My S.A. M1A blew up in my face, updated

[Gary Turman]

Well, my M1A that I have had over 20 years blew up the other day. The stock broke in three places, the bolt is split and jammed in the receiver and the magazine is blown apart. I just got a bruised hand and a small gash in my face. The round that blew up jammed while feeding. I think this pushed the bullet down in the case causing the high pressure. I'm going to send it back to S.A. and see what they say. I was shooting 168 gr match ammo. Here are some pics, let me know what you think.......................................S.A. said it was the ammo that caused the incident so they wern't going to warranty it BUT!!!!! They sent me a brand new one for just $500.00. I am tickled pink about it. got it yesterday. I still think that the malfunction while feeding pushed the bullet down in the case, there is no other explanation so that makes it the fault of the ammo and the gun. Good compromise I think.

[artificer]

Lucky boy!

[199th MP]

i'm really glad to see you were not severely injured, as the possibility was certainly present. my own experience with this weapon has never been bad, so it really gives one pause.

[D Pizzoferrato]

let me know what you think.

I think that you are very fortunate. Unfortunately your M1A wasn't (or isn't).

I read of a similar thing some time ago. http://www.thegunzone.com/m1akb.html

Lab tests concluded poor quality control in the making of the steel for the barrel.

[Buster]

Any information you may wish to share about the ammo (manufacturer, lot number, age) would be of interest to many of us, I'm sure.
Glad you are OK !!

[Mark Tombleson]

Gary, was this a newly manufactured M1A?

[W. Winget]

Gary, was this a newly manufactured M1A?

His first sentance says his "20 year old M1A". so it's not a newly manufactured one for sure.

Likely chamber pressure like you figured with the round being compacted increasing the hazard. Any estimate on the number of rounds you have fired over the 20 years?
V/R W Winget

[Steerman]

So if I'm reading your post accurately the weapon discharged before it was in battery? You would have a lot of pressure, with or without the bullet being jammed into the case and, uncontained by the chamber and battery. Very scary.Thank God you weren't more severely injured.

I would imagine that this same thing could happen with an M1 Garand, as well, since the mechanism are similar.

[Hmmwv516]

Oh S@#$! Glade your ok! That must have been scary!

[Gary Turman]

The gun was manufactured in July 1992 so just about 20 years old now. That would make it being made with GI parts I thinks. I'm really not sure what caused it, Fireing out of battery or high pressure from the bullet being forced down in the case. Probably not both though. Anyways, I'm sending it back next week and will let you know what they say. as for the ammo, I don't know what lot it was from. I had it loose...thanks

[HALFWITT]

I have seen this happen on four ocassions before . Twice in one day at an NRA match. Both shooters were using reloads possibly fired out of battery ( high primers suspected ) . The third time was also with reloaded ammo of an unknown manufacture ( gun show buy). The fourth time was also gun show ammo , but the dealer replaced the mans gun.However i have fired thousands of rounds of G.I. and reload ammo through mine without any problems , except replacing a few barrels.

[majvret]

I lost an eye in 1998 when mine blew apart the back of the receiver. It had been an early 80's gun. SA was good about giving me a new rifle and some compensation (not a lot considering). Found out since then by a m14/m1a expert that the early m1a s have a weak spot in some of the early receivers. New ones have been corrected. Also these rifles and the M1 can also discharge a round with the bolt not fully engaged and locked. I.e. if the chamber is dirty, sliver of brass or deformed cartridge. When this happens it can form an over pressure like a shape charge by having a gap in the chamber where the round is no fully seated. Disaster can happen. I still have two that I shoot often, but be careful and don't use cheap ammo. Food for thought

Majvret

[Marty, SoCal]

Gary, Is the bolt in pic #3 still locked in battery? Is the firing pin tang aligned with the slot in the receiver?

I had my brother's Mini-14 blow up. Root cause was old ammo with neck splits. My buddies' 10 year old son was firing it. One round failed to fire for some reason, his dad racked it out and loaded the second round. Blew up because there was the first bullet still in the rifle, (2 bullets = blowup). The split neck allowed the bullet to be loose in the cartridge, it stayed in the rifle when he extracted it. The damage looks pretty much the same as the M1A, except only the extractor blew out of the bolt and the side wall of the receiver cracked. Luckily, the bolt stayed locked. the magazine blew out the bottom and the stock split lengthwise. The remains of the cartridge are stuck inside the chamber,( probably bulged it). Luckily the kid was not hurt, he said it kicked like a 30'06.

Majvret, Sorry for your loss, were you wearing safety/shooting glasses when your accident occured?

[Dinadin]

A friend had a round blow up in his 1919 and it bent the top cover. He was using surplus 7.62x51 ammo in it and he did some research and it seems that a particular date stamped ones are notorious from blowing up and should not be used. I believe it was 74 stamped, but I don't remember the manufacturer. I will ask him and find out.

[Homerguy]

CBC 75. Brazilian ammo WAAYY overpressured,blew up many guns.