M1 carbine "throat job"?

[Brantman]

I was given several hundred rounds of reloaded (mixed head stamps) carbine with a 110 hollow point, and 14 grains of some very fine powder. MV 1950 avg. They are a bit longer than the standard ball rds, so only feed about 50% in my Inland. They shoot great if loaded one-at-a-time. Those that do not feed have a contact dent at the mouth of the hollow point.
Is it feasible to have the throat modified so that these will feed (without any effect on the functioning of ball ammo)? Or should I just leave well enough alone?

Brantman

[bug]

I'd leave it alone and sell the ammo. Or, leave it alone and reseat the ammo if it has excessive OAL. Operative words here, "leave it alone".

[joem]

Have you measured the OAL and checked it against the reload specs?

[tizzi88]

Somebody elses reloads?
Why?
Cheaper?
You get what you pay for!

Well said by "bug" and "joem"....
Leave the carbine alone, check specs and have fun reseating.
Please don't pass along bad ammo to another carbine owner.

[jimb]

I always shoot reloads in my carbines. Why pay 4x as much?

[Brantman]

I checked the AOL and it measures 1.690 versus spec AOL of 1.680. I suspect this bullet is a Sierra Varmiter #2110. Since it is a tapered hollow point (big and deep HP cavity) it does not contact the rifling even at this length. It is also seated as far as my die can go. This ammo was part of an estate purchase by a local auction house. The deceased guy was probably a very knowledgeable reloader based on the extensive equipment, tools, gun parts and reloaded ammo in a wide variety of calibers. I have fired several rounds and they are quite 'comfortable' and very accurate at 50 yards. The Chrony is avg of 1950 which is about max speed for 110.

Nonetheless, I will get the old inertia hammer out, reclaim the brass, chunk the powder and use the bullets in something more appropriate, like a .300 Blackout.

Thanks for the good feedback!

Brantman

[paulo57509]

I think breaking them down and salvaging what you can is the way to go. I avoid all reloads that have no traceabilty. Who knows what or who put them together. Assume nothing.

A co-worker gave me close to 60 rounds of mix-master .30-'06. After examining them, I broke them down and saved just the bullets. Here's one example of the condition of the reloaded cases. There were four of them like this in one box of twenty.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paulo57509/misc/splitnecks001_b.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paulo57509/misc/splitnecks003_b.jpg

[Brantman]

The only thing 'funny' I noticed on these rounds was the primers. I've been reloading since 1969, but have never seen a primer like this. It is not 'flat' like I am used to seeing, but is what I would call "saucer shaped" in that it looks like an inverted saucer. The cases are almost exclusively RA, LC and WRA of various years, back into the 50's. The ammo, however, was clean and bright and cases trimmed to length and chamfered like a responsible reloader would do. Anybody recognize those pie shaped primers?

Brantman

[High Plaines Doug r]

I have modified the mouth of my carbine barrel to feed 125g hollow points but can't recommend the practice. It has worked safely (25 years) because I didn't violate that part of the chamber that supports the case web. None the less, it is an ugly modification that I would not have attempted had not the receiver been previously drilled (4 times) to mount a scope that proved unsuitable for the application.
+1 on the comments above regarding reloads without traceability.

[Bill D]

Had some reloaded given to me a number of years ago. The first round I fired blew the lug off a nice flat top carbine bolt. Only an idiot with a death wish would fire undocumented ammo of any type. I've even been known to break down my own reloads that I couldn't identify. Just not worth it.

[Brantman]

Bill, Actually, I did not fire these initially. I got my mother-in-law to do it.:)

Thanks to all for the great feedback. Brantman

[Johnny in Texas]

Domed primer are old Winchester Staynless primers. Many original WW2 M1 carbines have had the feed ramp polished before they left the factory.

[Tuna]

The carbine does not feed HP bullets well at all but it sure does feed soft point rounds and in normal ranges its as good as a HP round. Works just fine on critters with four legs or two. As the others have said leave the carbine alone. You can polish the feed ramp just lightly but that's it. Johnny is right the primers sound like Winchesters from awhile back.

[Bill D]

Bill, Actually, I did not fire these initially. I got my mother-in-law to do it.:)

Thanks to all for the great feedback. Brantman

You could get your mother-in-law to shoot it? I have a hell of a time just getting mine to start my car for me.

[jimb]

My late M-I-L would not have hesitated. She was an outdoor gal; camping, canoeing, fishing, etc.... She didn't hunt, but I couldn't hold that against her. She did most everything else. I married her daughter who is the same way. Both of them would rather be washing dishes out of a pail in the woods than have the newest fanciest dishwasher that $ could buy.

[GBEAR1]

Let me tell ya. Years ago I was given some reloaded carbine ammo from a friends father in law. The first shot sounded like a 300 magnum going off. All the guys at the range were looking and saying what was that? I should of quit then and there but I didnt. The second shot sounded the same way only the round blew up to. A piece of brass skiped off my head above my safety glasses and cut me pretty good and put a nasty bruise on me . I was bleeding like Jake Lamatta. Any way I went home pulled some heads off and discovered 2 different types of powder in the case. There was a piece of brass melted inside of the extractor. I got it out and the gun was ok. I dont shoot anyones reloads with out knowing whats in them!!! Just my 2 cents.

[Johnny P]

Years ago most reloading presses came with 2 primer seating stems for reloading both round and flat primers. Haven't seen any of the round primers in years.

I can't imagine your seating die not having enough adjustment to seat the bullets lower. With the seating die bottomed out on the shell holder, there should be enough adjustment in the stating stem to almost push the bullets all the way into the case. Sometimes hollow points will feed better if they are seated just a tad deeper than regular RN bullets.

[joem]

+1 on Johnny P's comments. If you are going to pull down these rounds get a Hornady Cam- Loc bullet puller and the proper collet. I've salvaged thousands of rounds and it's fast once you get it set right. It's a very fast way to pull down ammo. Guys at the range give me a lot of ammo to pull down.

[Quadguy]

A number of years I was given reloads for the Carbine. The first two or three didn,t fire at all , good hit on the primers but no bang.
I took the Carbine away from my face and and only held it down range well a big bang and the oprod / slide disengaged. Cost me a slide
, I shoot lefty so it was a cheap lesson to staty away from uknown reloads.

[randy langford]

I only shoot my reloads and I don't let others shoot mine reloading is personal thing. I have had people who know I reload want me to reload for them I tell them they wont save a dime and my reloads will cost them more than factory that stops them every time.