Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!ukma!dftsrv!mimsy!gatech.edu
From: emory!Dixie.Com!jgd@gatech.edu (John G. DeArmond)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: The RAPE of an M1A1 - Opinions?
Message-ID: <35918@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 21 Jun 91 22:26:56 GMT
Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu
Reply-To: emory!rsiatl!jgd@gatech.edu (John G. DeArmond)
Followup-To: rec.guns
Organization: Dixie Communications, The South's First Commercial Public Access Unix
Lines: 79
Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu


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"

[MODERATOR:  Auch.  The pain, the pain ... :-(  ]