Type 3 slide breakage

[dbarn]

The type 3 op slide has the narrow arm joint. While the books show they were more prone to breakage, and perhaps more so in combat, has anyone actually experienced a failure with this particular type?

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.

[Bill Hollinger]

There was mention of one a while back.

[dbarn]

Not sure how many were made, and they are correct for carbines made during that period. Ordnance beefed up the arm joint once again with the type 4 but not sure if they did this due to a perceived problem, or with actual reports of breakage in the field. Unless there were spare slides handy, and even if there were, a broken slide could ruin your day in the heat of battle.

[emmagee1917]

Hi guys. Finally found my way over here. Reading up on all the old posts. Left for a month or two , and found the old links no good. Looked , but could not find this.

Yes , it was me. Didn't do much , left the bolt and arm back while the slide body returned forward as usual. It's the only part I recall flat breaking on me while shooting. I've had to replace worn springs and such , but nothing broken. I did not know what happened until I popped her out of the stock. Chris

[Tired Retired]

Chris,

Do you have a picture of the break? I would be interested in seeing the exact location so I can look on mine for any tell-tale cracks and such.

TIA,

Ed

[emmagee1917]

I don't have it any more. It went into the trash , I just pulled another spare from my stash. I keep spare firing pins , extractors , sears and such that match the finish and markings of all my dozen or so carbines. That way if something breaks it's not a major deal to replace with a correct one (SEE--I didn't say orig.).

It broke right at where the arm joins the main U-shaped body , with a part of the "pad" comming off with the arm. I do not know if it broke when the bolt locked into battery on the previous shot , came loose during the back stroke , or broke at the end of the back stroke. The bolt and arm was back , the case had ejected , and it looked like a feeding jam. When I tried to pull it back and release , it just sat there. No spring tension at all , so I thought the action spring had broke. Dropped the mag , ran the arm forward and opened her up. Everything looked fine , pulled back on the arm to test the spring and then saw the problem. Was a shock , for sure. Chris

[dbarn]

Thanks for sharing this information. That is exactly where one would expect the break to be. I've noticed that some type 3 slides are more thick and beefier in this area than others. Some were really slim.

Have one carbine that appears to be completely original with the one exception of the slide. It's worn and well used. It's of the type 3 era and the wear pattern on the bottom front of the receiver confirms this. I have a pretty good hunch the original broke and was replaced.