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so about 2 years ago i bought a 1903 springfield which i have been shooting consistantly since i got it. i recently stumbled upon a bit of information that said any rifle under 800,000 serial # is unsafe to shoot. i checked the number on my riofle and it was 762,XXX. i have been shooting the Federal American Eagle M1 Garand ammunition through it for like i said about 2 years. it appears to have been rebarreled in 1944 with a HS barrel. should i be shooting this thing?
Also, the guy who had it before me used it in competition shooting
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ok first of all welcome to TFL, you will find that we are all like family...dysfunctional... but a family all the same.
ok here's the skinny on low numbered serial numbers. during the early years, springfield was using very primitive methods of manufacturing their rifles, as was the arsenal at rock island. coupled with the poor manufacturing practices the ammunition was also made very poorly especially in the years leading up to and including WWI. when those casings failed they would vent pressure into the receivers instead of down the barrels and the steel would shatter as it was overcooked during heat treating and became brittle. not all the rifles were overcooked, the issue was with workers having to eyeball the metal and pulling it out when it turned the right color but on a bright sunny day the metal had to get hotter for the workers to see the color change. the treatment styles were changed after serial 800,000 at springfield and 285,000 at rock island and not a word was ever uttered again about it.
many of those rifles served through both world wars and never saw a single problem even with being shot so much as to require new bolts, barrels and other replacement parts. however it is impossible to test to see if your gun has been overcooked without risking damage to your receiver and the test itself could damage and make it more prone to fail even if it wasn't to begin with. some of us weigh the risks and decide to continue to shoot mild loads out of our low serials while others vehemently advise against it. James K and Kraigwy are two members here that are against, a couple others strongly take the position that it's internet myths being perpetuated. I am somewhere in the middle. I own a low serial springfield and I shoot it from time to time. I use mild loads and don't do it often but I do shoot it and have never had a problem with it. however it is something that you have to weigh and decide if you are willing to risk personal injury to continue shooting.
also, ever since someone started making a big hullabaloo out of low serials CMP has banned their use in competitions and since most vintage military matches are facilitated by CMP I would probably say you were lied to by the guy that sold it to you.