M1A Kaboom

[John Kepler]

I'm not sure why you are so willing to blame an "overload" or a ruptured case....it just isn't all that consistent with the damage in the photos. Like any old M14 comp shooter, I've had my share of full and/or partial case-head separations (too many trips to the well with weakened M852 brass)...NONE of them failed to completely obturate the bore in a fully and correctly functioning rifle in good condition with good barrel/chamber and "in-spec" headspace! The fact that a separated case is usually nothing more than a minor PITA, NOT a busted rifle is indicated by the fact that the military issued "broken-shell extractors" rather than large trash-bags!

No sir...the damage to the rifle is much more consistent with an excessive headspace and/or that de-facto condition caused by a partially out-of-battery discharge (bolt locked, but not fully in battery) failing to fully support the case.

To answer your direct question, in the main, yes....though it can also happen with a broken firing pin....a condition you did NOT report!