Bedding

Well guys, now you will think I'm nuts. Today I took my best shooting CMP Carbine and an old M2 stock and glass bedded them together. I liberally ( sorry about that word) slathered release agent on the recoil plate, the flat of the front part of the receiver and trigger housing, and the bottom of the barrel just behind the barrel band. I then built up the rear of the slide well of the stock to bring it back to M1 configuration using some old lath. Then I glassed the recoil plate in place, glassed over my stock modification so it would come into firm contact with the receiver, and glassed the barrel channel for about an inch right behind the barrel band recess. I've just now popped the rifle out of the stock and cleaned it up. Now I'll wait till tomorrow and take it to the range. If things go as hoped, I'll post some pics and describe the results. If they don't go as planned, I'll pretend I never did it. Steve

If you want accuracy, try a Swiss straight pull, Garand, 1903A3....

A carbine goes bang and a bullet goes toward whatever you aimed at. I'll give you a lot of credit for enthuseasm and energy. For Camp Perry, I use an M2 stock that's tight, close my eyes and hope for the best. At least at Camp Perry, they give you 10 rounds of practice ammo to seat the action and figure where the heck the bullet might go.

Yep, I think I have 10 Carbines, take or give one or two...I do like em in spite of their lack of accuracy. They're just plain fun to shoot and cute on top of that.

Steve: Nothing "nuts" about your efforts. I've acraglassed one and liked the results. These guns can be accurate enough to jump to the level of which brand of surplus... or what's your most accurate load, with not much work.

The old board had a subsection of various tips. One of these, was to try regulating the front end of the rifle, via half turn increments on the front band's screw. IIRC, there's about nine half turns available. The poster found that there was a sweet spot on the tightness of the front band as it pertains to accuracy. It likely varies with each rifle, but your work in getting the back end solid should make the effect of the band tightness, apparent in short order.

Steven,
I've considered doing a partial bed on the recoil plate alone to see what happens.
Adjusting it to give me <1/8" float at the front end during reassembly leaves a fairly loose recoil plate.

Keep us posted.

I ended up bedding the recoil lug on a rack CMP Inland because of a crack and loose chunk of wood behind it. It does shoot better, but the damaged stock was pretty loose. Steve, it sounds like you went the extra mile; I, too, would be interested in hear how she shoots.

OK, I took out the bedded Carbine and even though it still shot well, it didn't shoot any better. Even the POI was the same. Hmmm..! Oh well, Steve

Sorry to hear that Steve, but it was a noble effort! :beerchug:

Howdy All. I keep hearing that the carbines are not accurate and certainly agree that not all of them are. I have been lucky I guess in having several that group within one inch at 25 yards with hand loads. I don't pretend to know all of the "tune up tricks" that would help but I don't see how they could group much better even with a tune up. I shot the groups from my picnic table with the magazine resting on a gallon coffee can. (How I wish I could say off hand) I am finding that the ammo makes a big difference. My most accurate ones are CMP Inlands with very little muzzle wear and in overall great shape. (Thanks CMP) I continue to marvel at how America made so many in such a short period and time AND made them very well indeed. I suspect that even a worn, loose rack grade could could hit a man sized target at 100 yards. I am ever so glad that the "bug" bit me in time to obtain several of these fine little rifles.
Happy Easter and good shooting to all.
Ed

Ed, the fact that the M1 Carbine is not accurate is no news flash. Go to the CMP Forum and look up the surplus rifle match from last year, check out what folks are using.

I compete in the CMP Carbine match, but it's nothing like the other matches that are fired across the course at 200, 300, and 600 yards.