M1 carbine barrel unscrews in hand

[Yeager]

So I picked up an M1 Carbine in trade for a very nice AK tonight.

I get it home, and take it apart for cleaning, and the barrel unscrews in my hand.

Screwed back in and hand tightened so that the two notches line up the head space checks out, but I don't have the equipment to really torque down on the barrel or ream the chamber as described in the M1 Carbine shop manual.

Could I use some sort of space age cold weld material to keep the barrel in place as was suggested by the CMP armorer who mentored me many moons ago?

The previous owner had put at least 350 rounds down the pipe safely right infront of my eyes.

It would be a real shame to break up this gun and replace the barrel. It's a correct, original Inland Paratrooper which save for two holes in the side of the receiver where a scope mount was installed previously it's pristine.

 

[Fatelvis]

I would ask this question in the gunsmithing section.
Personally, if the headspace was correct when the barrel was screwed in, I would blue lock-tight it, or lightly peen the threads and screw it in.

 

[Vaarok]

If it headspaces correctly, all you really need to worry about is the threads holding against the receiver and the barrel not unscrewing. I concur on loctite or peening, though you could also try some thread tape or a crosspin.

 

[Jeremy2171]

The correct way it to swage to barrel should so it will have more tension when tightened....I would let a real 'smith fix this. Its easy to snap a carbine receiver if you dont have the correct action wrench.


What maker/details on the carbine?

 

[Slamfire]

I would not trust either a glue bond and certainly not a loctite bond. That mechanism was designed for a mechanical bond between the barrel and receiver. You do not want the barrel flopping around as rounds are being fed into the chamber. You do not want the headspace changing as you shoot.

I would find another barrel. Or receiver if the receiver ring has been stretched.

 

[carbine85]

Every Carbine that I have removed the or installed a barrel on required a barrel vise and receiver wrench. A lot or torque was required to index the barrels.If the head space is to tight you have to ream the chamber. I have never seen a M1 carbine that used shims, locktite or any other method of tightening the barrel other than torque. The operating rod slides in the groves in the barrel and the chamber has a lip cut into it so therefore the barrel must be properly indexed. It sounds like you have a barrel or receiver problem.
You need a gunsmith and head space gauges.