Let me suggest maybe the ultimate heresy: the Universal M1 Carbine design is superior to the Winchester design. Though the implementation may be somewhat flawed.
In 1968 Abe Seiderman (Combination manual and automatic bolt action for firearms US 3382766 A) radically redesigned the M1 Carbine, including the slide, gas chamber, etc. An excellent site for this is: Post WWII Commercially Manufactured M1 Carbines (U.S.A.). The result is probably the only significant rethink of the original Winchester design.
I own both and can honestly say the Universal is more reliable than the Winchester. Now I've made a few changes: I replaced the slide with a new one made of 4130 steel, heat treated to 35Rc from BKHose on Gunbroker, and replaced ALL the spring with Wolff Gunsprings. I've also replaced ALL the springs on my Kahr M1 Carbine Winchester design with Wolff springs.
The Universal is ~1 lb. heavier than the Winchester design but seems more solid. It also has 2 slide springs, v. 1 for the Winchester design, and consequently handles heavier reloads better.
Just to stir the pot some!
In 1968 Abe Seiderman (Combination manual and automatic bolt action for firearms US 3382766 A) radically redesigned the M1 Carbine, including the slide, gas chamber, etc. An excellent site for this is: Post WWII Commercially Manufactured M1 Carbines (U.S.A.). The result is probably the only significant rethink of the original Winchester design.
I own both and can honestly say the Universal is more reliable than the Winchester. Now I've made a few changes: I replaced the slide with a new one made of 4130 steel, heat treated to 35Rc from BKHose on Gunbroker, and replaced ALL the spring with Wolff Gunsprings. I've also replaced ALL the springs on my Kahr M1 Carbine Winchester design with Wolff springs.
The Universal is ~1 lb. heavier than the Winchester design but seems more solid. It also has 2 slide springs, v. 1 for the Winchester design, and consequently handles heavier reloads better.
Just to stir the pot some!
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