Hello. I just bought my dads m1  carbine. It is a Ivor Johnson with serial number AA62203. After cleaning it, i noticed there is some play with the bolt when it is locked forward. As far as i know, he never replaced anything on the rifle. I'm thinking about just buying a GI bolt and hammer to replace it. Any advice?

Video displaying the play in the bolt-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXrylGa9t-0

I have an Iver Johnson WW2 Commemorative in the AA70000 serial number range. I get the impression that these aren't the best made carbines out there and mine has sloppy play as well. No matter, I shoot the snot out of it and of my four carbines, it's the one that's in the house for home protection duties. And it's every bit as accurate as my others.

 

 I will tell you that when I got mine (bought it from a member here) it was shooting feet to the right at 25 yds. even with the rear sight adjusted fully to the left. That correction took some interesting and creative manipulation of the barrel.

Based on your serial number, you IJ was manufactured in 91 as either a blued military or para.

I think by that time IJ was using their own manufactured parts.  Your rifle may not be compatible with GI parts.

Check with M1carbinesinc.com, they have some pretty good information over there.

 FWIW, mine, which obviously was made after the OP's, is all GI parts. In fact the bolt in mine is one of the old flat bolts made prior to November 1943.

No. is there a way to do it besides a gunsmith?

hmm. I thought it was made, based on serial number, in 1985 based on the serial number of the Iver Johnson production.

Sure. It's quick and quite simple, but requires a couple of specialized tools and a bit of disassembly. Since there's no milspec "Field" gauge for the M1 Carbine, you'll need a gauge as close to the milspec "No-Go" gauge as possible: 1.302 inches. The commercial Forster "Field" gauge is 1.299 inches, ever so slightly longer than Clymer's 1.297 inches. You don't need a "Go" gauge, since you already know it chambers factory ammo (typically 1.280 inches, BTW).
While you can do the necessary disassembly / reassembly of the bolt without the bolt tool, using one makes your life a whole lot easier.
Before you throw up your hands and think, "Screw it, I'll just take it to a gunsmith", the odds are that he doesn't have the proper gauge or the bolt disassembly tool either, so he'll half-ass the job, charge you money, and you still won't know.

Forster Field gauge
Bolt disassembly tool

Great advice, P.B.

A Forster .30 carbine headspace gauge does not require the disassembly of the bolt. It has a reduced section that sits inside the bolt face:



A bolt disassembly tool is still a good thing to have to do a detail cleaning every once in a great while and also to replace broken parts. It makes the job tremendously easier and less likely to damage the bolt components.

Thanks for the advice. I just bought the No-Go and the bolt disassembler tool. From there I should be able to decide whether or not I may need to get a new bolt. Thanks.

I personally would have bought a Field gauge. If the bolt closes on the No-Go, the Field can be used and as long as the bolt doesn’t close on the field, the rifle is safe to shoot.

You’re right, read the chart wrong.