.308 Garands and Slam Fires

[JJ45]

Is it true that an M1 Garand chambered in .308 or X51 Nato is more prone to slam fires than a 30-06 Garand?

If so, why?

[bamaranger]

I've not heard that,and would be guessing at any explanation if it is indeed the case.

Slamfires have multiple, and sometimes combined factors for their occurrence.
We will hear from others on this I am sure.

[Erno86]

The German riot control 308 plastic round, that sports a ten grain plastic bullet...is very prone to slam fires; because of the soft metallic primer. Firing that round will not cycle the action.

May I suggest sticking with the harder mill spec primers, for curio relic military rifles; though I would still be careful...while manually cycling a single round into the chamber.

[Orlando]

whoever told you this does not know what they are talking about. A slamfire of any caliber garand is a very rare occurance

[JJ45]

Orlando, glad to hear it's probably BS

Been thinking of a conversion but not completely determined yet

The main reason is ammo. I reload for a number of calibers but mostly hunting rifle and handguns....I don't for the M1 and high quality practice ammo in .308 is more available and cheaper.

[bfoosh006]

It is true. ... and nothing I would want to experience.

Perhaps not routine... but once would be enough, right ?

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=350311

[Reloadron]

That's nonsense and if you want a Garand chambered in .308 Winchester then by all means go for it. I have one chambered in 7mm-08 and it is a pleasure to shoot, not that the 30-06 isn't. What I need is just a receiver and I have everything to build one in 308.

Ron

[1stmar]

Resize your brass properly you should be fine. Caliber should not matter.

[lordmorgul]

Ammo of any centerfire caliber with proud (above flush) primers is a likely slam fire in any firearm. Check, ream, and clean primer cups to 4-6 mil (0.004” to 0.006”) sub-flush and check loaded ammo.


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Andrew - Lancaster, CA
NRA Life Member, SAF / CRPA / FPC member and supporter, USCCA Member

[riffraff]

It's interesting - reading this post I just figured out why my .308 M&P 10 had a spring on the firing pin. First time I took it apart to clean it was a little perplexed by the extra spring, I guess it's slam fire prevention.

[agtman]

Orlando, glad to hear it's probably BS
Been thinking of a conversion but not completely determined yet
The main reason is ammo. I reload for a number of calibers but mostly hunting rifle and handguns....I don't for the M1 and high quality practice ammo in .308 is more available and cheaper.

I suppose it's wise to 'Never say never,' ... but Orlando's right.

You hear people say they've 'heard' about slam-fires with Garands, but have they ever actually seen one? Sorta like an urban myth handed-down over the years.

FWIW, I own and shoot several 7.62/.308 M1s, which includes a 'Tanker' (18") model, and a slam-fire has never happened in any of them in over a few thousand rds - not with mil-surp, commercial ammo, or handloads.

My M1 'smith once remarked that soft primers in some types of '06 hunting ammo were suseptible to slam-fire ignition, but he'd never heard of it with M2 ball or its commercial equivalent.

[johnwilliamson062]

Slam fires with garand are rare when loading from the clip. It is an issue if you drop a round in the chamber and then drop the bolt. I dont see how 308 would be any worse than 30-06.

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[T. O'Heir]

No. Slam fires are caused by improperly loaded ammo(usually high primers), not the cartridge or the rifle.
"...M&P 10 had a spring..." Lots of rifles have firing pin springs.

[johnwilliamson062]

Old thread on the issue
Post 15

Post 18
More in there.
It is an issue with the M1 Garand.

Stripping the round out of the clip slows the bolt. If you load one directly in the chamber it is moving faster when it comes to rest and the firing pin has more energy.
Improper reloading, soft "civilian" primers, other things can factor into it, but loading one directly in the chamber and letting the bolt fly home is an issue. That is why the sleds are a viable commercial product used by the competitor who know the weapons best.

I was very happy to dig up that old thread as I saw a post from a member I had forgotten, AZredhawk. I remember he used to contribute quite a bit of good information to the discussion around here.

[bamaranger]

I don't know that I would call a slamfire a "rare" occurance. I've heard accounts of slams up and down the firing line, back in the day when the Garand was used in competition, with certain lots of ammo. And there is more than one blown Garand out there from an out of battery round.

[AK103K]

whoever told you this does not know what they are talking about. A slamfire of any caliber garand is a very rare occurance

They arent, or at least, werent, all that rare. Ive had a couple, and one was catastrophic. I have a nice "L" shaped scar in the palm of my right hand from it where the op rod handle got me, and I lost hearing in my right ear over it.

I suppose it's wise to 'Never say never,'

It is. Pays to treat things with the utmost respect, and not get cocky too.

No. Slam fires are caused by improperly loaded ammo(usually high primers), not the cartridge or the rifle.

Slamfires can occur for various reasons, not just the ammo. The slamfire that turned my Garand into a grenade was using a lot of DCM LC 69 "issue" ammo at the time, and I wasnt the only one shooting it. My gun was the only one amongst the dozen or so shooters with the problem though, and it had a couple of slamfires during the rapid fire strings prior to the detonation. At the time, I thought the gun (a new to me DCM gun) was doubling due to me maybe milking the trigger. Didnt realize what was happening until the brass was recovered later, and the necks on a couple of pieces were blown out. The round that detonated went while single loading, without a SLED.


Ive had a number of Garands, one in .308, the rest in 30-06. Up until that first DCM gun coming apart, I didnt use a SLED when loading singly. I do now. We were taught back in the early 60's to pop a round in the chamber and let the bolt go. Pretty much everyone I shot with at the time was doing the same thing. Most people I know still shooting them now use a SLED whe loading singly.

The M1's are good, strong guns, but they arent perfect, and if you own one, you should be aware of their quirks.

If you reload for them, pay close attention and use proper loading procedures and components for them. Pretty much the same goes for the M14/M1A's as well.

My biggest worry with the gun in .308 was other people around who might not realize that it was different. Unless youre paying attention, its not hard to misidentify .308 and 30-06 loaded in clips, or even loose ammo. Id be more worried about someone dropping a clip of .308 into a 30-06 gun, than the reverse.

[johnwilliamson062]

The M1's are good, strong guns, but they arent perfect, and if you own one, you should be aware of their quirks.

Very true. I would say it is true of almost every design out there.

[Logs]

I had a National Ord 308 Garand and never had a slam fire. I have only had one slam fire out of my 30.06 in 10 years.

[johnwilliamson062]

I have only had one slam fire out of my 30.06 in 10 years.

I wouldn't consider one acceptable.
I have never had one personally.
I still took the recommended precautions when shooting mine before selling it.