M1 Carbine in 45 Win Mag

[BobinBend]

After many years ( probably 20) of sitting idle in the safe, planning to take out the Carbine. Anyone have one of these and have any loading recommendations? Previously loaded with 230 gr RN with 24 grains 4227 which worked OK as I remember. Now have 250 Gr FP and 250 Gr. HP bullets and with the component shortage, that is what I will load. Planning to start at the bottom of the Hornady loading table (20 gr 4227) and walk it up. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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[CountryGent]

No recommendations on ammunition, but oh my, that sounds like fun.

Le Mag conversion?

 

[USMC1911]

 

[BobinBend]

It was fun to shoot and had surprisingly light recoil. I had a Winchester 94 barreled in 44 Mag at the same time and there was no comparison.
My dad built it with ribbed barrel and muzzle brake. Can't say I love the stock choice... Will likely paint it black if it's as fun to shoot as I remember.

 

[CountryGent]

It was fun to shoot and had surprisingly light recoil. I had a Winchester 94 barreled in 44 Mag at the same time and there was no comparison.
My dad built it with ribbed barrel and muzzle brake. Can't say I love the stock choice... Will likely paint it black if it's as fun to shoot as I remember.

View attachment 791200

So dig it.

 

[po18guy]

Military receiver?

 

[BobinBend]

Military receiver?

Yes

 

[po18guy]

Reason I asked is, IIRC, the Universal™ brand M1 carbines used investment cast receivers and G.I. barrels, stocks and small parts. Slightly higher operating pressure with the .45 (40,000 vs. 38,500 in .30 Carbine), but a whole lot more of it. The forged US receiver is made of good stuff.

 

[BobinBend]

Understood and appreciated. There is little information on these out there but I know of the concern with the commercial receivers. This one has a heavy fluted Douglas barrel so that area should not be a concern. Will run the lightest load that will function to minimize the stress on the other parts. Just a fun plinker in any measure.

 

[AMT]

Do you have the pistol to strap to your hip when you go shooting?

 

[HB of CJ]

Wow. Sounds like fun! Respectfully speaking here, about the only way I would shoot such a thing is to be sure it has a USGI non spring tube receiver; the receiver gets frequently gauged for metal flow or dinky cracks, (particularly around the chamber, lugs and bridge) AND only a modded forged USGI round bolt is used in the conversion.

Even then frequent head space checks are a good idea. On top of all of this, consider a softer lower pressure hand load and try to keep the annual round count as low as possible. The dinky blaster would make a cool deer gun out here in SW Oregon. Lots of fun indeed but be sure to remain careful and cautious and all of that good stuff. Enjoy.

 

[BobinBend]

Do you have the pistol to strap to your hip when you go shooting?

a

Always wanted one of those....

 

[gmerkt]

Can't say I love the stock choice.

I like the looks of that stock. I don't have anything like it, maybe that's why.

New England Firearms/H&R 1871 Inc. made several color combination laminated stock sets for their single shot, crack barrel shotguns and Handi Rifles. Circa 2000, just before and after Marlin bought the company. Those stock sets are worth pretty good money now. I have one each rifle and shotgun of that breed; kinda wish one of 'em had a laminated stock.

 

[AMT]

Always wanted one of those....

I am guessing that it is just as fun to shoot as your rifle. The pistols put a smile on my face every time i get them out and to the range.

Good luck on load data. I'd do as you initially suggested. Start low and work up.

 

[David Wilson]

I always thought these were a neat idea and I used to want one. Nowadays, with original GI guns being so expensive, it probably isn't ideal to convert one (unless you find a parts gun), and the commercial ones just don't inspire confidence... the Ruger .44 semi-autos were fair substitutes, but those aren't made anymore, and are not easy or cheap to find...

 

[po18guy]

Feeding the rimmed .357 might be problematic, but that would be a heck of a fun gun - and within pressure limits. Someone, I forget who, began conversion in carbines decades ago. .44 Mag was one of the first, but the rim was the deal. Staggered rims might work in the curved 30 round mag though.

And Col. Melvin M. Johnson necked the .30 Carbine to .224 (5.7 Spitfire, .22 MMJ and other names). He got 3000 fps out of 40 grainers. Always wanted one of those.



Everything old is new again.

 

[BobinBend]

Wow. Sounds like fun! Respectfully speaking here, about the only way I would shoot such a thing is to be sure it has a USGI non spring tube receiver; the receiver gets frequently gauged for metal flow or dinky cracks, (particularly around the chamber, lugs and bridge) AND only a modded forged USGI round bolt is used in the conversion.

Even then frequent head space checks are a good idea. On top of all of this, consider a softer lower pressure hand load and try to keep the annual round count as low as possible. The dinky blaster would make a cool deer gun out here in SW Oregon. Lots of fun indeed but be sure to remain careful and cautious and all of that good stuff. Enjoy.

Thanks HP, understand your concern.

Dad built a lot of guns during his career. Almost all where custom in some way some nearly from scratch. He built me a Seitz shotgun making all the parts except he used a Beretta barrel. I have 20k or so rounds through that one. He also built a miniature Gattling making all parts except the barrels. He probably built 100 guns over his life and never had one blow. This one has around 100 rounds of factory and factory spec reloads through it. I

Wow. Sounds like fun! Respectfully speaking here, about the only way I would shoot such a thing is to be sure it has a USGI non spring tube receiver; the receiver gets frequently gauged for metal flow or dinky cracks, (particularly around the chamber, lugs and bridge) AND only a modded forged USGI round bolt is used in the conversion.

Even then frequent head space checks are a good idea. On top of all of this, consider a softer lower pressure hand load and try to keep the annual round count as low as possible. The dinky blaster would make a cool deer gun out here in SW Oregon. Lots of fun indeed but be sure to remain careful and cautious and all of that good stuff. Enjoy.

Thanks for the input. I will be ultra cautious and start with a very light load. I think it had 100 - 200 rounds through it when I put it up 20+ years ago, all factory ammo or relatively hot hand loads. No need for those these days. With the weather and the Covid situation, I will probably wait until spring to play with it. Not terribly worried about getting hurt, but if something were to happen, wouldn't want to further burden the health care system.

 

[bwitty72]

out of curiosity what magazines did you use for the 45 win mag carbine?