M1 Carbine Conversion

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

I have never owned an M1 Carbine, but have fired one on a few occasions. I really liked the feel of the carbine but have always wondered why i haven't seen a carbine converted to a different caliber. Could one of these little jewels be converted to fire , say, a 357 mag? Or would it just be too much work? What say you?

Regards
Everett

[trooperdan]

LeMag was a company that used to convert carbines to fire .45 Win mag.. I think it was too rough on the guns and they stopped it. I think one in 7.62x25 or .357 Sig would be feasabile though.. I think the original .357 Mag rimmed case would be too much of a problem to feed; the .357 Sig will give you mag performance, at least up to 135 grains or so.

[longbow]

I knew a gunsmith many years ago who wanted to convert an M1 to shoot shortened .308/.30-06 standard 0.473" head size brass basically as a rimless .357. He figured it would work but as far as I know he didn't get the project done.

Maybe worth a try. It would be a similar cartridge to the old 35 Winchester Self Loading round. I would think the cartridge would have a lot of taper or slight neck if .357 bullets were used - maybe .375" would be better but limited selection in moderate weight. Or maybe a shortened straight .223 cartridge would take .357 bullets. Look - my mind is wandering again!

Just a couple of random thoughts on what might be an interesting project. I have always liked the M1 but the cartridge is just a bit too wimpy.

Longbow

[jhrosier]

Anyone know what the barrel shank diameter is for an M1 carbine?

Jack

[9.3X62AL]

Didn't Johnson make up a 22 centerfire version of the M-1 Carbine by necking down 30 Carbine brass to 22 caliber--the 5.7 Spitfire or Johnson or something similar? Essentially a rimless 218 Bee, I think.

No M-1 Carbine has ever shown me sufficient accuracy to serve as a viable varmint rifle, so neck-downs to 25 or 22 caliber just provide a couple other plinker calibers.

My current rifle in 30 M-1 Carbine caliber is a Marlin Model 62 levergun, and it is more accurate than any self-loader I've tried in this caliber. It will do 1.75"-2.00" five-shot groups at 100 yards with good bullets (Speer or Sierra 110 softpoints), and almost as well with castings--1.25"-1.50" at 50 yards. The M-62 was also put up in 256 Winchester Magnum, a 357 Magnum casing necked down to 25 caliber. Essentially, these are updated 32-20 and 25-20 rifles with maybe 5%-10% velocity boost over their forerunners. The 32-20 and 25-20 were pretty much moribund at the time the Model 62 came out, and it didn't set the world on fire with sales numbers.

[floodgate]

Al:

"Didn't Johnson make up a 22 centerfire version of the M-1 Carbine by necking down 30 Carbine brass to 22 caliber--the 5.7 Spitfire or Johnson or something similar? Essentially a rimless 218 Bee, I think."

Yeah, it was called the "5.57[mm]MMJ" - his initials. Never saw one, but he sold quite a few in the late '40's and early '50's.

Doug

[Larry Gibson]

Have seen M1 Carbines (fired them also) rebarreled to .357 Magnum. Had to be careful loading the magazines. 15 round mags held 10 rounds. A .473 case head is too large for the barrel shank. The .30 Rem case shortened and necked down was made in several calibers. Other than the .22 cal versions including the Johnson I've never found any that offered any advantage over the .30 carbine cartridge.

Larry Gibson

[trooperdan]

I have one of the 5.57 Johnson Carbines; it is one of my favorite "fun guns"! I don't think many were made, mine is actually made by johnson. I believe there were other makers in the same or similar caliber.

[9.3X62AL]

Dan--

Now, THAT is cool right there! How accurate is your little rifle? The M-1 Carbine is still fun in spite of its poetic radial distribution habit, a thought apparently not lost on the late Bill Ruger with his Mini-14.

I've had a couple of the Carbines, and they were a lot of fun. I never tried castings in either one, and the more recent example left in the hands of a collector with more money than brains--a collector class I can tolerate, even appreciate at times. It was an all-matching Rock-Ola, it ran like a machine but was about as accurate as a Farmer's Almanac weather prediction. I ran across the M-62 a little while later, and enjoy it very much.

Perhaps the skyrocketing component costs will re-kindle an appreciation of the smaller rifle calibers like the 30 Carbine--218 Bee--25-20 and 32-20 WCF. They can surely be operated cheaply with castings, and while not the best for deer--90% of my rifle shooting can be done with these calibers quite enjoyably.

[corvette8n]

Get one from the CMP while you can, with the value of these thing going up you can't go wrong to shoot it as is. Reload or put a zillion rounds of Wolf .30 carbine thru them, great fun.

[10-x]

Why someone would take a VALUABLE rifle(M-1 Carbine) and butcher it into something................check the prices good ones are selling for a gun shows. Now I'm not talking about the "fence post" imports......also CMP is out of them or almost........:drinks:

[RU shooter]

Why someone would take a VALUABLE rifle(M-1 Carbine) and butcher it into something................check the prices good ones are selling for a gun shows. Now I'm not talking about the "fence post" imports......also CMP is out of them or almost........:drinks:Because it is Their's and they want to! Not all people are collectors and do not care if a weapon is altered from original state,only that it brings enjoyment and function to the owner that wasn't found in its original form. Same debate as refinishing a stock on a military surplus weapon,Yes it has lost its value to a true collector but now its pleasing to the owners eye ,so who am I or you or anyone else to tell someone what to do with" Their" property .Beauty is in the eye of its beholder .:)

[10-x]

Was just a question, had Nothing to do with anyone's private property. A decent M-1 Carbine is worth about the price of just about any new rifle.
Why not sell it?
Many hate to see good military weapons butchered, I'm one and I'm sure there are many others on this site.
My Dad, rest his soul, sporterized a perfect 1918 dated 03 Springfield back in the 30's. It's killed more deer than any other rifle I have, but woukld still rather have it Original.
I also understand many want to "tinker" with weapons and it's completely their right.
Just think its a shame to alter a historic piece.
Look what Bannerman did after the un-civil war.

[truckysm]

I have a new 5.57 carbine barrel. I also have a collector's mentality. My plan is to collect the needed parts( GI or after market) to assemble a carbine. I have a couple M1 carbines but couldn't convert them. A carbine in 5.57mm sounds like a good time.

[johnly]

I rechambered a 22 WMR contender barrel to the 5.7mm Johnson. If you guys need any brass, I have a set of forming dies and can crank you out a batch.

Another conversion was the 256 Ferret.

John

[Newtire]

I have a Plainfield carbine (made like the military ones were using machined parts) and it is pretty consistently good out to 50 yds with the Lyman 311359. I don't know if it is the machined barrel band that comes with the Fajen stock I have it in right now or what but it's capable of 1" to 1-1/2" 50 yd. grouping with that boolit & 14 gr. H-4227.

I put a 4X scope on top in a mount that fits into the rear sight dovetail. All the stuff I did to mine can be reversed but it's not a real collector anyway. I say, get one to shoot & one to keep original. I think the price they are asking is a bit excessive. For a few hundred more, you can pick up a real genuine Spencer carbine from the civil war. Now that would be some fun shooting!