Norinco M14 Blew Up

gnmontey said:
Is the barrel obstructed or bulged?

Seems to me that that kind of separation happened to some one else not long ago.
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It happened on a Springfield M1A about 2 years ago the barrel had problems with the metalurical make up of the barrel. Springfield replaced the barrel and bolt AFIK the owner is still shooting the rifle.
 
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You can see the corner that is busted off and the missing extractor. I'm done with playing with these things, those that aren't can do what they want. Being that I'm not hurt its kind of funny, and I'm not interested in any sort of warranty. I really don't think that I had a case failure or I would have a face full of brass.
 
Sorry to hear about your norc. It would be great if you were able to gather as much info as you can, both about the other cartridges in your batch of reloads and about your rifle. Pics tell lots.

I also shoot 45gr IMR 4895 in my M14 (actually, all my 308's) and I've never had a problem. I have, however, worked up to this load, and when reloading I double check everything.
 
Is there any damage to the right rear lug on the bolt? From the damage to the receiver's right lug recess it looks to me like the round went off with the bolt engaged only about half way.

My experience with case failure is that the round will fire just fine, cycle but only eject the rear portion of the case leaving the rest of it stuck in the chamber. Most of the case-head separations I've seen happened where the case wall meets the head of the case. As such when it happens there is little chance of a second round being chambered to the point where the hammer could ever engage the firing pin let alone to the degree the bolt would close to the extent it looks like this one did.

My vote goes to out-of-battery detonation, caused by either a high primer, seized firing pin, or hammer follow.

Would you be able to post photographs of the right bolt lug and the firing pin (specifically the tang and the firing nipple)??

Brobee

edited to add: It would also be good to ask if the round was loaded by putting the round into the chamber and then letting the bolt fly home. If there is ever a probability of someone loading the gun this way then I agree that CCI#34 NATO Spec Large Rifle Primers, if not then I don't think they are necessary and have many many many thousands of rounds of CCI Standard Large Rifle, Winchester Large Rifle, and CCI Large Rifle Benchrest though my many M14 type rifles with no incidend (other than high primer scares).
 
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Brobee said:
I have personally rebuilt more than 2 dozen of these things and there are many things to watch out for, some of which can result in seriously unsafe guns (ie: replacing the factory stock with a USGI one that results in hammer-follow, or reloading with slightly high primers)

Sorry for the rant...the design of these guns though is such that tinkering/reloading can be more dangerous than it usually is if you are tinkering or loading for your bolt gun. Maybe we should put together a sticky on safety issues with the M14/M1A/M305 design....if I get some time over the next week I'll maybe start such a thread. Brobee
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I'm about to fit a GI fibreglass stock to mine. This is the first I've heard of the hammer follow through issue. Is there a testing procedure that I can follow to set up the trigger group to avoid hammer follow through?
 
Brobee said:
Is there any damage to the right rear lug on the bolt? From the damage to the receiver's right lug recess it looks to me like the round went off with the bolt engaged only about half way.

My experience with case failure is that the round will fire just fine, cycle but only eject the rear portion of the case leaving the rest of it stuck in the chamber. Most of the case-head separations I've seen happened where the case wall meets the head of the case. As such when it happens there is little chance of a second round being chambered to the point where the hammer could ever engage the firing pin let alone to the degree the bolt would close to the extent it looks like this one did.

My vote goes to out-of-battery detonation, caused by either a high primer, seized firing pin, or hammer follow.

Would you be able to post photographs of the right bolt lug and the firing pin (specifically the tang and the firing nipple)??

Brobee

edited to add: It would also be good to ask if the round was loaded by putting the round into the chamber and then letting the bolt fly home. If there is ever a probability of someone loading the gun this way then I agree that CCI#34 NATO Spec Large Rifle Primers, if not then I don't think they are necessary and have many many many thousands of rounds of CCI Standard Large Rifle, Winchester Large Rifle, and CCI Large Rifle Benchrest though my many M14 type rifles with no incidend (other than high primer scares).
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Any chance you still have the pictures from this post on the test-after-assembly thread ?

The fix is pretty easy for the most part....the issue stems from dimensional differences in the stock that effect the trigger group/receiver spacing relationship. In 95% of the guns I have seen exhibiting this problem, fixng it involves milling/sanding out a small amount of material from the ledge on the bottom of the stock where the back end of the trigger group sits. The following photographs are of a SAGE stock, however it is no different on a USGI or wooden one:

Before:


After:


For your rifle to be safe, the disconnector in your trigger group MUST catch the hammer when the trigger is fully depressed while the action cycles:



Good luck...

Brobee
 
Scarecrow said:
I love how all the kabooms are always magically with reloads.
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And what a strange coincidence that now 3 people who have blown up their Norincos have posted in the same thread.....I dont' really believe in coincidences.

Why dont' we ask Dogleg how many other guns he has blown up with his reloads.....
 
Well this thread just convinced me. This type of rifle sounds way too complicated and sensitive to too many factors. 7.62 instead of .308 head space issues, special milspec harder pirmers, must use 150 grain bullets not 180's, firing pins jamming and giving out of battery firing, stock changes causing safety issues, etc.

What a piece of junk! Any old Remington or Browning semi auto is worlds better than these so called military wonders!
 
#1bcshooter said:
Are you sure it wasn't 90 grains ?
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Have you ever tried to cram 90 grains in a .308 case!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But could be also wrong( faster burning )powder and /or many other causes.

Nice to say that reloading is economical and not complex and more accurate.

It can be all true but not necessarily on first try.

YMMV depending on your experience and involvement.

BB
 
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