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Refinishing my Universal

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Bungalow Bill View Drop Down
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    Posted: Jun 14 2020 at 1:58pm
 I love my Universal carbine, but I’ve never really liked the stock. When I bought mine used, it came with the metal heat shield, which I wanted to replace with a traditional wood handguard, and I also disliked the light color of the stock or whatever finish Universal had put on at the factory. It was dull and flat and made the stock look plastic.  

I finally replaced the heat shield, and the new handguard mismatching the stock convinced me it was time for a refresh. 

First, I sanded off all the old finish. Then, because I wanted a darker look, I applied a coat of walnut stain. Then came the Tru-Oil. I applied five coats in all. 

I let the Tru-Oil cure for 10 days. Today I applied the conditioner, and here’s the result. Still a little mismatch between the stock and handguard, but much better than before. 



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Road Rat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 14 2020 at 2:03pm
Looks good.... I use Tru Oil a lot and really like how it turns out.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Crusader_6 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 14 2020 at 2:16pm
I have a similar issue. I have a Universal Redux, and I also want to change the metal handguard for a wooden one. It’s a work in process. Yours look good even The mismatched between the stock and handguard doesnt look bad to me. 
 Here’s mine:

And here with a wooden Handguard. 


Edited by Crusader_6 - Jun 20 2020 at 9:40pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 14 2020 at 2:38pm
It can be iffy to find a USGI hand guard that will perfectly fit a commercial stock. One can get lucky, but some of the metal hand guards on commercials are longer than GI guards, so the band spring spacing in the stock can be different. I have had Universal wooden guards that fit perfectly. GI guards are a bit shorter. You see a lot of commercial carbine band spring noses that don’t fit correctly in the band notch. Sometimes you can adjust the wood to make it all work. The spring nose flat needs to catch the back of the band notch to lock it in place. A band will shoot loose and the guard will pop out if the spring nose flat doesn’t retain the band. You can romp-down on the band clamping screw to retain the band, but it can also be easily stripped. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bungalow Bill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun 14 2020 at 6:56pm
Originally posted by floydthecat floydthecat wrote:

It can be iffy to find a USGI hand guard that will perfectly fit a commercial stock. One can get lucky, but some of the metal hand guards on commercials are longer than GI guards, so the band spring spacing in the stock can be different. I have had Universal wooden guards that fit perfectly. GI guards are a bit shorter. 

I found a Universal handguard online after some digging around. It was the right length, but still needed some inletting work to fit around the barrel and operating rod. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RClark9595 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 03 2021 at 2:17am
To each his own, that's what makes the world such an interesting place. I have a late Gen 3 Universal (I know what a Gen 1 and Gen 3 are, what's a Gen 2?).
That has the metal heat shield, and quit frankly I like the looks of the metal over the wood, now I have to wonder, if the GI Carbine came with the metal heat shield and the Universal came with the wood, what say you then?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 03 2021 at 6:43am
I think it gets fuzzy at each transition, but Gen 1 to about 100,000. Gen 2 out to around 190,000 and Gen 3 from there to cease of production. There is no definitive clean cut and features of either generations are found a few thousand serial numbers on either side. 

If not already found it....go here for detailed information.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bungalow Bill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 03 2021 at 9:47am
That’s a good question. To me, the metal “cheese grater” heat shield would be most useful on an M2 carbine. If my carbine could be shot full auto, I’d want a metal heat shield to help keep the barrel cool. Oh, and a 30-round mag too. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RClark9595 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 04 2021 at 1:07am
floydthecat said

I think it gets fuzzy at each transition, but Gen 1 to about 100,000. Gen 2 out to around 190,000 and Gen 3 from there to cease of production. There is no definitive clean cut and features of either generations are found a few thousand serial numbers on either side.

If not already found it....go here for detailed information.

http://www.m1carbinesinc.com/carbine_universal.html
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I guess the only way to address a Type 2 is to say it is what a Type 1 and Type 3 are not, in other words, transitional.

Looking over that link (I've read that whole section as well as all the others before), I am reminded at how much work has gone into putting all this information together and posting it in a understandable way.

We really do owe Sleeplessnashadow a Lot of gratitude he's the one who has done all the research and posted it all for our education, he says he has much more to post. So give him our gratitude and encourage him to post what he still has and hasn't posted yet. For those that don't know it, Jim is a retired researcher for the police force. He once told me his biggest gripe as a researcher is when a researcher dies and leaves information not posted, Jim you're getting up there, don't be one of those you hate.

Edited by sleeplessnashadow - Dec 21 2023 at 6:41pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Smokpole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 04 2021 at 4:31pm
A 15 round full lasts about 1.1 seconds at full auto in an M2. A thirty will last you just under 2.25 seconds. That's a lot of ammo in a very short time. It gets expensive to feed those little beasties. That is why I no longer have mine. It was eating me out of house and home!
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