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]

Good Advice

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.

[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]

Idiot

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.