Broken spring tube

[tenOC]

Here's a pic of a Carbine I own with broken integral tube. When I went to break it down the spring wouldn't come out of the hole due to junk/crud in there. And so the slide couldn't be removed. That's when I noticed it was broken. This was before I bought it so the price was lowered.
Perhaps someone tried to force the slide back far enough to remove it with the spring still in place and broke the tube housing out. Do you think it would still operate alright like this?

Information

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[Bruce McAskill]

The only way to tell for sure is to try it out. Clean out the drilled hole, new spring, lubed, assemble it and try it working the action by hand. If it works then load one round at a time. I have a feeling it will work as the recoil guide will be in place. You really don't have anything to loose by trying it out. It will work or it won't.

[DaveHH]

If you look closely at the lug there is a nice goober where something hit that hard. The break is at what would be the weakest place on the receiver, so if it was dropped and hit some hard object, that is a likely place for a break. At that point, the tube does nothing more than hold the spring in place.

Consider that there are some carbines, probably a lot of carbines that have unwanted holes in the walls of this hole where the drill wandered during manufacture. I believe that not all were considered scrap and were sent out as good receivers. It is possible to see the spring on some receivers when viewed from the top at the slide stop recess. I'd look for any cracks, and just use it. Maybe dress the inside edges with a small file or stone to eliminate any place for the spring to catch.

[painter777]

Bruce,
Great info, But if I could add:
I'd file any rough edges (Inside and Out) near the break to keep from snagging a Op spring coil.

Charlie-painter777

[tenOC]

Thanks, all.
I've gotten it to rack (operate) smoothly by hand. I got it cleaned fairly well when I did the data sheet on it. Magnifying the image works better than my eyes do now for looking for further cracking. I'll smooth the jagged break as best I can with what I have.