brucea4 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Hi gang, Had my Postal Meter M1 out shooting and experienced multiple FTF jams. The round would stay in the magazine jammed straight into the feed ramp. Had old mags & new Brownells mags. Both mags had the same FTF's. This carbine was sitting for a couple of decades but I cleaned & oiled it before talking it to the range. Was using standard Aguila 110gr FMJs. The Aguilas are all I have at the time but I had two old rounds from decades ago. All I noticed was the older rounds case length was a tad longer than the Aguilas. I'm stuck until I can find some different ammo. When I put this rifle away it never jammed. It was my favorite rifle when I was younger. WTH.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MG08 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Well, try the different ammo first. Magazine springs would be my second thought..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timkel Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 The only problems I ever had involved the magazines. Aftermarket mags were really problematic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmagee1917 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Just to ask …..when you stripped and oiled …..did you strip the mags , too ? Just saying that the spring in a .30 caliber carbine 15 round mag goes in backwards compared to most box mags . The top high part of the spring goes under the primer rather than the bullet .Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2020 Thank you. I brushed up a couple of mags I had for decades if the follower appeared sticky but I also had brand new Brownells mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 10, 2020 Report Share Posted April 10, 2020 Try different ammo, but is it short stroking? Does it cycle correctly when you do it manually? If it is feeding correctly when you manually cycle the action, then it could be the piston. Take the receiver out of the stock and look at the piston, does it move back and forth freely? Might need to take it to a smith and have them remove the piston and clean it and check gas system when they take it apart to make sure the piston is hitting at full power. If you fired it decades ago, put it away and has been sitting all this time, a gummed up piston would be suspect in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2020 Try different ammo, but is it short stroking? Does it cycle correctly when you do it manually? If it is feeding correctly when you manually cycle the action, then it could be the piston. Take the receiver out of the stock and look at the piston, does it move back and forth freely? Might need to take it to a smith and have them remove the piston and clean it and check gas system when they take it apart to make sure the piston is hitting at full power. If you fired it decades ago, put it away and has been sitting all this time, a gummed up piston would be suspect in my opinion. Nope. The round doesn't even come out of the magazines. Moves a tiny bit and then stops on the feed ramp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 (edited) Sorry, just got off work, this has me puzzled but have questions for you. Are you using 15 or 30 round mags? Is your mag catch for 15 rounds or does it have M underlined which would be for 30 round mags. If you can, use just a 15 round mag and lock the bolt to the rear. Make sure the mag is fully seated up, can you actually push it up any further or pull the mag down or is it locked in? If it seated securely, let the bolt go forward, does the round chamber. If not, lock the bolt to the rear set your rifle down so the inserted mag is resting on the floor or ground, and then try to chamber a round again. I am making some assumptions that you did not take your mags apart and everything was cycling fine the last time you fired it. I am thinking the mag catch/spring should be the issue but after doing everything above and still won't chamber, I would then disassemble the rifle, and look at the spring guide rod to see if it is bent and reassemble with careful attention of the slide and also test for any slop in the slide/bolt. Is this a flat bolt or round bolt? Good luck and hope you can get it to chamber right. Edited April 11, 2020 by NFA amnesty 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirtyround Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 Operating / Recoil Spring could need a change out as well. Most M1 C's operational problems come from a wore out recoil spring, Good Luck, JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 (edited) I will check these things out the next time I take it out. And I was using 15 & 30 round mags. Old & brand new Brownells mags...And I don't think it is the recoil spring because even if I try and force the bolt closed it won't go forward. And it is a flat bolt. Edited April 11, 2020 by brucea4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n64atlas Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 (edited) Check to make sure the magazine is locking in place. Do they fall out when release button is pushed?Check your trigger housing fit and that the pin is in place.Check the extractor for stiffness and burrs.Extractors are a weak link in these. Edited April 12, 2020 by n64atlas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Iannamico Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 ...And I don't think it is the recoil spring because even if I try and force the bolt closed it won't go forward. And it is a flat bolt.Does the bolt go forward without a mag in the gun? Remove the trigger housing and see if the bolt will close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 ...And I don't think it is the recoil spring because even if I try and force the bolt closed it won't go forward. And it is a flat bolt.Does the bolt go forward without a mag in the gun? Remove the trigger housing and see if the bolt will close.Yes the bolt goes forward no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2020 Tried an old 15 round mag and it ran perfect today with the Aguila. Tried an old 30 rd & new 30 rd mag and experienced the aforementioned jams again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n64atlas Posted April 17, 2020 Report Share Posted April 17, 2020 Op for spring is weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 18, 2020 Report Share Posted April 18, 2020 Tried an old 15 round mag and it ran perfect today with the Aguila. Tried an old 30 rd & new 30 rd mag and experienced the aforementioned jams again. So is your mag catch just for 15 rounds mags or does it have the M underlined with with the extra latch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2020 I will have to check that one out. I never heard of that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 18, 2020 Report Share Posted April 18, 2020 30 round mags were too heavy for the original m1 carbine mag catch that was designed for 15 round mags. The improved mag catch has the M underlined and has a "latch or lever" that fits just under the 30 round mag solder/weld point. Look at one of your 30 runs mags and you will see the solder/weld point that the latch will fit under it to hold the mag in place. I suspect you have the original designed for 15 rounders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucea4 Posted April 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2020 30 round mags were too heavy for the original m1 carbine mag catch that was designed for 15 round mags. The improved mag catch has the M underlined and has a "latch or lever" that fits just under the 30 round mag solder/weld point. Look at one of your 30 runs mags and you will see the solder/weld point that the latch will fit under it to hold the mag in place. I suspect you have the original designed for 15 rounders. It does not have a ( M ) stamped on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 30 round mags were too heavy for the original m1 carbine mag catch that was designed for 15 round mags. The improved mag catch has the M underlined and has a "latch or lever" that fits just under the 30 round mag solder/weld point. Look at one of your 30 runs mags and you will see the solder/weld point that the latch will fit under it to hold the mag in place. I suspect you have the original designed for 15 rounders. It does not have a ( M ) stamped on it. But the M must be underlined to be a M2 mag catch. If it is just marked M, you need to purchase a M2 mag catch. Installation is not difficult, some youtube videos on how to replace/install mag catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Here is a picture of an underlined M2 mag catch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirtyround Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Still think he should replace the recoil spring, with a "High Speed" type from Wolff Spring. Many an M1 cycling problem goes away when this is done. Seen plenty of M1's handle and shoot reliably 30rd mags with the standard M1 mag catch. But will agree, if its not a collector piece, replace your M1 catch with an M2 type. Hope you get that rifle in shape, the M1 Carbine is a complete joy and pleasure to shoot, fast, slow it doesn't matter. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NFA amnesty Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Still think he should replace the recoil spring, with a "High Speed" type from Wolff Spring. Many an M1 cycling problem goes away when this is done. Seen plenty of M1's handle and shoot reliably 30rd mags with the standard M1 mag catch. But will agree, if its not a collector piece, replace your M1 catch with an M2 type. Hope you get that rifle in shape, the M1 Carbine is a complete joy and pleasure to shoot, fast, slow it doesn't matter. JB Agree, love my m2 carbine (M2 kit installed). Hope you get your postal meter running and please let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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