m1 carbine and cast help

I've shot cast in one I had worked fine for me. 120gr RCBS bullet I believe it was with IMR4227 powder. I got the cast bullets and load data from my uncle who had one years ago. I have read that lead bullets can gum up the gas port. I didn't see any indication of that but I only fired a couple hundred rounds tops through mine while I had it.
 
I haven't with mine "yet", It is something I thought about doing but haven't yet. I did read a couple posts on a US forum on the subject, one had very good luck with it but the other had some major problems. I seemed that when the cast slug was traveling over the gas port drilled into the barrel , it would shave lead and blocked the port in very few rounds. He had to do a complete tear-down of the popet & it's nut (requires a special tool that is "specific" made for the job) to re-drill the hole. The specific tool can be "home built but it isn't easy, I made one when I changed a restricted barrel over to a non-restricted length.
 
It works very well with cast bullets, but you must watch your case length.
They can stretch.
Yes, they can plug up the gas port with lead bullets, but with the proper piston nut removal tool and the proper drill bit, it's a small problem.
If your bullet is too soft or not fitting properly, this will cause the problem.
I haven't had an M-1 carbine since I started powder coating my bullets, but I would bet money that this would reduce the problem by a large amount.
But in the past, I've had no problems shooting lubed cast bullets.
 
I (mostly my son) shot hundreds in my non restricted IBM years ago. Never had a problem. RCBS 120gr RN GC. WW plus 2% tin. Water quenched sized 309. Alox lube. Didn't try to shoot them too fast but worked the action fine. Powder I believe was IMR 4227. He could shoot them up much faster than I could cast then reload.. Great little plinker. Not loud, light recoil and "cheap" to shoot. Accuracy as good as the few jacketed loads I tried. What more could a young teenage shooter ask for?
 
Cast bullets in the M1 Carbine will work, without any issues, IF THE person doing the job does it properly.

First, you may have to polish the feed ramps to the chamber.

Secondly, the bullets have to be HARD, with at least 20 Brinnell scale hardness which is about 5% anitmony and another 10% Tin. (Tin/or Pewter, which is mostly Tin) Better yet, Bn 22-24 which has about 17% antimony with pure lead.

If you're going to use wheel weights, which normally run around 15 Bn, you will have to add an additional 5% antimony, 10% tin to get it hard enough.

The hard lead doesn't foul as much at M1 Carbine velocities and doesn't have a tendency to bind on the feed ramp, unless it's really rough and some were that rough, straight from the factory.

If you insist on using Lyman #2 recipe, the hardness will be around 15 Bn. It contains 90% lead, 5% antimony and 5% tin.

I've used No2 alloy with the baked on powder coating. They work very well, with little or no lead fouling. I haven't seen any collecting in the gas vent or piston cylinder.
 
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