In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Need help w/ M1A

GreenLanternGreenLantern Member Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭
edited May 2002 in Ask the Experts
Got my 40 hours in for the week already so I headed to the range to site in my M1A (standard). I wouldn't fire military surplus ammo. Very, very faint mark when chambering the round. Pull the trigger, nothing! That indentation looked more like what the chambering mark should have been. It did fire 20 rds of American Eagle ammo no problem. The gun is less than 6 months old and before today, only had fired 40 rds of the same ammo through it.

What do I do? Send it back to springfield? Take it to the local smith, he's pretty knowledgable?

And how do you fix a problem like this? Different firing pin, spring?

GL
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • RocklobsterRocklobster Member Posts: 7,060 ✭
    edited November -1
    Military ammo uses a hard primer, but I'd think your gun should fire it. Try calling Springfield @ 309-944-5631- they'll have the answer for you, they're good folks.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It sounds like the mil surp ammo is just a little long in the shoulder, which isn't unusual.
    Are you retarding the bolt when you chamber a round, or letting it slam home (like your supposed to) ?
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GreenLanternGreenLantern Member Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm letting it slam forward. Though when I do chamber a round it seems like to me the bolt should go forward with a little more force. But on the other hand, I've never had an M1A before this or shot one so I don't really have anything to compare with.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • erictheredericthered Member Posts: 244 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have had lots of problems with military ammo. Mine was from around the world and was talked up as good ammunition by gun show people.
    It was all crap basically. No matter where it came from. I finally quit trying to get a "good deal" on inexpensive ammo and started buying some good stuff on clearance or sale, and loading my own for the best accuracy. My own tends to be the best of the bunch.

    I have difficulty believing that a new M1A would have a firing pin problem. It's just too simple a mechanism. You should be able to just look at the length of the projecting firing pin and see if its' OK.
    You could also mike the significant areas of the cartridge and see what they say in comparison to the ones that work.

    If your ammo is made by the U.S., then you probably have a rifle problem. But it if it is made by some other country, I have had high rates of misfires, and of course lousy 6 - 10 inch groups at 100 yds.

    Hope that is helpful.
    Eric

    thats'me
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Is it Nato standard ammo, or foriegn aftermarket.

    I find that alot of the cheap foreign aftermarket ammo, especially the stuff from Russia, is just cheap fodder.

    I don't think you should be having problems with Nato standard 150gr ammo though, its what the gun was designed to shoot. I personally like the British stuff, that or Lake City Aresenal.

    I just wish I had a dollar for every gun I wanted, then I'd be a rich man.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Silly question, What happens if you load the surplus as the first 9 (or 19) in the mag. and put 1 of the American Eagles on top. Just to see how it works when it's loading them on it's own.

    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have never had a problem with MilSurp ammo.
    I have fired it in around 100 M14 clones and 30 FALs.
    South African,Malay,Portugese,Guatemalan,Radway,LC,etc and never had a problem.
    Do you have a SS barrel?
    Some of them have rough tight chambers.
    Get a Go and Nogo gauge and check it.
    cpermd
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GreenLanternGreenLantern Member Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tailgunner1954 ~ didn't think to try your idea. I was out of AE ammo by then and don't have anymore at home.

    Did try some different mil ammo today and that did work. Don't know exactly what kind since it was in a grayish-brown carboard box but the sticker had L1A1 on it. Maybe British? So, guess I jumped to conclusions a little too soon and it was probably just the ammo.

    cpermd ~ I think I'll take you suggestion and have it gauged.

    Thanks everyone.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would save my time and frustration and just send it back. No matter what you find checking the chamber etc, it is still SPRINGFIELDS PROBLEM, not yours. Call them and tell them to be expecting it to arrive with an explanation of the problem. The gun is too new to have any excessive usage failures. Make them honor the warranty!!!!!!! NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

    Try the ammo in someone else's gun, if it fires, it's not the ammo.

    A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • altosaltos Member Posts: 187 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with the comments regarding calling Springfield. I have
    shot several lots of Radway Green, German Hirtenberger, Portuguese
    NATO, Sellier and Belloit... they all work in my M1A. There is
    no way NATO spec'ed military ammo should not work in an M1A. It's
    either operator error (no offense) or a defect in the rifle. Call
    Springfield and save on the Tylenol.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GreenLanternGreenLantern Member Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You always have to factor in the possibility of user error This weekend I'm going to try the ammo in a different gun and see if it works. If ok, then I'm going to call Springfield and go from there. Thanks everyone for the help.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.