, but Photopoint is not cooperating...)

Thanks!
 
Does the pin have to be completely removed?

I can move the pin so that it's flush on one side and extending 1/8" out the other side, turn it over and make it flush on the other side etc..., but can not get it to go all the way through. (I lubricated it on both sides before moving it)

I'm also using a torx bit screwdriver as a punch and the plastic handle may be absorbing the hammer blows. Will buy a real punch tomorrow. I bent the punch I use for my Glocks on this thing (was too thin).
 
KA3N
I remember years ago they were selling short pistons so the carbine would only shoot one at a time and you would have to work the charging handle like a bolt action firing one at a time you should be able to replace the piston if this is the case......hope this helps............
 
I gave up trying to get the piston retaining pin out - once it's flush with the block, it won't move any further – it doesn't matter which side I start with.

Even though the rest of the gun was clean, the barrel was the dirtiest I've ever seen. I went through about 30 patches and multiple brushings to clean it. I left a patch soaked with Hoppes sitting over the hole area to the piston block for an hour or so and worked a larger .32cal bronze brush over the area. I then cleaned the breech area with soft Dremel brushes (and polished the feedramp while I was at it). I'll test it tonight to see if it still malfunctions.

About 15 years ago, one of the civilian manufacturers, Iver Johnson I think, had a provision to turn something somewhere and make it single shot and legal for hunting. I used to have the original brochures for Universal, Iver Johnson and others somewhere but can't seem to find them.
 
If you can get a good penetrant/cleaner down the barrel, it may work into the gas port and free things up. I suggest something called G96 Gun Treatment as thin enough to penetrate and dissolve crud, but other products may work as well. I think BrakeFree is too thick.

Jim
 
On my AR15, I can see the gas tube and where it connects to the bolt assy.

Where exactly does the gas exit on the M1?
 
Still doesn't work.....

Maybe I'll buy another pin and drill this one out....

Edited: Just ordered the retaining pin and piston from GunPartsCorp - Thanks for the link Jim!
 
my iver johnson m1 carbine wont cycle

I am having the same problems described above.

I purchased an Iver Johnson M1 carbine from a pawn shop (dumb move) and when I got home to shoot it the spent case wouldn't eject and the bolt wouldn't move rearward enough for another round to be stripped from the magazine.

I have to manually rack the slide after firing each round to eject the case and insert a new round from the magazine.

I cleaned the barrel and piston, every thing is lubricated and moves freely.

Do you think it may be as simple as a weak spring?

Thanks,

Fallschirmjager
 
I dont have a "universal" brand carbine, its an "iver johnson".

I dont have double recoil springs and I dont think I have an adjustable piston (i havent taken it out).

I think that my iver johnson has a problem that mymics the single shot phenomenon associated with the "universal" carbines.

My inkling is that I have a malfunctioning gas piston or recoil spring, what do you guys think?

Thanks for the help!

Jager
 
You might try removing the recoil spring(s), and see if that allows the gun to eject a spent case. There either isn't enough gas getting to the piston, or the piston isn't properly transferring the energy to the op rod, unless the spring is binding the system, but the latter would be obvious in hand cycling.
 
Thank you for the advice.

I removed the recoil spring (and guide rod), put the gun back together, slapped a 30 round clip in and went outside. The gun fired but the bolt failed to move rear-ward enough for the casing to be spent. I manually racked the bolt, spitting the casing out and inserting a new round into the chamber.

I repeated this event four or five times; the gun wont cycle properly, with and without the recoil spring.

I think we have narrowed the problem down to something being wrong with the gas piston mechanism.

Do you guys have any thoughts?

I really appreciate the help,

Fallschirmjager
 
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