Manual

If there is a cartridge in the chamber, remove the magazine and release the operating rod handle smartly and open the bolt

again. If the cartridge continues to remain in the chamber pull the operating rod handle back and lock it open. Point

the gun in a safe direction and insert a cleaning rod in the muzzle. Keeping your hands away from the muzzle, tap the

cartridge until it comes out. Check the extractor and clean the chamber. If this problem repeats itself, unload the gun and

take it to a gunsmith for inspection and repair. Do not use the gun if this problem persists. Safely dispose of the cartridge.

If an unfired cartridge is ejected, unload the gun and inspect the primer on the cartridge. If there is a small or faint

indentation, the bolt may not have been fully closed. If the primer mark is deeply indented the primer is defective. Both

cartridges should be safely discarded. Reload the magazine and chamber a cartridge. Check the bolt to see if it is

fully closed. If not, unload the gun and inspect the ammunition and chamber to see if they are clean. A dirty chamber

or deformed ammunition will prevent the bolt from properly closing. Properly loading the first cartridge from the magazine

requires you to properly insert the magazine and to pull the operating rod handle back fully and release it smartly to

allow the bolt to slam

forward and strip the cartridge from the top of the magazine. If the bolt continues to not close

fully, try a different

magazine. Take the gun to a competent gunsmith if the problem continues.

If a cartridge is ejected without the bullet

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RELOAD THE GUN UNTIL YOU HAVE LOOKED DOWN

THE BARREL AND DETERMINED THAT THE BARREL IS FREE FROM OBSTRUCTION.

A bullet stuck somewhere

in the

barrel will cause the gun to explode if another shell is fired. You can only remove a bullet stuck in the barrel by pushing

it out with a wooden dowel or cleaning rod. Do not try to remove the bullet any other way.

Always load the M1A from the magazine. Laying a shell on the magazine without placing it in the magazine or by

placing the shell directly in the chamber allows the bolt to slam forward harder than it would if the shell had to be

stripped from the magazine. When this occurs the inertia firing pin can come in contact with the cartridge primer with

sufficient force to cause a "slam fire". A "slam fire" can occur even if you are not pulling the trigger and even if the

safety is on. The use of handloads increase the chance of a "slam fire" and should not be used. When releasing the

bolt to place a cartridge in the chamber you should always hold the gun firmly and keep it pointed in a safe direction.