M1 Carbine Gas System Issues

[Cruacious]

Well, never expected to have a problem when buying an M1 Carbine quite like this. When inspecting my newly acquired Inland Korean Refurb, I noticed the gas nut was loose (which it shouldn't be). Also, the gas piston itself was stuck tight.

So far, I've removed the gas piston nut by hand without using tools and started cleaning out the port. I managed to get the piston out after a 15 minute soak in solvent, but it's still tight once fully seated.

So, any smiths on here willing to give me an estimate on what it might cost, from this point, to get it properly cleaned and staked? If necessary I can do the cleaning myself but I lack precision cleaning tools for getting threads well.

 

[Oddway Otts]

I have a 1944 Inland Carbine. The piston nut screw has not been more than finger tight for about 50 years (until my son bought me a piston nut wrench last year). With the wrench, I can snug it up pretty well. I wouldn't want to stake it because then clean out would be hard.

Anyway, mine gets pretty cruddy & stiff, especially after shooting 30 rounds or so at the Allied & Axis match at Delta/Peachbottom. I've had to scrub the piston with a bronze brush at times to get the caked on crud off. I've used a bronze or brass brush (made for a Dremel tool, I think), turning it by fingers to clean the piston cylinder & threads. Then I've used a pipe cleaner, with the spiky little plastic hairs, to clean out the gas hole. After a good cleaning, the piston is nice and loose. It might be worth a try for you. (Definitely, get a gas piston wrench; about $10.00.)