On the reloading board here, on a thread on fluted cases

[da gimp]

a self professed expert named slamfire states that a low numbered 1903 action could be shattered by hitting it with a combination wrench.....................& that Hatcher was in on/aiding a vast cover up by the US Army by issuing his report on them.............Huh? I have never heard of any claim like this............. short of freezing it solid in liquid nitrogen & then hitting it........................I can't see how it could ever happen............

[jgaynor]

Went to the reloading forum and read the original post. One thing is for certain - a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. A TINY percentage of low numbered 03 receivers were overheated or 'burned' in the forging process. Some of those receivers failed when exposed to a sudden, shock load (case head separation, hit with a hammer, dropped on a concrete floor etc.).
Where he goes off the rails is when he starts ranting about greased cartridges. Normally, a 30-06 cartridge exerts about 5000 ft lbs of force on the face of the bolt on ignition. If grease is smeared over the cartridge case the amount of force exerted against the bolt head increases substantially. In some cases the bolt's locking lugs were sheared off. But even in those cases the bolt was retained by the safety lug.

[John Beard]

I believe "shattered" might be a bit of a stretch. Cracked or broken might be a bit more descriptive.

I know of no evidence that Hatcher colluded to hide anything with respect to low number rifle failures.

J.B.

[Southron]

Julian Hatcher was a U.S. Army officer assigned to the Ordnance Department. Not only did he NOT do a "Cover Up" of the Low Number Springfields blowing up, but he made it public and then SOLVED THE PROBLEM by requiring that pyrometers be installed in the heat treating departments at both Rock Island Arsenal but also Springfield Armory.

[Parashooter]

. . . a low numbered 1903 action could be shattered by hitting it with a combination wrench..... I have never heard of any claim like this............. short of freezing it solid in liquid nitrogen & then hitting it........................I can't see how it could ever happen............

Perhaps you will believe what Hatcher presents in his book -

[jgaynor]

Don't even have to buy the book - its available on line as a free, searchable .PDF. See Google.

[BigMo]

A more current (well relatively speaking) is the Rifle Magazine Number 99, May 1985. pge 28.

They shattered several.................

But I agree Hatcher didn't hide anything.

[PhillipM]

As I recall, slamfire had a gun blow up on him once and now is on a crusade to end the use of reloaded ammo in semi auto milsurps and firing of SHT 03's. I think the moniker slamfire1 is the same guy on other forums, but I have never asked.

[da gimp]

thanks para for your post...... I'd never seen those pictures/diagrams sir.

Phil, I always that it was the same one too...........