Customized M305/M-14 Slamfire...What a mess!

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SUB MOA

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Short Story - Had an uncontained slam fire in my customized M305/M-14 destroyed the bolt and bent the operating rod. How and where can I get replacement parts?

Longer Story- Customized my M14 with a heavy barrel and custom gas system. Have been working up loads using IVI brass, CCI BR2 primers, Hornady 155 AMAX Moly with Varget and H135 powder. Headed out to my range for a load check. Clean rifle. -8, calm day... perfect! I placed a fouler in the chamber, planning to close the bolt and load a 5 round mag to fire for group. I didn't completely seat the round in the chamber expecting the bolt to seat, as I released the bolt...Boom! Fortunately I was standing above the rifle with the rifle on my bench. The case errupted, the bullet did clear the barrel however most of the case is stuck in the chamber. The bolt detached from the Operating Rod, the extractor was blown off. I recovered the case head, clearly a firing pin indentation. Back in my gun room I stripped the rifle down. Bolt gouged up top and bottom, roller detached and split, roller retainer fractured. Had a hard time removing the Op Rod it was bent outwards and was binding in the groves.

The actual load is irrelavent however I do load the primers deep enough that they are slightly below the case head. I do relieve the trigger springs by dry firing prior to storage. The case does have a firing pin indentation in the primer indicating the firing pin was forward in the bolt. Temperture -8ish..pin frozen? pin bound in place by dry firing? Not sure, could be either.

Now the next issue...I need a new/ replacement Bolt and Operating Rod. Are these parts readily available and from where? Will headspace be an issue with a different bolt? I have a stock Polytech M305 from which I could "borrow" the parts to finish my load development but I don't want 2 unservicable rifles. I was/am planning to post the build and developement when finished load developement.
 
Ouch I'm sorry to hear that.
I've always been told " run ammo from mag" instead of one in chamber.

glad to hear you are okay!
 
That sucks man. Yes I'm pretty sure a new bolt will change the headspace. How much? depends on the bolt.
I know that big article about reloading for the M14 (don't remember who wrote it) recommends against letting a bolt fly home on a case inserted into the chamber manually, for this exact reason. They recommend riding the cocking handle about halfway closed before letting it go.
Stupid floating firing pin.
Good luck on the rebuild, I want to see how it shoots.
And I don't mean to rub salt into the wound or anything, as I used to let the bolt fly closed like that all the time until I read the article.

Derek
 
I was under the impression that you shouldn't use Varget in the M-14, same as the M-1. Is that right?
Sorry to hear about your gun, that's a #####.
 
yomomma said:
Always load via the mag....
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Gotta agree. That "placed a fouler in the chamber" was probably what did you in. I wouldn't ride the op rod half way either. Simply load via the mag. If you want to remove the mag and top it up that would have accomplished the same 6 shots.
 
Experience is the best teacher...assuming you survive it!!! Won't do that again. Glad I wasn't sitting at the bench while loading as I would have got the blast in the face as it was a piece of something(case?) poked a hole in my coat, if it were warm out...HMMM. Anyway thanks for the feedback and to those that PM'd me.

As far as Varget, i don't know, I'm treating it as a 308 but using midrange burn rate for faster gas production. Out of BL2C, H135 and Varget, varget was producing good groups and velicity but i'm getting vertical stringing on the 2nd string of 5 rounds. H135 grouped but was slower by 80-100FPS. I'll take the accuracy over velocity anyday. I'm going to try 210M primers next. Got to find the right harmonics.
 
sgmacken said:
You have a 2nd rifle? Use it as your parts gun and just take the bolt and oprod from it. Now you know why Hungry says to buy two.
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And now you know why... if you don't buy TWO, yer #### will fall off! Thank the good lord you are safe. And yes, all the literature sez, "Always load from the magazine to prevent slam fires." :eek:

Bolts and op rods and all Norc parts often come up for sale in the EE Forums. No kidding. I've posted lots and lots of spare Norinco-Plinko parts from previous builds....

Glad you are safe!

Barney
 
I was surprised at the responses that spares were available... I was expecting to be suffering over this. I'm still in question about headspace with a different bolt and I understand it, however if headspace is off the barrel will have to be refitted won't it, as the indexing for the feedramps will be off?
 
SUB MOA said:
I was surprised at the responses that spares were available... I was expecting to be suffering over this. I'm still in question about headspace with a different bolt and I understand it, however if headspace is off the barrel will have to be refitted won't it, as the indexing for the feedramps will be off?
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The barrel is always screwed into the receiver to a single position that correctly aligns the feed ramps, gas tap, front sight, etc.. If there is a lack of headspace owing to the new bolt, that won't be changed or affected. I suspect you'll either have to cut the chamber deeper or make some slight change to the bolt lugs / and or receiver lugs. Hopefully none of the above are required.
 
Hungry said:
And now you know why... if you don't buy TWO, yer #### will fall off! Thank the good lord you are safe. And yes, all the literature sez, "Always load from the magazine to prevent slam fires." :eek:

Bolts and op rods and all Norc parts often come up for sale in the EE Forums. No kidding. I've posted lots and lots of spare Norinco-Plinko parts from previous builds....

Glad you are safe!

Barney
Click to expand...

I've got his back, Barney. Those parts WE took off my Poly (replaced with nice USGI parts!) will be enroute to him next week.
 
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