M1A firing problems

[cecil30-30]

Took my M1A to the catoosa firing range today,and loaded up a 20rnd mag and started shooting and seemed like every couple of rounds it wouln't fire,you could hear the "click" when you pulled the trigger,but no BANG!It did about 6 or 7 out of the first 20rnds,and it stoved piped 2 on the first mag.I set the fail to fires to the side and loaded up another 20 rnds and they all went off with out a hitch.So i loaded up the fail to fires and all of them went off with out a hitch.This gun is brand new practically.I bought it new and I haven't put 60 rnds down the tube.When i first bought it I bought some winchester white box ammo head stamped 94 and it did this every other round.I just figured that it is bad ammo.But todays ammo was Remington UMC.Could it be that something is wrong with it or is it just because it is new?When i spend $1400 on a rifle,I don't like many problems to be wrong with it straight out of the box,I expect no stovepipes,FTF,or anything.What do you guys think.

 

[JimFromTN]

Are you shooting 308 winchester or 7.62 nato ammo? They aren't exactly the same thing. 308 does always cycle very well in weapons designed for 7.62 nato. 30/06 ammo is the same way. I used to have a garand that I tried to shoot standard 30/06 ammo thru and it did the same thing.

 

[cecil30-30]

The Remington is 308win but the Winchest white box was 7.62 but I know it was bad,some rounds wasn't as loud as others and some didn't even have the same recoil.The gun is chambered in 7.62,maybe the 308 isn't loaded hot enough to fully eject its self and chocolate chip cookie it back again?

 

[JimFromTN]

I would definately try some military surplus ammo. You might clean it up and oil it real good before hand.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Cecil,

Were the primers dimpled on the failed rounds?

FDXX75

 

[LCU]

Is that the same thing as a Gerrand?

 

[Plateau Hunter]

Sounds to me like you probably have one or two problems. The ammo is probably not quite up to spec or inferior for whatever reason. And two the rifle probably needs to be shot a 100 or so rounds to break it in and wear/burnish operating surfaces. From your description it appears that the click was the hammer falling and striking the firing pin. Now the firing pin could have been slowed by grease or grit that weakened the strike and/or the primers could be hard or subpar. I think it will be fine with some use and standard spec ammo either .308 or 7.62x51. I would like to have a M1A-I qualified with a M14 in basic and it opened my eyes to what a good rifle with good sights could do at 500 meters! Plateau Hunter

 

[cecil30-30]

The rifle is brand new,I ordered it from SA.I might have given the hint that it was new to me,used.Anyway,on some of the rounds that failed to fire had very light marks where the firing pin hit it and on others there was no marks at all.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Bingo,

I would clean it up real good and make sure you have no gumming or gunk in or around the firing pin. Plateau Hunter may be on to something, but I would clean it before continuing to just shoot away.

I never go to the range and fire away with a brand new out of the box gun without completely cleaning it first.

FDXX75

 

[firefox]

cecil30-30,
Seems to me your gas plug isn't tight enough. The gas plug is located at the front of the gas-cylinder. If you draw your finger down the barrel from the muzzle-brake towards the chamber within about 8 inches you will touch the gas-cylinder. Under the barrel on the gas-cylinder towards the muzzle is a 3/8 inch nut...I suspect it is loose. A loose gas plug will cause all the problems you mentioned. There is also a slotted screw on the right side of the gas-cylinder. It is called the spindle-valve. The spindle valve allows the M1A to fir semi-auto by diverting gas from the fired cartridge back into the action. Sometimes a few twists of the spindle valve in each direction will loosen fouling and allow reliable functioning. Just remember that the standard screw slot of the spindle valve faces 'up' when it is open. Shoot me a pm and I may be able to help in more detail.

 

[cecil30-30]

I know where the gas plug is and the spindle-valve is and if i remember correctly the spindle valve isn't facing up,i glanced at it today.I haven't checked the gas plug,i'll check these things out tomorrow,and if I can't get it straightened out i'll give you a pm.I have to wait till tomorrow,i keep all my guns at my parents house in there safe.

 

[Tnyoteboy]

Spindle valve turned the wrong way will end up being a manually operated single shot rifle. Go to AR15.com and post in the armory section under M1/M1A.

 

[Locksley]

Clean the bollt good there may be heavy grease in the fireing pin raceway in the bolt slowing down the fireing pin spray some WD-40 in there and flush it out good then try it. And keep that chamber clean too.

 

[mike243]

the next time you get a FTF look at the bolt & try to determine if the bolt is fully closed,if it isnt that might be the reason for the lite strikes on the primer,mike243

 

[JimFromTN]

The springfield m1a comes in both 308 win and 7.62 nato. Which one do you have?

 

[cecil30-30]

7.62,I thought that they was the same thing,except that the 7.62 was loaded a little hotter,like the 5.56 and .223?

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

read this!!!!!

www.303british.com/id36.html

FDXX75

Edited: Was not attempted to offend anyone, just supplying info.

 

[JimFromTN]

The head spacing is a little different as are the chamber pressures.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I have always said...............if it was the same thing it would be called the same thing.

FDXX75

 

[Tnyoteboy]

I can't say I agree posting the Stormfront forum address, considering it's on a white power website.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Edited..............

 

[cecil30-30]

That was a very informative link Fulldraw!I will only shoot 7.62 out of from now on.That may be the problem.I didn't have to to mess with it today,spent the day getting my muzzleloader ready.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I attempted to post something about and earlier statement, the the .223 & 5.56 were the same as well.

I guess I chose the wrong site to get the info. from..................so I hope this is better.

www.winchester.com/lawenforcement/news/ ... storyid=11

FDXX75

 

[Tnyoteboy]

read this!!!!!

www.303british.com/id36.html

FDXX75

Edited: Was not attempted to offend anyone, just supplying info.

Didn't take it as an offence, just don't want to add to their count.

It all depends on what chamber you have. I thought most new SA M1As (M1As only come from SA, copyright and all) came with a chamber dimension tag showing headspace. I have a Polytech that has a max 7.62 chamber and she hums right along with surplus and the occasional factory 308.

 

[Tnyoteboy]

I attempted to post something about and earlier statement, the the .223 & 5.56 were the same as well.

I guess I chose the wrong site to get the info. from..................so I hope this is better.

www.winchester.com/lawenforcement/news/ ... storyid=11

FDXX75

That's why Federal asked what we were firing our XM193 in. They are basically 5.56 on 10 round stripper clips and aren't recommended to be fired out of Mini-14s.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

read this!!!!!

www.303british.com/id36.html

FDXX75

Edited: Was not attempted to offend anyone, just supplying info.

[/quote

Didn't take it as an offence, just don't want to add to their count.

It all depends on what chamber you have. I thought most new SA M1As (M1As only come from SA, copyright and all) came with a chamber dimension tag showing headspace. I have a Polytech that has a max 7.62 chamber and she hums right along with surplus and the occasional factory 308. [/quote

Not offended at all, just clarifing for those keeping count.

My main purpose of posting was someone stated "they are the same thing" Close but not the same.

Head space can make a big difference on accuracy of the gun, the case is being required to case form fit to the chamber before the bullet is actually fired. The smaller sized case will actually stretch to fit.

Just trying to lend so insight on the matter.

FDXX75

 

[Bambi Buster]

the next time you get a FTF look at the bolt & try to determine if the bolt is fully closed,if it isnt that might be the reason for the lite strikes on the primer,mike243

Ditto

 

[firefox]

Cecil30-30
The M1A/M14 will not fire if the bolt isn't in battery...except for a slam-fire which your description lends itself away from. The light dimple marks occur with every chambered round in the M1A since it has a free floating firing-pin. It really doesn't matter if you use surplus 7.62X51mm NATO or .308 Winchester ammo in an M1A. Your rifle had a blue and white tag hanging off the trigger guard when you bought it. The tag was hand printed with the headspace dimension of your rifle's chamber. the tag also said that it is safe to fire either NATO or Commercial ammo through it and it is. I think a thorough cleaning to include a complete disassembly and proper reassembly will cure all our problems.