M3A1 Conbination Tool Differences

[The Wizard]

I think I have a answer to the question of two different lenghts of chamber brushes on the M3A1 conbination tool. The Italians did have a variant of M3A1 combination tool for their BM59 rifles. This tool can be identified by the hex projection that acts as the pivoting piont for the blades. The brushes for these tools would be by design for the 7.62 mm NATO chamber and not the .30-06 chamber. Why the shorter brushes show up on M3A1 tools not made/modified for the BM59 is still unknown. Check your brush lenght. If you have a M1 in 7.62 mm NATO a short brush is what you want.

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[LavaTech]

This tool can be identified by the hex projection that acts as the pivoting piont for the blades.

That sounds like the description of one of the South Korean bastardizations. Is the stuck case remover bass-ackwards? If the spanner end doesn't straddle the follower arm when the extraction lip is under the case rim, then I'd guess it's one of the lousy "re-worked" S. Korean units. Other signs include body & blade of different manufacture, and the tool is "loosy-goosy" with no tensioning from the rivet (body, blade, and extractor all loose).