Stuck Gas Cylinder Lock M1 Garand

philhut

philhut

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I picked up a interesting M1 up north on one of the reserves i work on in Ontario. Anyway the rifle is a Berretta made M1 Garand for the Dutch that somehow ended up in Northern Ontario about 30 yrs ago. It was painted and i want to keep it as it because it adds to the history of the rifle and it looks neat with a hand painted green camo in a native style. The rifle once cleaned will get a light coat of true oll over top of the paint as a protectant and be left as is. Anyway the bad side. The guy after all his care in painting his rifle likely never cleaned it in 30 years of moose hunting etc.... Anyway I am stuck in disassembly because the Gas Cylinder Lock in stuck and won't budge. I have tried manual force, left the barrel end in some WD40 for several hours and still stuck. Thinking heat maybe?

Is there something i don't know about Italian M1's? Do they disassemble the same as USA ones?

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I`d strip the rifle and secure it to the workbench on its side. Use a piece of wood to support the barrel and gas cylinder to get some clearance between the workbench and the lock. Take a hardwood block or a nylon drift and put it against the lower part of the lock and then give the block a smack with a hammer to move it in a counter-clockwise direction. I`d avoid the application of heat.
 
This sucker is seized.... I may shatter the metter putting any more force on it. Gunsmith i guess? I am stuck in disassembly and can not get the wood off the top receiver/barrel because the case cyclinder lock is very locked. possibly cross threaded?
 
philhut said:
This sucker is seized.... I may shatter the metter putting any more force on it. Gunsmith i guess? I am stuck in disassembly and can not get the wood off the top receiver/barrel because the case cyclinder lock is very locked. possibly cross threaded?
Click to expand...

The lock is stainless steel and is harder than the barrel threads, so it will act as a die and will work thru the softer barrel threads. The lock looks to be fully seated, so its unlikely that its cross threaded.

Now that you've removed the gas plug it may be possible to move the gas cylinder slightly to the rear to break contact with the rear face of the lock. Put a hardwood block on the bayonet lug and tap it slightly to the rear with a hammer.

You can also run penetrating oil down the front of the lock. You can also secure the barrel and gas cylinder, then pad the lock with a strip of leather and grip it with a pair of pump pliers to turn it off.
 
WD 40 is only a water displacement formula, try something like croil or moovit which actually penetrates the threads and loosens any carbon deposits.
 
Yep, id soak the tip in penetrating oil/ releaseall etc for several days...allow it to work its way in... then tappy tappy
Unless someone put red thread locker on there.. then youd need abit of heat, but id soak it first
 
Since it is a late made square lock a cresent wrench will move it. put the cylinder in a big vise
Just slowly turn until it gets tight on the lock and turn
 
x2 this is the best advise for removal and the acetone too, another thing may want to try moderate heat, heat gun or small propane torch up to maybe 300 deg. f some one may have lock tighted it
G

purple said:
The lock is stainless steel and is harder than the barrel threads, so it will act as a die and will work thru the softer barrel threads. The lock looks to be fully seated, so its unlikely that its cross threaded.

Now that you've removed the gas plug it may be possible to move the gas cylinder slightly to the rear to break contact with the rear face of the lock. Put a hardwood block on the bayonet lug and tap it slightly to the rear with a hammer.

You can also run penetrating oil down the front of the lock. You can also secure the barrel and gas cylinder, then pad the lock with a strip of leather and grip it with a pair of pump pliers to turn it off.
Click to expand...
 
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