Gas Piston Nut depth?

[tlsher]

Hi all!

I'm new to the M1 Carbine and just picked up a 5.1M S/N Inland.

I took it shooting the other day and pushed ~ 40 rounds through it. When I took it apart to clean it, I noticed a couple of things I will need some expert help on.

First, I noticed that the Gas Piston Nut was working its way out. I have the special wrench and was able to put it back into place, but then I wondered how deep the nut needs to be tightened down. Are there any specs. for depth? Any suggestions on how to "stake" it in place when it's tightened down? Would I even want to stake it down? Looking for advice.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Tighten it up to tight. You shouldn't have to stake it, you aren't taking it to the Pacific on a campaign.

[us019255]

The manuals call for it to be staked down. I stake all mine after rebuild. You will never have to remove it unless you rebuild. The hot gas keeps it clean, and (except from some Chinese ammo, which should never ever be used) all ammo is non corrosive.

[W5USMC]

You will get mixed thoughts on piston nut staking. I tend to agree with browningautorifle on the subject. Yes most manuals call for the nut to be staked however, there is a PS Monthly magazine dated 1961 that states that when the piston nut is securely seated there is no need for the nut to be staked. There is also a suggestion on the CMP site under the Carbine shooting with accuracy thread that mentions that some shooters use loc-tite thread locker, of the appropriate color, on the threads to prevent the nut from backing out.

[Bruce McAskill]

DO NOT use too much force with the wrench. The nut should be a good snug fit BUT THAT IS ALL!!!!. If you go too tight and crack the gas housing the barrel is gone and will have to be replaced. Welding does not work to repair a gas housing. It will crack again and every time you try to weld it, it will continue crack again. If it comes loose again then snug it down and stake it in place. Then take that wrench and throw it away. You do not need it to clean a carbine....ever!!!!.

[painter777]

If you go too tight and crack the gas housing the barrel is gone and will have to be replaced.

Very true Bruce,
It was about this time last year when I threw my back out trying to pull a stubborn barrel off a WRA 1,126,xxx springtube receiver. The last Springtube variation, I believe called variation 3, with NO holes drilled through the right rail.
Not knowing it was damaged, It was purchased (for too much) at a farm estate auction by a over ambitious friend. A 60's NRA sold carbine.
After getting it home upon tear down is when I could see the nut was messed up by probably the use of vice grips. I started to straighten out the nut 'Lugs' so I could use the proper wrench, but 1 nut lug was pretty much broken in half. Then seen the gas cylinder had been badly cracked. Like getting punched in the gut. If you recall.. that was the Winchester barrel this friend bent in to a horse show over his knee and threw it in the back of his truck.... off to the dump.
He told me to sell what I could to try to recoup some of his lost funds. Mention of a replacement barrel didn't interest him, he'd had it with it.
Later I asked if he'd thrown it away, he gruffly replied it was junk !
My thought was as long as I let a potential buyer of the receiver know this, that (I wasn't sure) could possibly just hand screw it back on so I could ship to a C&R holder. Of course I would have had to pry it some what straighter so I could box it up. Oh well.... Nice Receiver with IIRC has no sign of ever having a rear adj sight on it or ever refinished.
I still have the receiver and parts to sell off for him, just haven't got around to it.
Sorry I'll stop this reads more like a sale add than advice on gas piston nuts.

I laughed about it later thinking if you had that bent barrel threaded back on it would have looked like one of those Shoot Around The Corner Rifles.....


Myself I just check them so there are snug. A good case IMO of less is best.
You crack it or cross thread = not a happy camper

YMMV,
Charlie-Painter777

[bonnie]

Recently picked up a rebuilt Inland and found the piston nut not staked and loose. Tighten and staked it. The end. In my early days I removed the nut and piston just because I had to. I don't do that anymore either.

[DaveHH]

There are two reasons to remove the nut and look inside: Curiosity and wanting to clean it. The discovery that it is as clean as a whistle inside is the result of both. Having removed it would I "restake it?" absolutely not. Staking is the physical distortion or wrecking of the threads so they don't work anymore. That is fine when you can turn the carbine into another place and they fix it like new for free. We don't and they won't. So use a gob of permatex or some Loktite and let it go at that.