Old Universal

[Cold Smoke]

I have an old Universal M1 carbine that I bought a million lifetimes ago from Kings Gun in Bixby. I need to put a barrel in it, preferably a good GI pull down. Since I can’t kill the value I just want to get it shooting. Have any of y’all done this yourself or know someone within cat slinging distance of OKC that can do it reasonably? Thanks for your replies.

 

[JEVapa]

I'd entertain an interrogative to @SPDguns first.

 

[Cold Smoke]

I'd entertain an interrogative to @SPDguns first.

I’m noticing a pattern. That’s a pretty good thing.

 

[mr ed]

Since about the only thing that interchanges between a universal and a GI is the rear sight. It's going to be a barrel of fun. Best off to watch Ebay for a universal carbine parts kit. Hint universal uses two recoil springs, GI uses one. parts are vastly different.

 

[cowadle]

depends on the universal. the early ones used mostly gi parts. the latter ones with two recoil springs used a proprietary barrel. check egunparts"? last time i looked they had some barrels for the universals

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/544610

 

[Cold Smoke]

This is good information. I thought the universals were just civilian receivers using up GI parts. I’m going out to check on this. I won’t be able to do a thing all day for wondering...

 

[cowadle]

there is quite a bit of variation in the universals. somewhere there is a website that documents this and i will try to find it and link it here. the last was the dual spring model that has the cut out operating rod,this model was pretty much all universal except for a few parts on the bolt. there was issues with out of battery firing on some of the gi models from the receiver bridge not machined correctly. is your barrel shot out?

http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html

 

[swampratt]

is your barrel shot out?

I wanted to ask the same thing.



Met up with a guy that had an old military 30-06 he said the barrel was shot out.
Had it to 3 different gunsmiths and none of them could make it hold a group.
We both shot some of my handloads from it and it was shooting 3/4" 3 shot groups at 100 yards.
He said it was lucky to be on paper at 50 yards.

Reloading can really make a rifle shoot vs some factory ammo.

 

[Cold Smoke]

Shot out isn’t the issue. The little tappet block that holds the piston is cracked off of the barrel.

I went and dug the dirty little unloved sucker out of the back corner of the safe. It’s a four digit serial number 57xx, single spring with the GI style fire control group. I’ll throw down a couple of pics.

I’m not sure if the defect is from bubba gunsmithing or an overcharged round. If it were a hot round I’d think it would strip the ears off that little bolt first. But I’m not even a licensed groinocologist and shouldn’t be practicing medicine, mechanican or nucular fizzics.

 

[cowadle]

that could probably be re welded . research the serial number on that website i linked above but i think a gi profile barrel will work. criterion makes them. need pics of the op rod and spring trigger group unem and assembled and un assembled