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Radway Green at the range

2K views 21 replies 12 participants last post by  Capt Mullet 
#1 · (Edited)
This was my first time ever shooting a rifle except a few 22's a long time ago. I just cant tell you how much fun that was. It was awesome and I may even go back again this afternoon.

The Radway Green did not perform well at all. Accuracy was good I think but what do I know since I am a rookie. I was amazed at how well I shot the 50 yard target and that also includes several times doing rapid fire. (pic below)

Anyways I brought 125 rounds and 35 rounds did not fire but it did dimple the primer. I tried to reload them in a magazine and fire again but they would not fire. ANy clue on what might be happening?

Also it was 4 to 5 clicks from the bottom to get centered at the 25 yard target and I kept the same for the 50 yard target. probably needed 1 more click to center it. Does that sound about right?

What do I do with the unfired rounds?

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Since I've never had a problem with the RG, its hard to say what's happening. I'm guessing just bad/contaminated primers, since a second try didn't set them off. Not much left to do but pull the components. If you don't reload, get a kinetic bullet puller, chuck the powder in the yard, spray the bottom inside of the case with WD-40 to kill the possibility of a bit of live primer remaining, and sell the bullets. As far as elevation setting goes, that doesn't sound out of the normal range.
 
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#3 ·
Radway Green has a pretty good reputation as being accurate ammo. What's the heelstamp/sealant color on the rounds? Was it still in stripper clips?

I haven't heard of issues like you're describing. Sounds like either a bad batch or some ammo that was poorly stored. Or you got duped. Where did you buy the ammo from?
 
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#4 ·
the color is purple and yes it was still in stripper clips and was stilled sealed air tight when I opened the package

I actually traded a 750 round case with a LEO for a fishing trip.

Also I just looked at all 35 rounds and about 12 or 13 of them did not have a dimple on the primer. I guess I will try to refire them??? but how do I dispose of these other rounds properly?

Maybe I just got unlucky with this purchase of ammo.
 
#5 ·
What year is the ammo? Wondering because I just got a crate in the other day.

Try refiring, I suggest loading one at a time just for the sake of safety. If nothing, pull the bullets, pour the powder in the garden/flowerbed/yard, and toss the brass where you usually do. Keep in mind that purple sealant should be berdan primed, and most people aren't set to reload it. I'd suggest sellin the brass in the PX if that is the case.
 
#7 ·
I was at 6 clicks up from the bottom for a center hold at 50. I still need to re-zero, since I changed my rear sight to a BM59 unit from Treeline. The clicks are a lot more positive on the PB sight, and the markings are nicely done in white so I can see the damn thing.

One thing I did on my M1A was replace the hammer spring with a stronger Tubbs spring. I don't know if that would have helped yours, but it might. Anyway, I would clean everything well, including disassembling the bolt and blasting some gunscrubber through the firing pin channel. Then I would get a couple of boxes of new production ammo, then fire those at the range to see if you get the same fail to fires. It could be a break in issue. I had one fail to fire in the first 100 with Federal 168gr OTM, and saw a lightly dimpled primer. I think it was slightly out of battery. I rechambered the round and it fired normally.

Anyway, clean, grease, and try some different ammo.
 
#9 ·
I was at 6 clicks up from the bottom for a center hold at 50. I still need to re-zero, since I changed my rear sight to a BM59 unit from Treeline. The clicks are a lot more positive on the PB sight, and the markings are nicely done in white so I can see the damn thing.

One thing I did on my M1A was replace the hammer spring with a stronger Tubbs spring. I don't know if that would have helped yours, but it might. Anyway, I would clean everything well, including disassembling the bolt and blasting some gunscrubber through the firing pin channel. Then I would get a couple of boxes of new production ammo, then fire those at the range to see if you get the same fail to fires. It could be a break in issue. I had one fail to fire in the first 100 with Federal 168gr OTM, and saw a lightly dimpled primer. I think it was slightly out of battery. I rechambered the round and it fired normally.

Anyway, clean, grease, and try some different ammo.

FYI: A Tubb C/S spring is not a stronger spring. We have a metallurgist or two here who might chime in but the USGI spring is the "stronger" spring. I run a Tubb C/S Operating spring due to the ability of a C/S spring to withstand sustained high temperatures.
 
#11 ·
How deep are the primer dimples? Compare them to the dimples in fired brass from another centerfire rifle. A longshot, but your firing pin may be a little short or dirty enough to be on the edge of igniting the primer. RG usually goes bang.

If you can post a picture of the cases, one that fired and one that didn't.

Thank you,
Mr.Smith
 
#12 ·
I have fired thousands of rounds of Radway Green military surplus ammunition in the last 12 years. Zero misfires.

British, '84, [ RG ], Berdan, ring crimp with purple primer sealant. (Radway Green)
British, '85, [ RG ], Berdan, ring crimp with purple primer sealant. NATO (+)
British, '90, [ RG ], Boxer, ring crimp with red primer sealant. NATO (+)
British, '93, [ RG ], Berdan, ring crimp with purple primer sealant. NATO (+)
British, '95, [ RG ], Berdan, ring crimp with purple primer sealant. NATO (+)

The only military surplus ammunition I did have a misfire was dirty Belgium surplus!

DI5
 
#13 ·
SHould I take apart my bolt assembly and clean and oil it? I am a little hesitant to do it but I guess I need to learn to do it. It doesnt look that hard on videos

I did not keep any of the ones that shot well so I cant compare unfortunately

Are nicks on the rim of every cartridge normal? also there is a dent and burr, I am guessing from extraction, on every neck of the nonfired cartridges. I assume that is normal but not sure.

It doesnt make sense that 12 of the 35 cartridges had no dent. Could I have some type of problem with my trigger assembly or bolt assembly?
 
#14 ·
When these rifles are new, nicks on the rim and slight dings on the shoulder of chambered but not fired brass, are more or less normal from what I gather here. With those 12 of 35 with no primer hit, it sounds like your gun is still not wanting to go into battery. The reciever bridge prevents a primer strike if the bolt is not rotated all the way into battery.

As far as your bolt, that is up to you. I took mine apart when new to install GI bolt guts. I remove the action from the stock, get a 30-06 case, put the case in the chamber, then ease the bolt forward until the extractor snaps over the rim which also in turn compresses the ejector spring. My SAI extractor easily tapped out with a 5/32 brass punch from the bottom. The problem comes when some of them wont come out. You have to hit harder and as a result, destroy your extractor spring. Of course, once that is out, the firing pin and ejector are free when you pull the bolt back. Putting everything back together is the reverse. This is the best way, since the rifle holds everything together, and the force of the recoil spring is compressing the ejector. Tony Ben demonstrates this in his videos.

ETA, I suggested the bolt disassembly because something might be screwed up with the firing pin and its channel, I don't know. But if the firing pin is moving freely, maybe that is unlikely.
 
#18 ·
Just my 2 cents

Shot plenty of RG (Radway Green) always went bang
not the most accurate, but consistant!
Has the NATO cross, so when switching out to other NATO spec
cartridges, the sight settings remain prety much the same



Bob R
 
#20 ·
Definitely not wanting to send this thing back to Springfield especially with the expertise available on this site and the fun of learning how to repair diagnose and understand the complexities and issues that I may encounter in the future.

After spending lots of time reading about these issues and typical issues with the new SAI rifles it seems to me that I should purchase a USGI bolt guts assembly and replace it all and then I should have my problem fixed and that will also fix any problems or issues that I may have had with extraction in the future.

If for some chance that doesnt stop the problem then I have also read where the hammer could have an issue. If that is the case I will send it back to springfield
 
#21 ·
I got my bolt guts from Treeline, and got my PB hammer there too. Randy is fast and reliable, which is very rare these days as I have learned from certain other vendors. If you do get those GI parts, make sure you keep the SAI parts so you can put them back if you send the rifle back for warrantee work. SAI might decide to swap out your bolt or trigger group while fixing your problem, then you just lost your GI parts.
 
#22 ·
Thanks Diablo gato

Just ordered a USGI bolt gut assembly kit from treeline

I think this should solve the problem a lot quicker than spending money on shipping it back to springfield and then waiting who knows how long for them to fix and send it back.

You have been a huge help Thanks a bunch!!!
 
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