Israeli M1 carbines .. Anyone get one?
- Thread starter City Boy
- Start date
Years ago I shot a lot of lead in a non-restricted Plainfield M1 carbine I had. These were not gas checked bullets, just some regular .30 projectiles with a similar profile to the M1 carbine projectiles. I did the same in the 7.62 Tokarev. What I found is you need to stick to low pressure and low velocity loading recipes, as faster velocities would lead up the barrel quickly, including at the gas port on the carbine. Eventually you'd have a single shot with a barrel that was tough to clean well.
But if you want to shoot really anemic rounds to kill paper, it worked just fine when kept low and slow.
As an update on the second gun, it checks out as an all correct 1944 inland except for the bayonet lug (would have started life with a Type 2 band), recoil plate, and push button safety. Everything else is correct for a 44 inland.
I'm thinking this one got the 2 armorer's updates at the unit level after WW2 (bayonet lug and flip safety), and was later dropped into a Choate stock by the Israelis for whatever reason. No signs of any refinishing, the correct round bolt is still blued, the hammer, and hammer spring guide are still in the white, recoil spring guide still blued, only one stake on the correct for summer 1944 rear sight.
So basically all it's missing to be "correct" for a lightly updated non-refurb carbine is a 1944 low-wall oval cut inland stock and an unmolested front sight blade... and I happen to have both on the way.
I may post some photos when everything's together.
I'm thinking this one got the 2 armorer's updates at the unit level after WW2 (bayonet lug and flip safety), and was later dropped into a Choate stock by the Israelis for whatever reason. No signs of any refinishing, the correct round bolt is still blued, the hammer, and hammer spring guide are still in the white, recoil spring guide still blued, only one stake on the correct for summer 1944 rear sight.
So basically all it's missing to be "correct" for a lightly updated non-refurb carbine is a 1944 low-wall oval cut inland stock and an unmolested front sight blade... and I happen to have both on the way.
I may post some photos when everything's together.
4 year update, I have now bought a second Israeli imported M1 Carbine as a back up rifle for matches. The Israeli M1 Carbines have been ridden hard and just had the desert sand blown off. I have probably coming up on almost 5,000 rds down range using only reloads. I have had great success using both cast lead and cam pro projectiles with Lil Gun, 2400 & IMR 4227. I bought a 1,000 cast lead powder coated projectiles and it was a nightmare of problems. The Red Dot currently mounted is a Burris Fast Fire 3 which works quite effectively.
If you are going to run these guns hard, do yourself a favour buy a bolt assembly/disassembly tool (unless you are into self inflicted pain) and keep on hand some spare parts. Like a slide, extractor and spring, ejector and spring, maybe a spare bolt if you can find one cheaply. Remember these are 75+ year old guns. I have had fun the last 3 years using this as a 3 gun rifle. I'm never going to come first with it as it is not as ergonomic as an AR style rifle and there are not that many choices for competition mag pouches. With the exception of a couple of broken parts during matches, my carbines have worked flawlessly with reloads and Korean KCI magazines. Plus I get style points! It is a fun gun to run.
If you are going to run these guns hard, do yourself a favour buy a bolt assembly/disassembly tool (unless you are into self inflicted pain) and keep on hand some spare parts. Like a slide, extractor and spring, ejector and spring, maybe a spare bolt if you can find one cheaply. Remember these are 75+ year old guns. I have had fun the last 3 years using this as a 3 gun rifle. I'm never going to come first with it as it is not as ergonomic as an AR style rifle and there are not that many choices for competition mag pouches. With the exception of a couple of broken parts during matches, my carbines have worked flawlessly with reloads and Korean KCI magazines. Plus I get style points! It is a fun gun to run.
