Hammer breaks in new M1a

[Neal C.]

My local range has a contract to qualify MSC (Military Sealift Command) crews on M14 type rifles and the range must supply the rifles. They recently bought some new Springfield Inc. M1As and one broke a hammer hook off on the first time out. It was a cast hammer in a cast trigger group. No GI parts anywhere on the rifle. If MSC is buying rifles from Springfield, and I think they are, they had better buy some GI spare parts and learn how to change them. I would not want to be armed with a new M1A in a fire fight with pirates.

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[Mike in NC]

There have been all kinds of problems with the cast parts on Springfield's M1As. I think they stopped using the cast bolts, but not sure. I have seen a few of the cast op rods break with very little use. I guess we can thank Mr. Clinton for demilling most of our stock of M14s and giving most of what was left over to Lithuania.

[Dan Shapiro]

Just another examples of liberals 'thinking ahead'. And I can see where this thread will go!

[Calif-Steve]

Garand hammers run just fine, not too expensive. I have heard the cast bolts were big trouble and they are not being made any longer. I have no idea who is casting the receiver. They were being cast in Canada by a very good firm, don't know anymore.

[JaxTom]

Hello, have SA Inc. always incorporated cast parts in their rifles? Thanks.

[mack]

Calif-Steve, the manufacturer in Canada was using rotary casting exactly like Ruger, so those receivers should have been OK. I have seen pics of their operation, but I lost the IP address. Sorry, but I can't keep up with things on a computer when they go south so often.

I have never used Springfield's cast parts or their rifles. I did use one of their receivers and it runs OK, but my internals are all USGI by TRW and they seem OK.

Sorry to hear you local range got stuck with some unreliable rifles, but Springfield has a fine record with repairs as their warranty appears to be, pardon the pun, bulletprooof. Send the dogs back and let them repair them and ship them back out to the club. Can't say it won't take some time, but better repaired sometime than not at all.

[Calif-Steve]

I actually emailed that Canadian firm a few years back. No longer in production, sad to say, as they knew what they were doing. No idea who casts the receiver today. The more GI parts in these rifles the better. Swap out all(?) of the internals for GI parts and you are miles ahead.

[Jim K]

Springfield Armory, Inc. used GI parts until the supply dried up. My early M1A is all GI except for the receiver itself.

Jim

[P. Greaney]

I suspect the MSC can get sufficient quantities of M14 to preclude the necessity for the M1A.

[drshame]

+1 for send it back, they have good customer service.
I'd also send all the trigger assemblies back to them to check if there was a batch of improperly treated hammers. Sounds like metal embrittlement from bad metallurgy or improper heat treatment.