Round count M1A

geetarman · October 1, 2010, 02:13 PM

Folks,

I was at the range this morning and a fairly young guy showed up with two full auto rifles and an M1A.

His M1A really caught my interest as I have one but mine is rather stock and the one this guy had was suppressed.

I was talking to him and casually asked him how many rounds he had run through the gun. He told me he bought the basic rifle 19 years ago and had run 50,000 rounds through it. I asked him how many barrels he had put on the rifle and he said he was running the original. Is that possible?

He volunteered the 9mm full auto he brought had almost a million rounds through it.

I have to say these guns looked REALLY cherry. All three of them were perfect.

The full autos were in .223 and 9mm and the M1A was a .308. All were suppressed.

What do you folks think? BS or no?

Geetarman

nbkky71 · October 1, 2010, 02:55 PM

Well, it's certainly possible to run that many rounds through a barrel. How accurate it would be is a mystery... I'd be curious to see what the throat erosion value was on that barrel!

I believe that USGI barrels had a life span of 15,000 rounds. The life of the reciver should be in the hundreds of thousands of rounds.

precision_shooter · October 1, 2010, 03:46 PM

Well assuming he reloads:

Lets say he can reload for around $0.40 per round.

That's $20,000 worth of reloading components for the 19 years and 50 thousand rounds.

Or about $1,052.63 each year just to feed the .308.

That's shooting 2,631.5 rounds per year.

I'd say it's feasable that it's seen 50,000 rounds over 19 years.

geetarman · October 1, 2010, 04:28 PM

He does not reload. He asked me if I shot reloads and said he was thinking about getting into it.

It just seemed to me like a whole lot of shooting. For that kind of round count, I would have expected to see some obvious signs of wear.

I asked him about that. The rifles looked better than new.

He told me he is VERY particular about taking care of his guns. Maybe that is what helps get that kind of mileage. . .

Geetarman

10-96 · October 1, 2010, 05:20 PM

... And I'd be willing to bet that if he were selling those arms- the round count would be MUCH lower.

**44 AMP** · October 2, 2010, 12:42 PM

I had a nice long post all set, then the kitten walked on my keyboard, and poof!

I'll just call BS, unless his groups were the size of a chevy. Then it could be 50k on the original barrel!

Mals9 · October 2, 2010, 12:55 PM

And that is one more reason not to have a cat.

Mals

Jimro · October 2, 2010, 12:56 PM

A 308, even with a chromed bore, doesn't last much beyond 25k before accuracy is completely unacceptable.

Jimro

austinjking · October 2, 2010, 04:26 PM

I call bulls. Simply affording that many rounds for not just the M1A but two full autos to which he claims a million rounds would be ridiculous for a normal budget. The F/A-18 20mm Vulcan gun system does not go more than 30,000 w/out a depot overhaul. 50k with one barrel, no way.

Ozzieman · October 3, 2010, 06:38 AM

I would have to say BS also, the reasio
Y88-y4yqthqg68 [qio75 h[oqwy 2
Sorry about that fowl language Mals9, the two cats setting on my computer bench read what you wrote and butted in.

geetarman · October 3, 2010, 06:43 AM

Ozzieman,

Heh heh heh. I have "Samantha" who tries to help me type. She is no good at it!

Geetarman

madcratebuilder · October 3, 2010, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10-96

... And I'd be willing to bet that if he were selling those arms- the round count would be MUCH lower.

+1000

Sounds like a case of youthful exaggeration to me.

The serious target shooters I converse with figure a barrel is done at 5k rounds.

**44 AMP** · October 3, 2010, 11:11 AM

Quote:

The serious target shooters I converse with figure a barrel is done at 5k rounds.

Bingo! And for target work, absolutly reasonable. Big game barrels might go twice that, more or less before wearing to the point of "just not good enough".

A .38 cal pistol shooting lead (and how much strain is that compared to a rifle) will be grouping badly by 30,000, usually. Some may go more, but between 30-40k its worn out.

50,000 rnds of .308 from his M1A on the original barrel? I just don't think so.

10-96 · October 3, 2010, 05:08 PM

44 AMP,
If the guy who owns these firearms shows up, will this thread get moved to the Shotgun section? (That thing's gotta be close to being a smoothbore by now!

)

SadistAssassin · October 6, 2010, 10:47 PM

don't suppressed weapon use low velocity ammo? maybe this is the reason the original parts are still good.

Tucker 1371 · October 6, 2010, 10:59 PM

BS on all of it. The M1A is slightly believable but 1 million through the f/a 9mm is total bull.

Dr. Strangelove · October 6, 2010, 11:05 PM

Quote:

And that is one more reason not to have a cat.

Mals

My cat also has more than a million rounds on his 9mm full auto, and he is not amused...

kraigwy · October 6, 2010, 11:14 PM

I've been shooting my M1A since 1977, and I mean shooting. I shot for the NG until '92, untold matches and practice sessions. The Guard paid for most of my ammo until I got out.

I really can't tell you how many rounds, but I can tell you I'm on my 4th barrel.

The gun will hold up for 50K plus, but accuracy wont.

My M1A was originally a Standard that came with a NM barrel. After it went south, the gun was turned into a Super Match by none other the Gene Barnett (Barnett Barrels). Except for having it converted to a super match, replacing barrels and stretched out slings, all the parts are original. Serial # 068XX.

I just don't see 50K with any type of rifling at all.

Ozzieman · October 8, 2010, 01:05 PM

I'm not impressed Dr. Strangelove.
This is our cat after 13,346 rounds through a 45/70 in one afternoon.

Dr. Strangelove · October 8, 2010, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozzieman

I'm not impressed Dr. Strangelove.
This is our cat after 13,346 rounds through a 45/70 in one afternoon.

Average Joe · October 9, 2010, 03:58 PM

After 50,000 rounds, I'd be worn out !

October 1, 2010, 02:13 PM	#1
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	Round count M1A Folks, I was at the range this morning and a fairly young guy showed up with two full auto rifles and an M1A. His M1A really caught my interest as I have one but mine is rather stock and the one this guy had was suppressed. I was talking to him and casually asked him how many rounds he had run through the gun. He told me he bought the basic rifle 19 years ago and had run 50,000 rounds through it. I asked him how many barrels he had put on the rifle and he said he was running the original. Is that possible? He volunteered the 9mm full auto he brought had almost a million rounds through it. I have to say these guns looked REALLY cherry. All three of them were perfect. The full autos were in .223 and 9mm and the M1A was a .308. All were suppressed. What do you folks think? BS or no? Geetarman

October 1, 2010, 03:46 PM	#3
precision_shooter Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 2,475	Well assuming he reloads: Lets say he can reload for around $0.40 per round. That's $20,000 worth of reloading components for the 19 years and 50 thousand rounds. Or about $1,052.63 each year just to feed the .308. That's shooting 2,631.5 rounds per year. I'd say it's feasable that it's seen 50,000 rounds over 19 years. __________________ "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." - Thomas Jefferson, 1776

October 1, 2010, 05:20 PM	#5
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,160	... And I'd be willing to bet that if he were selling those arms- the round count would be MUCH lower. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

October 2, 2010, 12:42 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,846	I had a nice long post all set, then the kitten walked on my keyboard, and poof! I'll just call BS, unless his groups were the size of a chevy. Then it could be 50k on the original barrel! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 2, 2010, 12:56 PM	#8
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	A 308, even with a chromed bore, doesn't last much beyond 25k before accuracy is completely unacceptable. Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

October 1, 2010, 02:55 PM	#2
nbkky71 Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Location: Davidson, NC Posts: 417	Well, it's certainly possible to run that many rounds through a barrel. How accurate it would be is a mystery... I'd be curious to see what the throat erosion value was on that barrel! I believe that USGI barrels had a life span of 15,000 rounds. The life of the reciver should be in the hundreds of thousands of rounds.

October 1, 2010, 04:28 PM	#4
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	He does not reload. He asked me if I shot reloads and said he was thinking about getting into it. It just seemed to me like a whole lot of shooting. For that kind of round count, I would have expected to see some obvious signs of wear. I asked him about that. The rifles looked better than new. He told me he is VERY particular about taking care of his guns. Maybe that is what helps get that kind of mileage. . . Geetarman

October 2, 2010, 12:55 PM	#7
Mals9 Member Join Date: May 16, 2010 Posts: 53	And that is one more reason not to have a cat. Mals

October 2, 2010, 04:26 PM	#9
austinjking Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2009 Location: MCAS Beaufort, SC... for now Posts: 404	I call bulls. Simply affording that many rounds for not just the M1A but two full autos to which he claims a million rounds would be ridiculous for a normal budget. The F/A-18 20mm Vulcan gun system does not go more than 30,000 w/out a depot overhaul. 50k with one barrel, no way. __________________ Death smiles at everyone- Marines smile back IYAOYAS! Ruger 10/22 Springfield M1A Springfield XD Century Arms WASR-10 American Tactical GSG-5 Colt 1903 Remington 700SPS Tactical Glock 19 Gen 4

October 3, 2010, 06:38 AM	#10
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I would have to say BS also, the reasio Y88-y4yqthqg68 [qio75 h[oqwy 2 Sorry about that fowl language Mals9, the two cats setting on my computer bench read what you wrote and butted in.

October 3, 2010, 06:43 AM	#11
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	Ozzieman, Heh heh heh. I have "Samantha" who tries to help me type. She is no good at it! Geetarman

October 3, 2010, 05:08 PM	#14
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,160	44 AMP, If the guy who owns these firearms shows up, will this thread get moved to the Shotgun section? (That thing's gotta be close to being a smoothbore by now! ) __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

October 6, 2010, 10:47 PM	#15
SadistAssassin Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2010 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 219	don't suppressed weapon use low velocity ammo? maybe this is the reason the original parts are still good.

October 6, 2010, 10:59 PM	#16
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 2,649	BS on all of it. The M1A is slightly believable but 1 million through the f/a 9mm is total bull. __________________ Sgt. of Marines, 5th Award Expert Rifle, 237/250 Expert Pistol, 382/400. D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! If you start a thread, be active in it. Don't leave us hanging. OEF 2011 Sangin, Afg. Molon Labe

October 6, 2010, 11:14 PM	#18
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	I've been shooting my M1A since 1977, and I mean shooting. I shot for the NG until '92, untold matches and practice sessions. The Guard paid for most of my ammo until I got out. I really can't tell you how many rounds, but I can tell you I'm on my 4th barrel. The gun will hold up for 50K plus, but accuracy wont. My M1A was originally a Standard that came with a NM barrel. After it went south, the gun was turned into a Super Match by none other the Gene Barnett (Barnett Barrels). Except for having it converted to a super match, replacing barrels and stretched out slings, all the parts are original. Serial # 068XX. I just don't see 50K with any type of rifling at all. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

October 8, 2010, 01:05 PM	#19
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I'm not impressed Dr. Strangelove. This is our cat after 13,346 rounds through a 45/70 in one afternoon. Last edited by Ozzieman; October 3, 2012 at 04:15 PM.

October 9, 2010, 03:58 PM	#21
Average Joe Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 2005 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,325	After 50,000 rounds, I'd be worn out !