[krustoleum]

My brother has an M1 carbine. When we go to shoot it we can only get one or two rounds off before the empty round stovepipes in the receiver. Is this a magazine issue or something else?

[chris allen]

If it is the empty round getting caught in the action it is an ejection problem.

maybe a dirty gun ?
poor quality ammo?
mechanical failure?

usually semi autos it is the "clean factor"
chris

[rcmodel]

Magazines won't cause stove-pipes.

What kind of ammo?
Reloads or factory?

It can also be caused by a badly fouled gas piston. See if it moves freely in the gas cylinder. Flood it with Hoppies #9 Nitro-Powder solvent and let it soak out any fouling. It will blow out any excess when you shoot it again.

Or by a dirty ejector plunger & spring in the bolt. Push it in & out with a pointy tool and try to work some solvent or light oil down into it.

Or perhaps by a completely dry & dirty gun.
Dissemble, clean & lube it and lightly oil all the moving parts where they are worn shiny. Apply a light grease to the operating rod cam & bolt where it rides in the cam.

rcmodel

[Sunray]

It's mostly likely the ejector. Give the rifle a really good bath, especially the bolt and change ammo. If that doesn't fix it, replace the ejector and its spring.

[mnw42]

I had the same problem with my IBM and the cause was a bad ejector spring. Unfortunately, you must buy (or barrow) a $40 tool to install a $1 part.

While you are at it, you should replace the extractor plunger and spring.

[rcmodel]

Well, not really.

The bolt tool makes it easier, but it's not that hard to do without it.

You just need to push the extractor spring & plunger in with a small jewelers screw-driver or something.
Compress the ejector slightly at the same time.
Then lift out the extractor, followed by the ejector, spring, and firing pin.

It does helps to have three hands, or a vice with soft jaw protectors to hold the bolt while you compress both springs.

rcmodel