March
2016-A
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CARBINE
BOLT ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY WITHOUT THE BOLT TOOL
The
below article was scanned from the Army magazine, The Ordnance
Sergeant, dated March 1945. Thanks to John Spangler for contributing
this interesting bit of carbine tinkering. Readers must bear in mind
that the clever M5 Bolt Disassembly Tool was not available until
after WWII ended.
The
only tools necessary for rapid assembly and disassembly of the Bolt,
U.S. Carbine, Cal. .30
I. The
U.S. Carbine, Cal. .30, Ml, is an excellent weapon, but in common
with all firearms, proper functioning requires proper care. After
200 or even 100 rounds, the head of the bolt and particularly the
extractor surfaces and the recess in which the extractor is seated,
are carbonized to a degree that calls for thorough cleansing if
malfunctions are to be prevented.
These
malfunctions are not limited to simple failures, but include serious
ones, especially broken extractors and failure to extract due to
worn-out extractors. Both the early wearing out of the extractor
claw or lip, and the breaking of the extractor from the spindle are
caused by the accretion of carbon on the various extractor and bolt
surfaces. Of the two failures, the wearing out of the extractor is
far more common, and is clearly attributable to the accumulation of
carbon in the groove of the extractor claw. It is in this groove that
the rim of the cartridge must seat if the extractor claw is to fully
engage the cannelure and thus guarantee proper extraction.
Progressive accumulation of carbon at this point results in only
partial engagement of the extractor claw and the cannelure, and thus
with the whole force of extraction concentrated upon the thin edge
of the extractor claw, it soon chips or wears smooth with consequent
failure to withdraw the fired round from the chamber.
Avoidance
of such wear, breakage and resultant malfunctions, positively
requires the removal of accumulated carbon. For this, no amount of
mere soaking in solvent and brushing the bolt face is adequate. The
bolt must be disassembled to give access to the several surfaces
involved.
The
frequent disassembly and assembly of the bolt so necessary to sure
functioning and to avoidance of undue wear and breakage, calls for a
quicker and easier method than that described in the manuals.
Disassembly
and assembly are commonly found difficult even by Ordnancemen. And
it must be remembered that shop facilities and experienced personnel
are not always available when most needed. An easy method of
disassembly and assembly, however, is possible.
This
method does not require dismounting of the weapon and detail
stripping of the trigger group assembly in order to use the hammer
pin as is suggested by the manual, (TM 9-1276, Par. 19-c). Only the
bolt need be removed from the receiver. For the bolt disassembly and
disassembly, no tools are required beyond two empty cartridge cases
and the stiff wire oiler cap rod or applicator. Every carbine is, of
course, equipped with an oiler which also serves as anchor pin for
the rear end of the carrying sling. Thus, under even the most adverse
field conditions, one has with him all the tools necessary. The
method is so simple that the whole operation - removal of the bolt
from the weapon, disassembly, assembly and return of the bolt to the
weapon - can be performed by anyone in less than five minutes. The
author has repeatedly done it in less than one minute.
The
following paragraphs and accompanying photographs illustrate the
method fully and completely.
II. TO
DISASSEMBLE AND REMOVE BOLT FROM WEAPON
(1) Hold the piece at the
small of the stock with the left hand, rest the weapon on any
convenient surface or simply support the butt of the stock against
the front of the body. With the bolt completely to the rear, grasp
the operating slide handle between the thumb and forefinger of the
right hand, allow the operating slide to go forward slowly as
pressure is exerted up and to the right until the operating slide lug
disengages at the operating slide dismounting notch in the operating
groove of the receiver. Place the left thumb
against the head of the bolt and push the bolt forward until it is
clear of the operating slide, (Figure 1). Retract the operating slide
fully and lock it back by pressing down the operating slide stop.
Fig. 1
-- Disengaging bolt from operating slide.
(2)
Insert the edge of a flattened cartridge case or small screwdriver
between extractor and extractor spring plunger. Compress the spring
and plunger into the spring well (Figure 2). Thus, disengaged from
the locking shoulder of the extractor spring plunger, the extractor
is easily pried up with the oiler cap rod or similar instrument,
(Figure 3). Hold forefinger over the face of the bolt to prevent loss
of parts as the spring tension is released.
Fig. 2
--Insertion of flattened cartridge edge between extractor spring
plunger and extractor to compress plunger into well. A knife blade
or small screwdriver may be used instead of the flattened cartridge.
Fig. 3
-- Prying up extractor while plunger is compressed into well by
cartridge edge.
.
Fig. 4
-- Removal of bolt after components have been disconnected.
(3)
Grasp the operating lug between thumb and forefinger of the right
hand, press lightly to the left, move the bolt forward until it
disengages, then turn to right and lift bolt clear of the receiver,
(Figure 4). All bolt parts are now readily removed for cleaning or
replacement, (Figure 5).
Fig. 5
-- Bolt components, oiler cap rod and flattened cartridge case, the
only tools necessary for disassembly.
III.
TO ASSEMBLE AND RETURN BOLT TO WEAPON
(1)
Assemble the bolt, taking care to insert ejector with the cutaway
facing right toward the operating lug. The flat face of the
extractor spring plunger, positioned on top of the extractor plunger
spring within the well, must be faced down so as to engage the
shoulder of the extractor, because it is only when so placed that all
bolt components can finally be locked together. (NOTE): To save time
and avoid danger of loss, place a bit of vaseline on the upper end of
the extractor plunger spring to hold extractor spring plunger in
place during assembly. Lacking vaseline, the tip of a blade of grass
or a tiny strip of paper inserted in the spring will hold the plunger
in place until assembly is completed.*
[footnote-
* The design of the present extractor spring plunger should be
modified to bulge at the shank tip as is now done with the ejector
shank. This bulge would hold plunger and spring firmly together and
thus overcome repeated dropping during assembly.]
(2)
Insert empty cartridge case in barrel chamber. (This is absolutely
necessary for compressing the ejector so as to permit complete
insertion of the extractor shank by means of which the ejector and
firing pin are secured in operating position.) With all bolt
components in position but as yet not locked together, grasp the
operating lug and extractor between thumb and forefinger of the right
hand and return bolt to the receiver, (Figure 6). With the bolt
seated and the left locking lug engaged in the bolt guideway, place
left forefinger on the extractor to hold parts securely in position,
slide the bolt forward until the ejector comes in contact with the
head of the empty cartridge case in the chamber. With the right hand
release the operating slide and allow it gently to come to rest
against the operating lug of the bolt, (Figure 7).
Fig. 6
-- Return of bolt to receiver prior to locking the components in
position. Note cartridge case in chamber against which ejector will
be compressed.
Fig. 7
-- Advancing slide gently against operating lug of bolt.
(3)
With the left forefinger resting lightly on the extractor, place the
left thumb on the vertical surface of the operating slide just
forward of the operating slide handle. Press forward with the thumb
until the ejector acting against the head of the empty round in the
chamber is fully compressed into the bolt, and hold in this position.
With the right hand place the tip of the oiler cap rod against the
shoulder of the extractor spring plunger. Using the barrel extension
as a fulcrum, compress the plunger and plunger spring sufficiently
for clearance, and then with the left forefinger press down on the
extractor until it snaps into locked
position, (Figure 8).
Fig. 8
-- Compressing extractor spring plunger to permit pressing of
extractor into locked position, thus completing reassembly of bolt.
Note use of barrel extension as fulcrum.
(4)
Grasp operating slide handle between right thumb and forefinger, pull
to the right sufficiently to permit re-engagement of operating lug
into the bolt camming recess of the operating slide, (Figure 9).
Retract
operating slide, and through the dismounting notch, seat the lug in
the operating slide handle guideway. Test for proper functioning by
retracting operating slide handle and extracting empty case from
chamber.
Fig. 9
-- Re-engagement of bolt operating lug and camming recess of
operating slide.
Editorial
Note: In tests made at The Ordnance School, the disassembly and
assembly method described in this article was found quite useful.
However, two suggestions resulted from these tests. The empty
cartridge case used to depress the extractor spring and plunger bends
rather easily, and it was found that a small screwdriver works very
well for this operation. The oiler rod used to pry out the extractor
also bends after a few operations, especially in dealing with
stubborn cases. A rod made slightly larger in diameter would prevent
such bending.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postscript:
The second paragraph on page 2 contains a reference to Carbine
Technical Manual 9-1276, wherein the hammer pin was used to
disassemble the bolt. John Spangler researched this curious idea,
and learned that the 1947 edition of TM 9-1276 was the first to
discuss use of the common M5 Bolt Disassembly Tool. The previous
editions in 1942 and 1943 utilized the hammer pin to assist in
assembling the bolt. The first mention of this technique can be
found in Ordnance Field Service Technical Bulletin No. 23-7-1,
Carbine Cal. .30, M1, dated March 17, 1942. A portion of page 39 is
reprinted below. Note that this was written for the early “cone or
pyramidal” type extractor.
26.
BOLT GROUP, DISASSEMBLY - The spindle of the extractor locks all
other components of the bolt group into the bolt. To disassemble,
hold thumb over face of bolt to prevent the ejector and extractor
spring plunger from flying out when released, and punch the extractor
out from the under side of bolt. Withdraw ejector and spring,
extractor spring and plunger, and the firing pin from bolt.
27.
BOLT GROUP, ASSEMBLY - a. Insert firing
pin into well in rear of bolt so that tang on rear of firing pin fits
into aperture in rear end of bolt.
b.
Assemble ejector spring to ejector so that it is locked in groove in
ejector shank, and insert ejector assembly, spring first, into
ejector well in lower front face of bolt.
c.
Align cut in firing pin with extractor spindle hole in bolt. Compress
ejector in well and align cut with that in firing pin and with
extractor spindle hole. Insert hammer pin or similar pin into
extractor spindle hole, from bottom, far enough to hold ejector and
firing pin in place.
d.
Assemble extractor plunger spring to extractor plunger and insert,
spring first, into well in forward face of cam lug on right side of
bolt.
e.
Start extractor spindle into aperture hole in top of bolt and press
extractor into aperture, camming extractor plunger back into its
well. Continue to press extractor home until it pushes out the hammer
(or holding) pin and seats in its aperture, flush with top of bolt.
Test spring functioning of extractor and ejector.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Carbine
Club Editor’s Note: The extractor is indeed the weak link in the
reliability of the Carbine. A toothpick works well to clean
underneath the extractor lip and around the ejector. The small end
of a modern GI rifle-cleaning “toothbrush” also works well to
scrub underneath the extractor, but a follow-up scraping with a
toothpick or two is recommended.
The
below document was part of an after-action report by the 4th Marine
Raider Battalion following their combat operations in the Solomon
Islands from June-August 1943. Note that the Marines obviously
attempted to dismantle their carbine bolts without benefit of a tool
or a proper technique without tools. Our thanks to Don Hillhouse
for submitting this report to the Carbine Club.
Beginning
collectors: Be sure to view the detailed instructions and photos of
the M5 Bolt
Disassembly
Tool that Jim Mock put on the website at the bottom of the Parts/Bolt
section.
http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/bolts.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/bolts.html Thanks
again to John Spangler for his support of the Carbine Club. Marty
Black
-12
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