M1 Carbine mag pouch question

[The Grand Inquisitor]

I just bought a M! Carbine last week, and at the gun show today I bought one of the buttstock mag-pouches (with 2 15 round mags- $35 wasn't a bad price, and what sweetened the deal is that the mag puch is dated 1943 - the same year the rifle is dated) and I slipped it on the stock, but I can't manage to get the magazines in and close up the pouch.


What am I doing wrong here?

I tried moving the pouch all over the stock, but no matter where I put it, it was always just a little to much distance between the whole and the button to close it.

The only thing I can think of (besides me not knowing what I'm doing) is that I need the sling involved - I don't have a sling yet, but I plan to soon.


Can someone help me...

 

[mattdus]

I assume that you are using 15 round mags? Most people think that these were the standard magazine when in fact it was a ten round magazine which fits in the pouch rather well.
Matt

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

Ahhhh!


The guys who sold me this, self-termed Carbine "experts" told me the 15 rounders fit it.


It makes sense that it is for the 10 rounders. Thanks for the help.

 

[Trebor]

I assume that you are using 15 round mags? Most people think that these were the standard magazine when in fact it was a ten round magazine which fits in the pouch rather well.
Matt

What?! The 15 round mag was always the standard mag for the M-1 Carbine. The 30 round mag was developed for the M2 select-fire Carbine and was also later used with M-1 Carbines. The US Military never issued 10 round carbine mags. Do you have a source for your statement?

As far as the mag pouch, is it a USGI mag pouch or a reproduction? Even with a USGI pouch, the mags fit tight. Try putting the mags in with the pouch off of the stock. Remember, this pouch was designed to be worn on the belt. G.I.'s started putting it on the stock when they realized it fit, but it wasn't designed to be used that way and the fit is tighter when it's on the stock.

If it's a repro pouch, the fit might be even tighter as the QC generally isn't as good on the repro pouches and the dimensions might be off. Try putting the mags in the pouch off the stock and see if that helps.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I assume that you are using 15 round mags? Most people think that these were the standard magazine when in fact it was a ten round magazine which fits in the pouch rather well.
Matt

There is no such thing as a 10 round USGI Carbine magazine. M1 Carbine mags were 15 rounds from the start, then the 30s were adopted late during WW2 but used postwar, for the most part.

The 15s are going to be a tight fit in a Carbine stock pouch. What I found I had to do with the repro pouch on my Underwood was to put the mags in the pouch while it was forward, over the wrist of the stock and snap it shut, then slide the pouch back a bit towards the buttplate. Then I let it sit and stretch a little, but it's still snug.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

I see.


Thanks for the help. This isn't a repro pouch, it's an original USGI marked 1943.

 

[Sistema1927]

Most repros are marked 1943 (including the one on my carbine).

They are tight at first, but they stretch. Not just the repros but the originals as well. These weren't designed for use on the buttstock, hey were belt pouches, but GIs used them this way.

Note that if you want to protect your stock, you will cover the metal snap with something. A small piece of duct tape does the job.

 

[gremlin_bros]

10 round mag"s??????

mattdus i hav e never heared of a ten round mag i have owned several m-1 carbines from and old rockola to my ibm and even a paratrouper version never in my life have i seen a ten round mag if you have one lets see it because i dont beleve it exists till im proven wrong on this one yes i have been wrong befor but in this case i dont think so so lets see this ten round mag if you have one i dont meen to sound arrogant i truly would like to see a ten rounder for it odds are if it exists at all it is of new manfacture to satify the ten round mag law that no longer exists but to my knowlage there was never anything less than 15 rnd mag's for the m-1 thks

 

[Atlas Shrug]

1. As noted, all original .30 carbine magazines were 15 rounds, with 30 round mags introduced for the M2 version. That's the only two choices ever for GI.

2. Currently, 5, 10, 15, and 30 round magazines can be purchased - aftermarket. Some of the 10 rounders are merely 15 rounders with a block to limit loading ten (clearly an assault weapon ban artifact). However, some of the 10 rounders are sized from the start for ten rounds. IMHO, these are very good sized, as they stick out way less than the 15s and double the capacity of the 5 round mags.

If you get a true sized 10 round magazine that functions well, try it, you might like it. They fit in the "stock" magazine pouch with no issues, so it's not so tight a fit as usual.

That said, most of my M1 Carbine mags are 15 rounds. I don't even own a 30 round one - it's just out of place.

I actually shot my M1 today - yoohoo!1