The light goes on! Thank you, Tony!

Thanks for all the responses. Looking forward to taking it out to the range soon.

quote:

Originally posted by 1KPerDay:

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
2) avoid slam fires
This is less than specific. What specifically are they suggesting a M1A owner either do or not do?

If you reload make sure you full length size, use a case gauge to ensure proper shoulder setback, and make sure your primers are seated below flush. Consider using military grade primers.

And as noted, never drop a round into the chamber and let the bolt slam closed on it.

I use small base resizing die as well for my m1a reloads. Tough getting the military grade primers, CCI made some, lately. I may have used my last. Never had a problem with winchester or CCI regular large rifle primers. Fulton Armory has a couple books on M1as that are just superb how tos what to improves first second etc.,. I love my M1as even if at this point Springfield armory based, a boy can dream and save his shekels. Resurgence and renewal.

People don't realize that if you own an M1A/M14, you have a case gauge.

You can do one of two things. Since the chamber on an M14/M1A and M1 Garand are right out there in the open, all you have to do is:
-Drop a sized and trimmed case into your chamber and see if it inserts and removes without resistance. If you insert a round and tilt the rifle up and it falls out with only gravity, you're golden.


-Going a step further, you can disassemble the rifle and strip the bolt guts out (removing the ejector and extractor are essential for this check). Insert a sized case or a finished round into a clean chamber and see if can be inserted and removed easily without a screwdriver to pry it out, and see if the bolt will close freely on a sized case or finished round. If a bolt will not close and open freely, or if it takes a little extra force to close the bolt all the way, the case headspace is too long and needs to be sized more, or your seating depth is too long for your chamber.

I do this check with a few rounds out of my hand load batches and I test new chambers with a factory round and a stripped bolt to check the fitment of factory ammo. I usually use a Federal Gold Medal Match round or a factory M118LR round.

Tony.