Shooting Original M1, how safe is this?

[Greystone45]

I'd like to shoot my M1 Carbine sometime but it seems alot of people think the gun should be looked at by a gunsmith. What things could potentially happen to one of these? I've been shooting my 1946 marlin 39-A for many years which is about the same age. Were the carbines not made as well or have a history of something breaking or causing injury? thanks

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[Garandrew]

My main concern would be stock, and or hand guard cracking,..I had a bakelite grip panel on my veteran purchased Ithaca M1911A1 crack..I dont like to fire my collectors pieces

[imarangemaster]

I have several nice weapons that I fire every chance I get: 1970s vintage S&W model 29 8 3/8" .44 Mag, USGI Inland M1 Carbine, and 1975 vintage Armalite AR-180. Unless it is a collector piece, not much sense in not shooting it. I even had a 56-56 Spencer and 1881 Vintage 1873 WInchester. I shot them regularly with black powder.

[lboos]

Greystone,
If you have been around guns, fired guns, and can take one apart clean it and put it back togeather right, go shoot the carbine. The same people who think you should take it to a gun smith are the same ones who think you should have a complete phy. before you fire it , it makes them feel good .... just use good common sense, it's a tough gun.

[Buntlineguy]

Shoot it! Collector's piece or not. I shoot my Colt Buntlines and my engraved Henrys. I bought them for me, not someone I don't even know.
B

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Clean it, lube it, check the head space, go to the range. I have shot all of mine at one time or another. But I stay with two or three on a more regular basis. Nobody has an unfired Carbine.

[Johnny Peppers]

The last lightly engraved Henry I saw went at auction for something over $65,000. You really do believe in shooting everything if you are shooting your engraved Henry. A nice box of original .44 Henry Flat sold for around $2500.

[Tired Retired]

The carbine is a pretty stoud weapon for the cartridge it fires. You can get by on your own IF you have the skill level necessary. Its the little things like the conidition of the bolt locking lugs, the piston nut, the slide and of course headspace. There are a few other areas I check, you really just have to know the weapon and what to look for...

... But for liability reasons, my lawyer requires that I state that every weapon you purchase should be thoroughly checked by a fully qualified gunsmith fire to firing and on a periodic basis...


... then again, I once offered to take my lawyer to the range for target practice - he declined. I was informed that for legal reasons because I can not use lawyers as targets.

[stickhauler]

Maybe you can't take the lawyer to the range for target practice, but somebody really should establish a hunting season for them. I'd vote for a no bag limit for the season as well. They tend to seek out each other and reproduce, likely birthing new potential lawyers.

I've got 6 operable carbines, and shoot each and every one of them. But then again, nothing in my gun safe isn't fired at least once a year, some guns more often.

[DaveHH]

he is just going to say "looks OK to me" and charge you $50+. Consider that these things were made to be used hard and endure. Even if the headspace is way too much, you are not going to even know it or care. Carbines only broke when they were fed cartridges that were too long, this allowed an out of battery firing. When the Government went to 100% case length checks this stopped. I would suggest reading Hatcher's Journal, he goes into the issue of headspace and rifle safety at depth and what you will learn is that these military rifles, all of them, were way overbuilt. A careful visual check for cracks on the bolt lugs and greasing it up well is all they usually need.

The one thing that people can do that trumps some dumbell "gunsmith" nailing you for $100 for nothing, is to at the range, open the bolt, look to see if the chamber is empty, stick your thumbnail in the mag well, and look down the bore. The piece of patch , mud or debris that will hurt the weapon can then be seen and removed. When the bore is clear, lock and load.