Chiappa 9mm M1 Carbine Review
- Thread starter beltfed
- Start date
Just received mine and field stripped it. In order to do a complete tear down and remove the bolt would require removing 4 set screws that connect the operating rod to a sleeve that goes over the barrel, not an easy tear down as everything would be under spring tension from the recoil spring and a real pain to get back together I'm sure. It's a little rough but should smooth out with time and some grease in all the right places. The mag would not stay locked in place when hand cycling and kept falling out, definitely would have become an issue during live fire so I had to adjust the retaining pin that holds the mag in place and it works fine now. I can see why they say these rifles need a break in period but then again I didn't pay $1000.00 for it and I'm sure it will be a fun little toy.
You can remove the recoil spring by unscrewing the nut from the recoil spring rod and then sliding the rod out the back. I've done that.
I removed the 4 cap screws from the base of the charging handle but there are two additional cap screws at the head and one of those is partially hidden and inaccessible due to the receiver. Did you actually get your's apart and the bolt out?
No I didn't actually take it apart. It doesn't look like they are made to take down that far so I sent an e-mail to Chiappa and asked them how a person is supposed to remove the bolt for maintenance and received a reply saying one of their techs would respond. I can't see any reason as to why they had to make it so complicated. I looked at the take down for the 22 model online and it comes apart much more easily from what I can see.
The complicated nature of the design is certainly baffling.
I can appreciate the design needed to be modified going from a gas system to a simple blowback, but for a company's bread and butter that appears to be making replica firearms of iconic classics, they certainly have pooch screwed this one pretty badly.
This is my first experience with Chiappa and likely my last.
I can appreciate the design needed to be modified going from a gas system to a simple blowback, but for a company's bread and butter that appears to be making replica firearms of iconic classics, they certainly have pooch screwed this one pretty badly.
This is my first experience with Chiappa and likely my last.
#1bcshooter
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Expect to see lots of these in the EE soon 
Expect to see lots of these in the EE soon
I suspect an inexpensive, non-restricted carbine chambered in 9mm that uses decent 10 round mags will be too great a draw for some.
Right now it is 'meh' for me, but if I can get the mag feeding issue, trigger and a bit more accuracy sorted out this is a brilliant little rifle (even if quality isn't the best and the quirky take-down).
As it stands even, it is still a cool little plinker that fills the role I wanted it for - I'll likely not sell it unless forced to for space.
If the issues can be worked out I'd definitely be in. As for now, my CX4 works perfectly. I don't know about other people but if the trigger sucks and it has accuracy issues it's a gun I typically won't take out unless the problems can readily be fixed.
Just purchased one and found the mag release almost impossible to push in. The pro mag supplied with the gun drops free and locks in proper,,, an original Beretta mag does not,,, the slots in the Beretta mag have to be enlarged to allow the magazine to stay in the gun. When I carefully tried to remove the magazine realase button the screw snapped flush in the magazine locking leaver,,,,, and guess what there are no replacement parts available.
I guess Ill have to get a piece of metal make my own release bar that will work with the Beretta mags and do a bit of work so the mag release button functions the way it should be.
I guess Ill have to get a piece of metal make my own release bar that will work with the Beretta mags and do a bit of work so the mag release button functions the way it should be.
The mag release is mim and won't take much stress. Mt Beretta 96 mags fit tighter that the pro mag which is likely a good thing. It's starting to look like the mag release will be the issue with these rifles and if the mags aren't positioned in the mag well properly FTE's and FTF's will become apparent.
No intent to hijack the thread from the original reviewer, but I just wanted to add my results to this existing thread (keeping info all in one place, for now).
I just got back from the range, putting the first rounds on target with this carbine, and, tentatively it's a keeper. I fired about 80-90 rounds, no stoppages at all, using Winchester white box 147's, 115's, and S&B 124's. I even rapid fired a 10rd mag of mixed ammo, no problems, all fed nicely.
Which, I have to say, is a far cry from my initial impressions when I opened the box at home and had my first hands on. First, it absolutely failed to feed my 9mm dummy rounds - jamming in the chamber on feed, battery failures, fail to feed from mags. Worse yet, the Beretta mags I bought didn't fit. Turns out that while the documentation may say it takes Beretta mags, it doesn't actually take Beretta mags, at least not the official ones. I had to Dremel bits away in order that the mags would seat properly. If I had been offered a chance to return it at that point, I would have.
So, what happened. First, I got the Beretta mags to fit, then I got it to the range and let it have a chance to prove itself. Which it did by not failing as I feared it would.
However, I did note the following:
Hopefully the following pics work (first time trying to link images). The first one, with the 5 spots, was upside down on the target frame, it's not the image being upside. All shots taken from standing unsupported. The second pic was the RSO on his first time firing it, and the two flyers are the 3rd and 5th rounds. The third shows the Beretta mag as modified to work with the carbine (taking some of the length off the feed lips, and width off the 'nose' area).
Would it be my go to gun if I had to grab something for zombies - no, it hasn't fully proven itself to me yet. Give it another 400-500 rounds, then ask me again.
I can't deny it was fun to shoot though, and that's about what I'd ask of a inexpensive carbine, especially a M1 replica in 9mm.
I just got back from the range, putting the first rounds on target with this carbine, and, tentatively it's a keeper. I fired about 80-90 rounds, no stoppages at all, using Winchester white box 147's, 115's, and S&B 124's. I even rapid fired a 10rd mag of mixed ammo, no problems, all fed nicely.
Which, I have to say, is a far cry from my initial impressions when I opened the box at home and had my first hands on. First, it absolutely failed to feed my 9mm dummy rounds - jamming in the chamber on feed, battery failures, fail to feed from mags. Worse yet, the Beretta mags I bought didn't fit. Turns out that while the documentation may say it takes Beretta mags, it doesn't actually take Beretta mags, at least not the official ones. I had to Dremel bits away in order that the mags would seat properly. If I had been offered a chance to return it at that point, I would have.
So, what happened. First, I got the Beretta mags to fit, then I got it to the range and let it have a chance to prove itself. Which it did by not failing as I feared it would.
However, I did note the following:
- First, I had to run the windage nearly full left to bring the rounds back to centre. The rear sight mount was offline, so when I get the chance, and a proper tool for the job, I'll give it a tap and try to drift the mount more towards the centre where it should be. Odd, as there are alignment marks on the sight mount and the receiver area just below it.
- Second, no hold open on last round. The manual is emphatic about not dry-firing, but that could be left over text from the rimfire version.
- Third, the bolt catch fits into a shallow notch, so long term wear might (or might not) affect how well it holds.
Hopefully the following pics work (first time trying to link images). The first one, with the 5 spots, was upside down on the target frame, it's not the image being upside. All shots taken from standing unsupported. The second pic was the RSO on his first time firing it, and the two flyers are the 3rd and 5th rounds. The third shows the Beretta mag as modified to work with the carbine (taking some of the length off the feed lips, and width off the 'nose' area).
Would it be my go to gun if I had to grab something for zombies - no, it hasn't fully proven itself to me yet. Give it another 400-500 rounds, then ask me again.
I can't deny it was fun to shoot though, and that's about what I'd ask of a inexpensive carbine, especially a M1 replica in 9mm.
