old gun and new ammo

[pasvorto]

My wife is all in a tizzy right now. Her brother-in-law told her that a guy at the local range was using an M1 Garande with new ammo and the breach exploded in his face. The ammo was just too powerful.

Has anyone actually seen that happen? She is all concerned because I have a 1940 Mosin Nagant and a 1944 Enfield that I want to take to the range next spring.

Information

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[NRA]

In an M1 Garand you should only use M2 ammo. not modern rounds unless the rifle has an adjustable gas plug. It may have also fired out of battery.

[pasvorto]

Interesting. Thanks.

[mtoms]

One wonders if it may have been a reload.

M1 has a "floating" firing pin. Military primers are designed to accommodate "bumps" from the firing pin without "slam firing". We take a chance when using normal commercial primers in garand reloads.

I shoot reloads for hunting but make sure they are fully seated in the primer pocket. However they will receive a slight dent as the bolt goes into battery. Military spec primers are available for reloading and are the safest route to go.

[WarPig1976]

Way too many things can go wrong with ANY firearm to know if, A. The story is true and B. What caused it. Wave a shiny object in front of your wife to distract her, when she's not looking head to the range with your new toys...

[pasvorto]

This guy has been known to exaggerate from time to time, so I thought I would get a second, or third, opinion. The Garand is out of my budget for now, although at some point I would like a collection of the WWII rifles. The Enfield I have has already been fired and the guy gave me a few .303 rounds. The Mosin has not been fired since WWII, but I have yet to hear of an explosion on any of the Mosin boards. I think the 7.62 ammo that is out there seems to be OK. I have fired my AK many times, using 'current' ammo and have not heard a peep from it. Maybe the American stuff is just too 'touchy'. :-)

[Neal Myers]

There are Garands, & then there are Garands.

I was at the range a couple of years ago, & a young soldier from a nearby base was unable to get his new M1 rifle to work. I found that it was a CAI (new commercial receiver, worn USGI parts) that was so out of spec that it was unsafe to fire.

Neal

"Believe nothing that you hear, & only half of what you see."

[pasvorto]

Everything is contextual, I guess.

[CINDERS]

I agree with WP'76 but I as a rule of thumb with any fire arm I purchase before putting rounds out of it get it checked fully by my gunsmith I mean I have to pick it up from there so why not have him check it before going and shooting it.
And agree with MTOMS as well it may have been a slam fire as to blow a breech apart would take a gross overload or an obstruction but still scary stuff with the case in any position but in the chamber where it should be before ignition.

[mmopar]

My wife is all in a tizzy right now. Her brother-in-law told her that a guy at the local range was using an M1 Garande with new ammo and the breach exploded in his face. The ammo was just too powerful.

Has anyone actually seen that happen? She is all concerned because I have a 1940 Mosin Nagant and a 1944 Enfield that I want to take to the range next spring.

Headspace problem more likely than ammo issue.