First firearm with an M1/M14 style action. Springfield M1A socom 16.

Bought new from PSA. Haven't shot it yet. Went to field strip and clean. Immediately noticed it's been shot a bit. In my opinion the carbon build up looked like more than a few rounds for test firing. Then looking down the bore with a bright flashlight I could physically see surface rust all over.

I started running a copper brush with boretech eliminator. Running a handful of wet patches followed up by the brush. I did this for 50 patches before I stopped pulling rust. It's clean now but I can't tell if I have pitting without a borescope.

While I'm new to the M14 I'm no stranger to firearms. Had light surface rust on new guns before but this one is the worst I've had yet.. No rust anywhere but the bore. Curious what the gas system looks like but I've never pulled one apart so I'm not sure how to go about it.

I didn't notice anything when I picked it up from my FFL yesterday but I didn't have a flashlight to check the bore... Part of me knows to call Springfield, other part of me wants it shoot it tomorrow and see how it groups.. Anyone experience this with their Socom 16s?

Edit: Already emailed Springfield for warranty. We'll see how they handle it. Hopefully a new shiny barrel.

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Sorry Driver, I have one, but I didn't even know they were still making them. I wouldn't be very happy with that one. Is there any rust anywhere else, under the stock...?

If I bought that as new, it would be going back.

Nowhere else. Just the bore. Was bought new.

Only time I've seen bore rust like this was an AK that sat after shooting corrosive ammo. Wonder what ammo they used to test fire.

FPNI

Careless fools

When was it manufactured and where has it been since leaving the factory? It could have rusted in some distributors warehouse with poor atmospheric conditions.

Looks like it was manufactured 7-18-22. Just two months ago.

What the heck is THAT?  I've never seen a bore rust like that.


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That was while I was brushing the rust out. I had already brushed and ran quite a few patches prior to this. But the brush kept pulling more rust from the barrel. It was like an old surplus rifle that hadn't been cleaned in decades.


Springfield rep got ahold of me today. Sent me an RMA. Said this is the first report they've had of a rusty bore on their M1A rifles. He said they will replace the barrel and look into possible root causes. He said it likely left their possession in that condition. I'm going to mark the barrel under the handguard to make sure they actually swap it.

Maybe they had a bad spec'd run of their carbon steel? It should not have rusted like that, that fast. Especially since the rest of the gun is fine.

Sometimes shit happens.

Sounds like SA is doing the right thing to figure out the issue and take care of you.

One question though. I sold my M1A years ago, but seems like I recall it had a chrome-lined barrel. That’s not a thing anymore?

Glad to hear that they are handling this. I honestly didn't think there would be any problems.

I know they are saying it was just manufactured, but maybe from old stock.

btw, mine is over 15 yrs old but no chrome.

They ran out if GI barrels years ago.  They’re all unlined now.  They should probably nitride.

They have not CL-ed barrels or I have not ever seen one that was.

They used to use USGI chrome lined barrels, the Reese family was a surplus business before they acquired Springfield and had tons of parts.  They ran out of barrels sometime around 2004.

If they use compressed air to blow out barrels or clean after testing, they could’ve contaminated the barrel with condensate unless they pre-filter the air lines.  Perhaps they didn’t lube the bore after testing either.

I had one come back from them with a rusty piston tube once. Couldn’t get the piston to drop free without knocking it out.  They replaced the gas cylinder.

Springfield emailed me yesterday. They replaced the barrel and it will be in the mail on Monday. No elaboration on why it happened.


But I'll be excited to get it back.

Good customer service

I wonder if the distributor or dealer shot corrosive with it.

There was some Norinco ammo many years ago, marked "non corrosive" but was.

.

My brand new M1A standard had the dirtiest bore I had ever seen.  Took about 40 patches to come clean with brushing in between.

That was my thoughts.  Employee played rambo with the cheapest ammo.

I would hope even in an ammo scarcity the manufacturer wouldn’t use corrosive ammo for test firing.  If they knowingly were they may have failed to clean it sufficiently for corrosive.


If the factory said it probably left there like it then maybe they were reduced to using corrosive to test fire with.  Oops for failing to neutralize the corrosive salts.

Got the rifle back. Brand new barrel. Rattle canned and threw an aimpoint in it. See how it shoots tomorrow.

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How did it shoot?

I like it

About 2 moa with sierra match king, would have been 1.5 if it weren't for a flyer. I can live with that, about as good as I can do with a red dot anyways.

Blast to shoot though. Makes me want to get another already.