I am aware of at least one low number failure in the last ~10 years. The guy posts a "Buckshot" on the Cast Bullet board. He has some good pictures. Probable cause was double charge of 4198 behind a 220 grain cast bullet.

I sold my low number RIA a few years ago. I did shoot it occasionally, but made a point to shoot Krag-equivalent loads that could not be double charged. YMMV .....

Resp'y,
Bob S.

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USN Distinguished Marksman No. O-067

It's REAL, it's wood and steel!

Three shots isn't a "group". At best, it's a fortuitous accident.

Good point Bob S;
knowing it was someones reload mistake makes it a little easier to understand and accept. At least for me..

I have an early SA, in the 490K range. I shot 15 rounds through it today, to try and resuscitate the bore. Bullets hitting sideways at 50 yards was the result. And a scatter pattern you'd expect from 00 buckshot at that range.

And I plan to rebarrel my Low Number SA. The receiver had been drilled and tapped for a conventional scope, and the drill marks are clean and perfect, not showing any problems with the receiver's heat treatment.

Am I making a mistake, thinking that if the steel drills well, it should be strong enough to shoot M2 ball?

No firestorm, please.

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M1 Garands
M1 Carbines
M1911A1