Need help, M1 Carbine Bolt

[Harrybald]

I got a M1 Carbine Rifle from my father (RIP) and it doesnt work. Because the bolt stops at the hammer when it will move forward. When the bolt moves back everything work fine, the hammer can move over the ball, but when the bolt will move forward, the ball in the bolt stops at the hammer and can not move over.(picture) I think the ball should not be there. I didn´t saw such similar device when I looked at the pictures of bolts in the net. Did anyone knows if the ball should be there in this place? Or what it will be for? Otherwise I will shape the ball a little bit, so that the hammer can move over it.
Thank yor for a quick answer
Harald

Information

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[shadycon]

Hi and welcome; It looks like someone has put a weld on the bolt. It is not suposed to be their. It is suposed to be smooth like the rest of the bolt. You can try to grind it off, but I would suggest replacing the bolt as their must be a reason for the modification. Good luck.

[browningautorifle]

Agreed, I wonder if anything else has been done to the carbine that you might not notice at once?

[INLAND44]

I would not use the bolt any more. I think the weldment was applied to stop the bolt so the operator would have to bump the slide forward to load another round. probably something to do with making a semi-auto into a manual repeater. The bolt has also had the LH locking lug shortened. You will have to have the entire carbine inspected to see if the gas piston is operable and nothing has been done to plug the chamber or barrel. Perhaps it is not a US GI carbine?

[Patrick Chadwick]

"I got a M1 Carbine Rifle from my father (RIP) ..."


You are in Germany. So:

1) I recommend that you urgently study the law on inheritance of firearms. There is a severe time limit for transfer of legally held firearms to descendants.

2) The modification looks like it was part of a conversion to destroy the semi-automatic function. The prescribed methods were intended to be such that it is impossible to restore the semi-auto function, at least without using tools and replacing parts. There may be other modifications which you have not yet discovered.

3) Assuming that your father held the carbine on a firearms licence, then it will have been recorded as a "Repetierer" or "Einzellader" (repeater or single-shot) on that licence. It is ILLEGAL to reconvert it yourself to a semi-auto. Such a reconversion may only be carried out by a qualified and registered gunsmith who can also implement the required change of status for the firearms registration.

Check the legal situation first. If it is OK, then go to a qualified and registered gunsmith for advice on the feasibility of a legal reconversion.

[USGI]

Looks like they drilled a hole in the bolt and then brazed in a ball bearing. Noticed the bolt lug modification, too. Would like to see more pictures of the carbine. Thanks! - Bob

[Harrybald]

Thanks a lot to all above who gave me so quick competent answers! My wife was right when she told me to ask someone before I begin to modify my gun parts (she is not always right ;-)). Now I think it is much more clear for me what happened. I guess the ball was placed there to hinder the automatic mechanism. For me it is no problem to have and use semi autimatic guns, because I have licences for hunting and although for shooting with different kind of weapons as an active member in the reservist gun club. But the thing is, here in germany we have a "war-weapons control law". It looks like this gun has some modifications to fullfill this law. Once again a great thank you for your efforts!
Harald
P.S. to USGI:
This week I am on a business trip, next week I will make more pictures and load them up.

[kruffe]

The spot weld on the bolt is due to former firearms regulation in Germany (KWKG). This stated that bolts in firearms owned by civilians should not be interchangeable with bolts in military firearms. Other limitations were no bayonet lug, limited sight radius (300m) etc... It was also done to Garands in that period. Spotweld on the bolt and the receiver changed to correspond with the changed bolt. I doubt the carbine has been changed to single shot, since the normal procedure to do this is to deactivate the gas piston, not change the bolt. I have not seen US Carbines as Einzellader on the old Gelbe WBK license, since the magazine would be permanently limited to one shot.

Take the carbine to your local gun smith and have him sort out the issue...

Grüsse aus Dänemark! ;-)

[browningautorifle]

It was also done to Garands in that period.

We had one of those appear on this site with almost exactly the same question and answers as the OP had...

[kruffe]

We had one of those appear on this site with almost exactly the same question and answers as the OP had...

Yep, I'm the lucky guy of that Garand... I talked with my german gunsmith and got the answer. ROCK was kind enough to repost my update from another forum on this forum. I have removed all the changes to my Garand btw thus returning it to original condition.

Thread can be found here:
Strange tap inside Garand receiver - help