need advice on blue sky m1 carbine

[INLAND44]

Sounds like you got a decent carbine. I personally would not use Acetone on it. I prefer a milder dry-clean solvent. Even regular Mineral Spirits will clean it fine. Then oil all metal surfaces, inside and out. For the stock, get you some good Nitrile gloves and wash the stock/handguard in lacquer thinner. It probably will come out a lot lighter in color, and you can then steam out the dents. After all that you can start the oiling process using raw linseed oil, flax oil or boiled linseed oil. The processes are different depending on what you use. Raw Linseed oil is applied sparingly over many treatments and soaks in. Boiled Linseed Oil is more like a varnish. Raw Linseed oil is what the military used. With either one, if you cut it 1:1 with Turpentine or Mineral Spirits, it will speed absorption.

[mmppres]

thanks so much for the info guys i really appreciate it. not sure what i am going to do yet, weather i leave it as it is or re-do it. but i do love to shoot it. will kep you informed. thank you again mike

[INLAND44]

Since it seems to be a good carbine in its current configuration, I would suggest to not 'do anything to it' as far as changes - simply clean/oil it and clean up/oil the stock. Don't sand the stock if you don't have to. Every particle of wood you take off is irreplaceable. Also, I forgot to mention, don't remove the gas piston or try to loosen the retaining nut. Many barrels have been ruined when the nut is cross-threaded and/or over-torqued, resulting in a cracked gas block. Don't oil the gas piston either. Clean it with dry-cleaning solvent. You can use one of a very few products on it to protect from corrosion without being too oily, like Amsoil 'MP' (spray metal protectant). Oil in the gas system tends to burn and gum up the gas port and piston. I like it when I retract the slide and rock the carbine to hear the little 'plunk' of the piston moving freely. When you get a stuck piston, like on a carbine just out of storage, the treatment is simply to shoot it loose. Never put any kind of gripping tool on the piston.

[mmppres]

hi thanks for that info i didnt know about the gas port stuff i thought it was like my M1 which has a special wrench to clean it out. i use alot of GI bore cleaner as a friend gave me case an if its good for the troops its good for me

[DaveHH]

had a wrench for the gas piston nut built into the trigger housing. the manuals said to remove the nut and clean it as a matter of course. Actual use proved that it does not require cleaning on a regular basis. Having a jet of super heated high pressure gas shot into the cylinder pretty much keeps it clean and carbon free. The ones that are trouble are carbines that had significant amounts of water in the bore which leeches down into the cylinder and caused rust. It is common to see carbines with pristine barrels which have a small spot of pitting right at the point where the gas hole is located. I have removed and cleaned the piston but it was always a waste of time. As Inland 44 says, if it is free and moves well, leave it alone. Bore cleaner and solvents are not really an issue either, I think that when that hot gas hits the piston, it burns up any solvent that is left inside.

[imarangemaster]

The 6 digit Inland I just got, the prior owner was a collector and never shot it. It was very dry and the piston was stuck. While I don't generally oil the gas piston, I hit it with a little WD40. I let it set overnight, and shot a box of ammo the next day. It work fine. I have only had one Carbine I had to remove the gas piston on. The barrel was rough with pitting and the gas port was obstructed. I used a drill bit with friction tape on it, turned by hand, to clean it out. The muzzle swallowed a gauge and was not counter-sunk, and it shot a pie-pan group at 25 yards. I sold it to a re-enactor who was going to plug it for blanks.

[Mac Attack]

Considering the prices people are buying carbines for now a days - import or non import. I think you did very well.

I bought a Blue Sky imported carbine back in the late 80's and it came with all Inland parts except the triggerguard which was and IBM. I feel fortune as it not only looked goos but shot amazingly well.

Over the years I have owned and sold several carbines but my Blue Sky still shoots the best. I guess it was hit and miss with Blue Skys as some received correct rifles while others received mix masters.

[mmppres]

well i am please with the groups i am getting with it with ball ammo i got with it. my father loaded up some cast an shot nice group with it also. was supprised with how well it handled the cast reloads
not on hang up or jam. i had a few with old ball ammo which was my fault i didnt check all cases an a few had some rust type marks on them. still thinking on just leaving it as i got it, kinda grows on you when you handle it like an old friend. will keep you posted thanks mike

[mmppres]

Hi Guys got the carbine out to range today 1st target at 50 yards benched with LC-52 and 2nd target is 50 yards benched with WRA-55

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...pse3a9076b.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...psf340c17c.jpg

[ChipS]

You must be careful of LC-52 headstamped ammo. There is a lot of Chinese manfactured corrossive berdan primed ammo marked LC-52 floating around (faking good USGI Lake City '52 ammo) that can really mess up your carbine if not cleaned properly. Look in a fired case - if there is one priming hole in the bottom (boxer primed) you are most probably OK, but if there are two holes (berdan primed) you probably have corrossive Chinese ammo. ALL USGI carbine ammo produced was non-corrossive primed. I would pull the bullets and dispose of all the rest of any corrossive Chinese ammo if it were my carbine, or lawfully dispose of the whole batch of bad ammo intact.

If you shot corrossive ammo in your carbine you need to clean all parts exposed to gases thoroughly in hot soapy water, hit it with WD40 to displace the pore water, oil it up good and then keep an eye out for any future signs of corrossion. Some WWII bore cleaner was made for handling corrossive M1 Garand ammo but Hoppe's No. 9 (or equal) won't cut it. Others here may have further suggestions but you have to get all of the residual salts out of the metal joints and crevices or it will rust. I would also wash the stock inside where it might contact the metal.

You did 'steal' that carbine. Congrats and welcome to the Forum. ChipS