Accurizing the M1 Carbine?

[twoblink]

It's fairly strange, I find quite a bit of info on how to accurize almost every gun, but when it comes to the M1 Carbine, there's little if any information.

I don't own one (yet :banghead: ) but would like to know what kind of accuracy I can expect from most M1 Carbines (I know this is probably going to be a serious wide range) but I would like to know if there are low cost methods that can improve the accuracy of an M1 Carbine.

Thanks!

 

[Dienekes]

I went this route with a decent GI carbine some years ago. I glass bedded it with some downward pressure on the barrel, using the same basic approach as you would with the Garand. It took about three bedding sessions to get it done as the carbine is different.

I carefully loaded GI equivalent ammo with commercial bullets; also worked up some gas checked cast bullet loads with linotype.

I shot it for a while and got very indifferent results at 100 yards. Had an opportunity to have a master class high power shooter fire it at 100 yards with issue GI ball ammo and he couldn't get it to group under 8". My son was a beginning shooter at the time and all we were doing was undermining his confidence with the thing.

Finally gave it up as a bad job. I don't think the M1 carbine is capable of any better accuracy, and you won't find anyone out there claiming that it is.

Have always been underwhelmed with it; when the DCM was sellilng them for $20 in the 60s I didn't bother getting one. Carried one for a while in the military--and "carry" is about all they're good for, being light and handy. My last go-around with them was the one mentioned. I don't miss any of them.

 

[Trebor]

The NRA has a pamphlet on the M-1 Carbine that includes accurizing tips. You can improve the accuracy to a degree. It will never be a 600 yard match rifle though.

One thing to consider is that with the value of USGI carbines ever increasing, you might not want to muck with your gun much.

There's also a trick to adjusting the recoil plate torque to improve accuracy. I don't remember the details though.

 

[loadedround]

I own two GI Carbines, both original Winchesters. They will both group under 2" at 100yds with GI LC Ball ammo. Several years back, I was involved with our club's CMP program for our junior members. We had 15 M-1 Carbines obtained from the old DCM program, and most of these were well used, well cleaned, and wouldn't group for s--t at 50 yds. When we examined them, it turned out that the muzzle crowns were shot from many overzealous cleanings. We brought them to a local gunsmith who specializes in military weapons who proceeded to recrown them all. Afterwards it turned out the worst one would group less than 3", not bad for as many rounds fired in them. To get to the point, the best way to accurize a Carbine, may be to recrown it. YMMV.

 

[dakotasin]

i get 3-6" out of mine, but i suck w/ iron sights. i wouldn't be surprised if somebody that was good w/ iron sights could routinely get 2" w/ mine.

 

[twoblink]

Dienekes, that's some seriously harsh statements!

I thought my 10/22 was broken because I couldn't group better than 4" with it at about 25 yards when I first got it. My friend who won his shooting competition in the army boot camp, cloverleafed with it (same gun, same ammo) and asked me "What was wrong with it again??" So I am totally mentally prepared that a gun is not that bad, but I'm a bad shooter..

That said, you might have gotten a lemon.. I think 4" at 100 yards is ok with me for accuracy.

My SKS that I later sold, it grouped about 12" at 100 yards.. so anything was better than that!