jgd@gatech.edu (John G. DeArmond) (06/22/91)
From: emory!Dixie.Com!jgd@gatech.edu (John G. DeArmond)
Since 1982 I have owned a match grade M1A1 that I had custom
built by Springfield Armory. Recently I had a house fire and
this weapon was slightly rust damaged by smoke. I took the gun
to who I had heard was a good gunsmith (Ed's Gun and Tackle in
Marietta for local folks) to have it re-parkerized and cleaned
up. They have in my opinion destroyed the gun. I'll outline the
damage in a moment. I've taken the gun to a military weapons
specialist who is trying to salvage it. Meanwhile it looks like
things will get nasty with Ed's as he refuses to acknowledge
that they did anything wrong.
Here's what we've found so far:
* Trigger group was sandblasted (not beadblasted) an dipped in the
Parkerization process intact. The sear surface had sand embedded
in it and sand was between the hammer and group frame.
* Barrel and receiver was sandblasted and parkerized inside and out,
apparently with the gas cylinder still in place, as it was corroded
to the barrel.
* Bore loaded with rust and sand.
* Interior of gas cylinder has been sandblasted.
* The match sight assembly was full of sand and the threads have
been damaged by the blasting.
* The Parkerization process was not stopped (ie, given the oil bath.)
so the finish is chalked with chemical crystals.
* No oil had been applied to any surface on the gun.
* The bolt assembly was apparently blasted and parkerized as an assembly
and not cleaned afterward.
I'm looking for qualified opinions (preferably from some
gunsmiths or armorers in the group) regarding these facts. I
know, of course that leaving sand and chemical residue is
terrible. What I want to know is:
* Is it considered standard practice to parkerize the bore and chamber
of this weapon?
* Is it considered standard practice to sandblast gun parts instead of
bead blasting? The finish now has a specular surface similiar to the
texture of reflected laser light.
* Has the gas cylinder been damaged by being sandblasted?
* Has the bolt been damaged beyond use by the sandblasting and
parkerization? The bolt roller wheel was initially locked by
sand. We managed to work it loose with a brass drift and an
air hose but it is still somewhat gritty.
* I have the standard GI manual on the M1A1 and know the GI maintenance
procedure. It is in anyway conceivable to assemble a gun with
completely dry surfaces and present it as ready to shoot.
I have the opinion of my gunsmith and I of course, have my opinion as a
competitor but neither of us have the background to know what the
accepted military practice for this weapon would be. Is there a mil-spec
on the gun? (obvious answer) And what is the mil-spec on the parkerization
process.
Any help would be appreciated. My baby's been raped and I'm out for
blood!
Thanks in advance,
John
--
John De Armond, WD4OQC | "Purveyors of speed to the Trade" (tm)
Rapid Deployment System, Inc. | Home of the Nidgets (tm)
Marietta, Ga |
{emory,uunet}!rsiatl!jgd | "Vote early, Vote often"scw@ollie.SEAS.UCLA.EDU (Stephen C. Woods) (06/25/91)
From: scw@ollie.SEAS.UCLA.EDU (Stephen C. Woods) My qualifications: I was an infantrayman (Marines) and a marksmanship instructor (also USMC, at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego [it's actually on MCB Camp Pendelton CA but...]). I was armed with the M-14, and I am fairly familiar with this weapon. <scw> In article <1991Jun22.040547.357@cbnews.cb.att.com> you write: >I'm looking for qualified opinions (preferably from some >gunsmiths or armorers in the group) regarding these facts. I >know, of course that leaving sand and chemical residue is >terrible. What I want to know is: > >* Is it considered standard practice to parkerize the bore and chamber > of this weapon? Good grief no, these are supposed to be smooth, and are manifactured to a VERY close set of tollerances. I suspect that you will be unable to chamber a maixmum size round, and I' sure that your weapon wil fail to extract a fired round. >* Is it considered standard practice to sandblast gun parts instead of > bead blasting? Hmm... Sorry, this is a question for gunsmith specialists. personally I wouldn't sand blast ANYTHING. >* Has the gas cylinder been damaged by being sandblasted? DESTROYED. The cas cylinder (and the piston) are assembeled as a unit, I recall the Armorers at Edison range commenting that "well it's supposed to be made with interchangable parts, but we find that you have to fit and fiddle to get a reliable, but tight enough fit." >* Has the bolt been damaged beyond use by the sandblasting and > parkerization? The bolt roller wheel was initially locked by > sand. We managed to work it loose with a brass drift and an > air hose but it is still somewhat gritty. This should be OK, disasmenble (completely) as wash throughly wilt cleaning solvent, eventually all of the grit will wash out. >* I have the standard GI manual on the M1A1 and know the GI maintenance > procedure. It is in anyway conceivable to assemble a gun with > completely dry surfaces and present it as ready to shoot. I recall that there are 3 places on the M-14 that must be lubricated, the all involve the fully automatic mode. Personally I'd say that there weapon should have been at least lightly oiled. >I have the opinion of my gunsmith and I of course, have my opinion as a >competitor[...] >Any help would be appreciated. My baby's been raped and I'm out for >blood! SUE the bastard until he bleeds. We don't need incompentant twits like that destroying our rifles. (I'll be that he got his training from that school that Sally Struthers hypes on TV). -- ----- Stephen C. Woods; UCLA SEASNET; 2567 BH;LA CA 90024; (213)-825-8614 UUCP: ...{ibmsupt,ncar!cepu}!ollie}!scw Internet:scw@SEAS.UCLA.EDU