M1 Carbine Cleaning Tips

Hello everyone,

After reading Larry Ruth's Owner's Guide on the rifle, I have a couple questions regarding cleaning an M1 Carbine (Inland Div. '45).

1) I am thinking about going with a nylon-coated, copper-eliminator .30 cal one-piece cleaning rod from J Dewey (I currently have a muzzle guide and one of their nylon pull-thrus, but I have found rods easier to use with other rifles). Any tips on which this choice/others?

2) I know this is a topic that can be hotly contested, but any suggestions regarding bore cleaner, degreasing solvent, and gun oil? I am essentially rebuilding my cleaning kit, so I am very open to suggestions from others.

And just on a random add-on, the rear sight (adjustable, not flip) wobbles quite a bit in the rear sight receiver dovetail whilst dry-firing. Any recommendations other than having it staked in place by a gunsmith (I've seen on the CMP forums to use small brass shims or loctite)?

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forum. As far as your questions go there are many ways to skin a cat, no right answer just personal preferences. I tossed my cleaning rods many years ago and now only use the OTIS cleaning kits that were issued to me in the Marine Corps, it is a pull through cable with various attachments, allows cleaning from breech to bore. For solvents I use Butch's Bore Shine, Wilson Combat Optima Lube Universal oil, Wilson Combat grease and I always have CLP on hand for scrubbing gunked up parts. For your loose rear sight I have heard that both methods that you mentioned work, never tried either myself.

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm no expert but I've been shooting for a long time and good old hoppe's number 9 gun solvent and REM oil have always done good for me. On my carbine for lubrication I use high temp bearing Grease only because I do a lot of shooting with AK's and AR's as well and the grease stays put.you could use any gun grease but the stuff you can get in a tub at Walmart in the automotive section has always worked just fine for me. Put a little on the rails & any bearing surface. I would consider getting a bolt tool so you can break your bolt down every six or seven hundred rounds or so and clean it, especially under the extractor, and pay special attention to the chamber on your carbine and keep it clean.I bought a cheap L-shaped brush tool off of eBay that gets in my carbines chamber relatively easy. I have no idea about the rear sight issue, others will chime in. Your one piece carbon coated rod will work just fine. Otis cleaning kits are great using the cable because a lot of people like cleaning from breech to muzzle direction.hth

Bore cleaner depends on how bad the bore is. When I first obtain a new milsurp that has obviously not been maintained, I use Sweets or Butchs Bore Shine. Both contain ammonia that removes the copper forced into the rifling (it will come out of the barrel as a blue fluid). After that, I just use Hoppes #9 for cleanings and Hoppes Bore cleaner (also contains ammonia but not as much as Sweets or Butchs) once in awhile to clear out any copper building up. I like one-piece rods and as mentioned above, it, like the cleaners you use, are just a personal choice so you really can't go wrong.

And Welcome to Milsurps !!

Thank you very much for the greetings and tips. I'll keep the ammonia-based stuff in mind as that matches the results in Ruth's book and other comments I've read. Noted on the bearing grease as I can grab some of that fairly easily. I was fortunate enough to have found a bolt tool on eBay for a very good deal and snagged that with a couple other M1 Carbine tools, but the round count you give Jon is a number I'll keep in mind as I head to the range over the summer.

I'm happy to have finally taken the advice of many on the forums and elsewhere to make an account and reach out on the site. I appreciate the warm welcome.

Welcome to Milsurps...

As has been said, a million different ways to clean a rifle...

I use German Brunox spray (good blast down the bore) and leave to soak for 10 mins.

While that's soaking I clean the bolt face and mag well with Brunox and a tooth brush.

Parker Hale rod and .30 bronze phosphor brush (rod inserted, brush screwed on in receiver) pulled through to muzzle.

Then patches until clean. Then the bore get flooded with Parker Hale gun oil, working parts and metalwork lightly oiled, drip out the excess, into a silicon treated gun sock and back in the safe....

I was slightly taken back by this very question on another (mainly hunting) forum recently, were the general consensus was that 'You clean it when it stops working'!

Some folks just use Firearms as a tool and give them absolutely zero thought...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pedantic_Potato

And just on a random add-on, the rear sight (adjustable, not flip) wobbles quite a bit in the rear sight receiver dovetail whilst dry-firing. Any recommendations other than having it staked in place by a gunsmith (I've seen on the CMP forums to use small brass shims or loctite)?

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I was wrong, I was thinking about typical hunting rifles. I did not know that there was a staking fixture for this rifle. comments delegated...

https://books.google.com/books?id=r2FIAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=staking+sight+base&source=bl&ots=Vj6QKg8WNB&sig=ACfU3U2NoxlY1JgDqzuo19ROM7aSBknWDw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2nb6Ek4nqAhX7JDQIHe7bBH8Q6AEwAXoECAoQA Q#v=onepage&q=staking%20sight%20base&f=false

Quote:

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Originally Posted by usabaker

They are not staked in place

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Huh? Time to do more research on the subject. - Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by USGI

Huh? Time to do more research on the subject. - Bob

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Obviously you did not see the "Last edited by usabaker; Today at 08:24 AM". before you posted where I ADMITTED I was wrong and removed my comment. I even posted a link to where I found the info. Thank you for your quick kindness.

All good suggestions but I’d add picking up a dental pick set. Seems like there’s always some spot a brush won’t quite reach and if it’s old cruddy buildup and hard, picks dig it out nicely. Good for cleaning out vent hole in sizing dies and a million other things. And a USB and/or WiFi bore scope is handy as heck.

It wasn't there when I began my post. I saw your correction that was submitted (2) minutes before mine, afterwards. I thanked you for it and even read the information in your link. I can delete my post if it makes you feel better. PM me if that's what you expect. :dunno: - Bob

Exterior metal wiped off and oiled down after use before putting it in the case.
When home, If it was damp/wet out during use let the case dry out.
I clean the Bore after every use. Was brought up that way.
If using it in the next day or two I'll just use the rod, patches and brush to a lesser degree than described below.

If putting it up with plans of using again in the next couple weeks:
I First pull the barreled receiver out of the wood, pull Op slide, bolt and trigger housing.
Bolt and Trigger housing are sprayed, brushed, dried off and lightly oiled. Break them down when build up isn't rinsing off as described to save wear on parts/bolt tools. Usually every 200-300 shots especially after using 296 powder.
I don't use the pull thru bore cleaners (yet).
Any rod attachment is attached inside the magwell, brush or patch and always unscrewed after exiting the muzzle.. just to re-attach again in the magwell to repeat.
I run a rod down the muzzle and then screw on and pull a patch forward first until it clears the chamber. Slow pull to bring debris out of the muzzle. Repeat this with fresh patches until I see no loose gunk. Then use the same method with a brush as needed. Back to patches soaked in solvent using same method multiple times. Giving the solvent time to soak. Back to patches, when dry patches are staying clean, then a lightly oiled patch. Little slower but the way I'm used to doing it. For a Chamber brush I just use a loose brush (brass) and spin/push / pull by my fingers with a cut off piece of cleaning rod attached about 1" long.... just enough to be able to finger grip.

I like the Pull Thru Rod method but do so with the barrel in a horizontal position, But upside down. Hopes being I'm not pushing grime in to the angled gas hole.

Any time I've handled a gun I back my way off of it wiping it down with a lightly oiled rag.
Don't overlook your mags. Mags are cleaned inside and out, and oil rag wiped. Surprising how little use it takes to get the inside of a mag dirty.

I won't bore you all with my 'Cleaning and Treatments' for long term storage.

We have it easy to the recommended cleaning methods published IIRC in the 1942 GI manual where they were cleaning with hot soapy water multiple times in a day...... just to continue so the following day.
If I get time I'll look for that and link it so anyone interested can read it.

Stick with the cleaning methods that work for you.
Many ways, many products.

How often to clean and how to depends on you and products, type of ammo and the conditions you shoot in. Take care how you store your guns.
Stick with the methods that give you your best results.

Which method is best?
Maybe easier?....... To choose between Mary Ann or Ginger :cool:

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/i...b49b5fb349.jpg

Thanks for all the further tips and processes. If there's one thing I've learned from shooting both my M1 Carbine and other semi-autos (let along bolt-actions) is that they must be cared for the same as any machine. With all these posts, I'll be on the right track as I complete the reset of my cleaning procedures (i.e. I did not know that bore scopes were a thing, going to be looking into those haha, I've had enough with the weird flashlight positions to see down the Carbine's bore!).

---------- Post added at 07:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:07 PM ----------

Quote:

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Originally Posted by painter777

I First pull the barreled receiver out of the wood, pull Op slide, bolt and trigger housing.

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In Ruth's book, there is a statement to the effect that taking the action about the stock may cause accuracy issues. I've seen other people on forums downplaying this impact on accuracy and stressing the need to take it apart to thoroughly clean it for long-ish duration storage (i.e. your interval of a few weeks). Any thoughts on this potential impact to accuracy? (Not that it matters on my M1 Carbine at present since I have yet to install the rear sight in a manner that doesn't have it wobbling in the dovetail with each shot haha).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pedantic_Potato

Thanks for all the further tips and processes. If there's one thing I've learned from shooting both my M1 Carbine and other semi-autos (let along bolt-actions) is that they must be cared for the same as any machine. With all these posts, I'll be on the right track as I complete the reset of my cleaning procedures (i.e. I did not know that bore scopes were a thing, going to be looking into those haha, I've had enough with the weird flashlight positions to see down the Carbine's bore!).

---------- Post added at 07:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:07 PM ----------



In Ruth's book, there is a statement to the effect that taking the action about the stock may cause accuracy issues. I've seen other people on forums downplaying this impact on accuracy and stressing the need to take it apart to thoroughly clean it for long-ish duration storage (i.e. your interval of a few weeks). Any thoughts on this potential impact to accuracy? (Not that it matters on my M1 Carbine at present since I have yet to install the rear sight in a manner that doesn't have it wobbling in the dovetail with each shot haha).

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Curious about accuracy after taking in and out of the woodwork, considering they were never exactly 'tack drivers' and bedded is rather basic to say the least, so would there really be any 'perceivable' difference in accuracy?

Not relevant to the thread really, but I've found the Mini14 needs very little cleaning. Almost cleans itself. This from shooting many thousands of rounds in competition. Thorough cleaning annually and re-oiling as necessary. Well, my Mini14 was like that, could still shoot better than I could hold after all those rounds.

I think as long as you have the recoil plate set up to where the barrel floats above the stock forend just a little bit, you should be okay

I take the rifle out of the stock to clean after every range trip, but I'm not a match shooter, nor are my m1's match rifles. I don't notice any degrading of accuracy in my rifles. FWIW
John

There are probably two very important cleaning tips with the M1 Carbine; do not clean from the muzzle, and do clean with the barrel upside down (gas piston high) so oil, etc., can't get into the gas port/piston area. As long as your carbine is in military condition as far as fitting, there's no reason to not take it out of the stock. I would not normally remove the recoil plate during cleaning.