M-1 Carbine Bolt

[terryt]

Hi:

Yesterday at the range I was shooting my WW 2 Inland Steel carbine with factory ammo not reloads when the bolt cracked a small piece about 3/8ths by 3/8ths fell on the ground.

I have owned and fired 3 other M-I Carbine and never had this problem. I have fired about 800 rounds in this one as well as over 5000 rounds in the others. I am thinking of replacing the bolt with a newly manufactured one from Kahr Arms.

How hard is it to do this myself? Is setting the head space difficult?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Terryt

[Ithaca Gunner]

Sounds like a lug sheared, replace it with another G.I. bolt, they're common enough. I don't know why, but the flat top bolts seem to work better in my carbines, they left them round on later carbines just to save a milling step during the war, but either will work. Inland made the most carbines of the war, an Inland bolt should be easy to locate, Gun Parts, flea bay, etc. I just looked, they quadrupled in price since I last bought one! I paid a whopping $25.00 for one just a few years ago, now they're around $100.00![smilie=b: sarco has new made stripped bolts for $60.00, but you better have a bolt tool or you'll loose parts, learn a hard lesson in frustration, and wish someone else was doing it!

[jimb16]

The bolt is the weakest part of the carbine. Cracked and broken bolts are not that uncommn. Get a GI bolt for a replacement if the carbine is GI. Have the headspace checked. There is a good chance that nothing more will need to be done. Round bolts are built stronger than the flat bolts, so I recommend them if you are using the carbine as a shooter.

[Artful]

Round M2 bolt is stronger so that's the way I'd go

Both type II (flat bolts) and Type III (round bolts) were designed for the M1 carbine.
The changes that "created" the round bolt were made independent of the creation of the M-2
select fire .30 carbine design/modifications. The M1 will function with either bolt - so will the M2.
So it is best to recognize that the two bolt designs are NOT specifically M1 or M2 bolts
- they are for EITHER weapon.

Type II (flat) bolts are usually more "popular" with collectors since that is (generally) the bolt used during the majority of carbine production. It you are wanting an "production" bolt for your carbine, it is PROBABLY going to be a flat bolt (but check your carbine's production date). Type III bolts were actually used toward the end of production by several manufacturers. But that is a totally different topic...

Type III bolts are the more "modern" bolts and incorporate numerous design changes over the flat bolts. They are a bit stronger and have a few more features. One is the different cut angle on the lugs. When coupled with the Type V slide (with design number # 7160091 on it), or a Type VI slide, will provide a designed delay in unlocking the bolt which helps everything run smoother.

Oh, and as a safety note - anytime you replace the bolt on a rifle
- you must check the headspace to make sure it is safe to fire.


Links for ya
http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=110

http://m1family.com/topic7.html

--1st block, Serial number, 11 - 999,999 | May, 1942 - December, 1943
--2nd block, Serial number, 2,912,520 - 3,212,519 | September, 1943 - Late January, 1944 (Includes Saginaw (S.G.) receivers)
--3rd block, Serial number, 4,879,526 - 5,549,821 | January, 1944 - August, 1944 (Includes Saginaw (S.G.) Receivers)
----Serial number, 5,549,822 - 5,550,376 | August, 1944 (Inland ran into Winchester serial number block)
----Serial number, 5,557,000 - 5,557,990 | August, 1944 (Inland ran into Winchester serial number block)
--4th block, Serial number, 6,219,689 - 6,449,883 | August, 1944 - November, 1944
--5th block, Serial number, 6,629,884 - 7,234,883 | November, 1944 - January, 1945 (Some M2 Production, Fully automatic Carbines) M2 / T3 Specific forum can be found here
--6th block, Serial number, 7,369,661 - 8,069,660 | January, 1945 - August, 1945 (M2 Production, Fully automatic Carbines)
----Serial number, 0001 - 0800 | Late 1944 - 1945 (T3 Production, sniper model Carbines) M2 / T3 Specific forum can be found here
----Serial number, 00001 - 00900 | Late 1944 - 1945 (T3 Production, sniper model Carbines)

-Parts made directly by Inland:
Bolts, Receivers, Barrels, Magazine Releases, Hammers, Gas Nuts, Gas Cylinders, Firing Pins and Trigger Housings.



-Some history of Inland:

'"The Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors was organized in 1922 for the manufacturing of wood wrapped steering wheels. The division used the buildings and technology of the defunct Dayton Wright Airplane Company. The division was unique as the only division created within the corporation, not acquired by purchase.

By 1924, the wooden steering wheel had been replaced with the hard rubber steering wheel and the division gradually transformed from a wood working operation to a rubber processing operation.

A wartime shortage of men and women to fill jobs led to the enactment of a “buddy” shift. The first business in Dayton to adopt the new buddy shift was Inland Manufacturing. In February 1943, Inland hired a number of high school boys to work at Inland after school until 7 p.m., at which time men and women who had full time jobs during the day would take over and work until 10 p.m.

Inland Division of General Motors was one of nine contractor-established manufacturing facilities that tooled up and turned out M-1 carbines during WWII, a five-pound rifle considered the nation’s best ordnance effort of the war. By the end of the war, Inland had produced over two and a half million carbines. Inland also produced a one-round pistol called the “Little Monster”, which had been designed to be airdropped to resistance fighters in Europe. Today we know it as the "Liberator" pistol and many were Manufactured by Guide Lamp Division of General Motors, Anderson, In. in 1942.

During the war Inland also made tank tracks for America’s leading tank manufacturers, as well as Great Britain’s. At war’s end almost 20 million tank shoes of various sizes were fabricated by Inland. The diesel tank clutch was another product developed by Inland. Inland also made gun sights and shoulder rests for the rapid firing 20mm anti-aircraft gun. Helmet liners were produced in great quantities by Inland. Fire extinguisher horns used on United States Naval ships were in short supply and insufficient strength. Within 60 days Inland was mass-producing a new and improved horn. Inland aircraft hose, steering wheels, gaskets, sleeves, bushings and countless other small parts were produced for the war effort.


http://olive-drab.com/od_other_firearms_rifle_m1carbine.php

[terryt]

Hi:

Thanks for the info and the links.

Terryt

[MDphotographer]

I have had 2 flat carbine bolts break both in the same place (lug sheared) as was stated this was a normal problem with the M1 carbine and why the round bolt was developed.If I have another one break I will get a replacement bolt from Fulton Armory it cost $150 vs $75-$100 for a GI flat bolt but should be worth it