M1 carbine - loose trigger assembly

[JP1954]

I have a carbine that is in excellent condition except for the fact that the trigger assembly is somewhat loose in the stock. Are they supposed to be that way or can they be shimmed up?. Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks for your input.

 

[dfariswheel]

Many are loose, and unless it's VERY loose, it has no effect.

DO NOT attempt to peen or bend the receiver lugs.
M1 Carbine receivers are hard enough that peening or attempting to bend will break the receiver.

You can try peening the trigger group lugs, be be careful, these too can break.

My advice: Unless it's really loose, leave it alone. Better a loose trigger group than a damaged or ruined Carbine.

 

[JP1954]

Thanks for the advise.....I wasn't contemplating messing with the trigger group. I was thinking along the line of placing some thin wood shims in between the stock and the triggergroup. It feels strange that it is kind of loose but if I am reading you right this may be normal for a cat of this breed.

 

[lathedog]

I think Dfariswheel is spot on. Don't mess with any existing parts.

I don't know if wood shims would be the best answer either. The SKS tends to use the wood stock in compression to achieve a tight fit of trigger group and receiver, and this is why so many SKS's don't achieve their potential for accuracy. It also affects trigger pull. Check out an SKS trigger group and see how the pressure on the disconnect thingy (sorry - I don't have a parts list with proper terminology in front of me) sticking up in front affects the trigger pull.

If you wanted to keep the trigger group from rattling around, I'd recommend some sort of thin brass to shim between the trigger group and receiver where the "ears" hold the two together in the back. Something non-marring, non-permanent, and non-drastic. Also something that can't work loose and cause a stoppage. Aluminum tape like auto parts stores sell for body work might work well, or a small piece of soda/beer can sidewall. Wrap it to achieve a snug slide fit.

I've seen a lot of various Mauser type rifles where some sort of cloth or fiber batting was used to shim the top handguard to the stock to keer it from rattling. Too much could put pressure on the wood to cause it to crack or split. You just want to firm things up a bit, not make them absolutely rock solid.

 

[Firehand]

Know those plastic fake credit cards they send you with applications? You can cut a strip from one, bend it in a staple shape, and slide the arms into place between the ears on the trigger housing and the lugs on the receiver, that can tighten it up nicely.

Also, some of them seem to get rid of all slack when you actually have a magazine locked in. Noticed that on one I was looking at.

 

[97th Signalman]

Loose trigger groups on M1 Carbines

Mine was loose on the M2 that I was issued in 1961 and the Inland that I have now (June 1943 vintage) is also loose. I qualified Sharpshooter with the first one and the current Carbine shoots even better. Apparently loose trigger group housings don't matter. I would leave it alone.

 

[Jim K]

Correct, loose trigger housings don't matter. If you do want to tighten it, you can use a brass shim on the rear joint where it attaches to the receiver. But I second dfariswheel, don't try bending the receiver lugs; I have seen some broken by doing that.

Jim

 

[JP1954]

Thanks everyone for your input.....It sounds like it is normal for these guns so I'm not going to worry about it.