M1 carbine piston nut

[Mr_Flintstone]

My M1 carbine has a piston nut that keeps working itself loose. I know staking it would be best, but I don't have the tools right now. I have heard that blue locktite is an alternative. Before I put any on, I'd like to know if there are any adverse effects to doing this? Is it a durable fix, or will it work itself loose again?

 

[Ibmikey]

The gas piston in a Carbine becomes very hot under prolonged shooting and blue locktite fails at a low temp setting. Staking is not a very complicated process.

 

[Tommygunn]

If you don't wish to stake it you'd be better off taking it to a gunsmith familiar with M1s and having him do it.

 

[carbine85]

Do you have the piston nut tool? With the tool you should be able to get enough on it to keep it tight and just check it once in a while.

 

[loose noose]

What carbine 85 just stated. Use the proper tool for the job, in order to do it right. You might also check and make sure the piston casing isn't cracked. I've seen that happen before.

 

[Maj Dad]

I use 243 loctite on one of mine - the other 2 are staked & don't need it. If I tighten it too tight, it binds the piston, so it's either stake or loctite. I rarely shoot it till it gets smoking hot, and it hasn't worked loose over several years (I remove it to clean, then re-apply). Just don't use the red/262 unless you really don't want it coming loose without a torch and ~500 deg F.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Well, I thought I'd fixed it with blue locktite; and it held pretty good for a while, but it's loose again.

It's a new production Auto Ordnance, and I'm pretty sure the casing isn't cracked.

It has come loose every 50 rounds or so ever since I bought it new; except when I put the locktite on. That lasted for about 250 rounds. The casing has two stake mark lines, but I can turn the nut freely; I only feel a faint click when it starts to get tight. I've been tightening it with a GI piston nut tool, but it always comes loose after just a couple magazines.

Can someone tell me exactly how tight to tighten with the nut tool, and walk me through how to re-stake the nut?

 

[Acera]

This link might help, read the posts by 136th TFS

http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-108206.html


.