Catastrophic M1A failure

[Bill Hollinger]

This is an article on a catastrophic M1A failure. This is being posted with the permission of Dean Speir at thegunzone.com. Read the entire article as it has a complete failure analysis and updates. It is an older article but very good.

http://www.thegunzone.com/m1akb.html

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[colt100]

So basically, if I read it right, it was defective barrel steel that caused this? Talk about hitting the wrong lottery. Glad he wasn't seriously injured.

[Bill Hollinger]

It looks that way. The barrel was stressed beyond it's limit and because it's defects.

[campperrykid]

That is a very impressive KB .

[Buntlineguy]

I also had a failure of my Springfield M1A. The rear of the hammer that catches on the sear broke off. After firing, the next round detonated before entering the chamber. I was hit in the head (not seriously) bu the handguard. Also the trigger assembly was about an inch out of the gun. After installing a new hammer I gave a second close inspection to the gun and found a small crack at the rear of the receiver. I pulled the bolt back a couple of times and the whole rear fell off. Close inspection of the steel reveals inconsistency in the steel. I suspect Japanese steel was used. (yes I worked at steel mills before retiring) I have sent the gun back to Springfield. I haven't heard anything back yet, but will post the outcome.
I would recommend that anyone shooting a recent production Springfield M1A to use light loads and wear safety glasses.
B

[Amsdorf]

I'm no expert, but from the looks of it, that ain't going to buff out.

[campperrykid]

Scary stuff :

I also had a failure of my Springfield M1A. The rear of the hammer that catches on the sear broke off. After firing, the next round detonated before entering the chamber. I was hit in the head (not seriously) bu the handguard. Also the trigger assembly was about an inch out of the gun. After installing a new hammer I gave a second close inspection to the gun and found a small crack at the rear of the receiver. I pulled the bolt back a couple of times and the whole rear fell off. Close inspection of the steel reveals inconsistency in the steel. I suspect Japanese steel was used. (yes I worked at steel mills before retiring) I have sent the gun back to Springfield. I haven't heard anything back yet, but will post the outcome.
I would recommend that anyone shooting a recent production Springfield M1A to use light loads and wear safety glasses.
B

I had an early M1A for a number of years and finally sold it. The serial number was somewhere around 001970 or close to that . I do not recall how many zeros the SN included.

ETA :
I wonder if any issues have been reported with the early recievers ?

[us019255]

I think I remember that I read a few years ago about a similar type of barrel failure with some Lee-Enfield No. 4 rifles in the UK that had been used since WWII in military schools. If I remember properly, they were removed from active service in the marksmanship program.