M1 Carbine Magazine: Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Chances are, if you have an M1 carbine, it came with a detachable 15 or 30-round magazine.

There are aftermarket M1 carbine magazines out there, but most of them all follow the same basic configuration.

If you’re having a problem with yours, check this short guide for pointers.

M1 Carbine Magazine Feed Issues: What to Check

The first two things you can look at on your M1 carbine magazine if you are having problems with feeding are the feed lips and the magazine body.

The feed lips are the two “rails” that hold the cartridges in place under pressure from the spring and follower. They are extensions of the magazine tube.

If these are damaged or deformed, they can change the manner in which the magazine feeds and cause jams outright.

Miner deformations of the mag’s feed lips may be rectifiable with a pair of pliers, or a ball peen hammer and an anvil, but sharp dents may require you to replace the mag entirely.

The other thing to look at is the mag body (tube). It should be smooth and free of corrosion. Cracks, rust, and dents can also impact the spring or make it difficult to load rounds, which in turn will hamper feeding.

Keep in mind when assessing the magazine that these are not the only qualities that can adversely impact feeding. The rifle’s gas system and recoil spring may also be the culprits.

But the focus of this article is the M1 carbine magazine itself so we will keep our attention on that.

If the mag’s feed lips and body check out, look next at the follower. It should be seated properly, upright on the magazine spring and should be not worn or cracked.

Damage to the follower can also hamper feeding. Often you will notice this when attempting to feed the last round.

If you’re still having trouble with the magazine and the body, feed lips and follower all appear to be in good order, you’ll want to disassemble the magazine and have a look at the spring.

To do so, you’ll want to turn the magazine over and press down on the base plate. While applying downward pressure, slide the base plate forward, toward the front of the mag.

If you need help with this, a small pin punch or screwdriver may help you apply some leverage. Use it as a small pry bar under the lip at the front of the base plate but don’t apply excess pressure.

Once you’ve brought the base plate partially forward, gingerly remove it while keeping your hand cupped over the opening at the bottom of the mag so that the mag spring does not fly out.

If the spring doesn’t want to pop right out, it could be because the spring is fatigued and will need to be replaced. This could be the cause of your feeding woes.

If the spring does pop out easily, inspect it for signs of wear and corrosion.

At this point, since you have the M1 carbine magazine disassembled, it’s a good time to administer some routine maintenance.

M1 Carbine Magazine: Basic Maintenance

With the entire M1 carbine magazine disassembled, you can drop all the parts and give them a cursory inspection and cleaning to keep your mag shooting smoothly.

With the spring removed, wipe it down to remove any fouling or dirt. You can use a bore solvent if you wish to remove any fouling. Allow it to dry complete then give it a very light coat of oil, like Rem Oil, only to protect it against corrosion.

Next, drop the follower out the bottom of the mag and scrub that off too. Use either a nylon or a brass brush to remove stubborn fouling deposits, then allow it to dry and coat lightly with oil to prevent corrosion.

The same words of wisdom apply to both the base plate and mag body. Scrub them down with a nylon or a brass brush (you can use a bore solvent if needed as these are made of metal), then allow them to dry fully and wipe lightly with gun oil.

All in all, these tips should help you troubleshoot basic issues with your magazine and keep it shooting smoothly for longer.

With all of that said, we already did a more complete, comprehensive post on M1 carbine mag maintenance. You can check it out via the previous link to learn more.

Need a New M1 Carbine Magazine?

There’s no reason at all not to add a few more M1 carbine magazines to your range bags, as the more loaded mags you have going up to the bench, the more time you can spend shooting, and the less time you will waste loading.

Check out our collection of magazines via the previous link and if you have any questions about models or compatibility, contact us at 610-250-3960.