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Oops, I snapped my rifle!

Acorn

Acorn

Operator
Hi folks,

I just came across this forum. I look forward to reading all the posts!

I once owned a Springfield Armoury M1A rifle many years ago and loved it.

Sadly, all I have now is a paperweight and a reminder of just how lucky I was on the day it in broke, 02 Dec 88.

I originally bought my M1A in 1978/79. The serial number of my rifle was 010xxx. I really loved that rifle!

On the fateful day I broke my Springfield M1A, I was driving across the Nullarbor on my way home to Perth, Western Australia for Christmas leave. I was a soldier at the time and I had set out from Toowoomba in Queensland so was about 3 days into a 5 day journey.

Travelling West, just past Poochera in South Australia, I lost control of my vehicle and went off the road. My car went down an embankment and tumbled end over end 3 1/2 times! Whoa, what an experience! I remember that time seemed to slow down incredibly as my car rolled over and over. My car came to rest upside down and remarkably, I was without injury sans a few scratches.

Unfortunately my Springfield M1A didn’t survive. The action snapped through the middle (see pics). Missing my M1A and not being able to purchase another at the time, I ended up buying a used surplus TRW M14 on my return from leave. The TRW was a ripper rifle too!

Unfortunately from 1996 the average Australian was no longer able to possess semi-automatic rifles so my TRW M14 and Lithgow L1A1 SLR I used in competition had to go.

My go-to rifles now are a 78 year old Remington 03-A3 in 30-06 and a 107 year old Erfurt KAR98AZ Carbine in 7.92x57mm that was captured from the German Colonial troops defending the Telefunken Radio Station at Rabual in 1914.

To me, the world seems to be the craziest it has ever been during my lifetime. I understand things are pretty crazy in the US too. While AustralIans and many in countries across the globe never possessed entrenched rights to own firearms, those of you in the US are extremely privileged. Protect your 2A rights! If the United States ever falls to tyranny, ALL is lost!

Kind regards from way down South!
 

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Glad to have you here, mate ! You’ll be a welcome addition, I’m sure !
Just give it awhile and you’ll soon separate our serious folk from the zany ones ( like Ann…um…never mind - you’ll figure it out:) )

My sis lives in Adelaide and sends me beautiful pics from there. The Aussies I met in the Army (Corps of Engineers) were all great guys n gals to work with (Iraq etc).

Would love to know how/what average Oz people think of their own gun control sometime. And if they buy all the American news media foolishness (death by violent crime is in fact declining in the US; has been 20+ yrs). Four victims is horrible, yes - but it isn't ‘mass’ anything.
Anyway… Welcome!
 
Welcome to the forum @Acorn. I’d say I’m one of the most sane on the site 🤔, unfortunately I feel most here would most likely not agree 😡. 😂😂 Anyways, enjoy your stay here, and thanks for the informative introduction to you and your firearms.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome TidalWave!

I think most older Australians are not. too fazed by firearms as they grew up with them. We’ve become a very urban and multicultural society and by far the most vocal on the topic are the younger and left leaning types.

As a school boy army cadet, my school kept .303 SMLE rifles and .303 Bren LMGs in the cadet corps shed on the oval. We were allowed to take a rifle home with us to practice our drill. No one would bat an eyelid seeing a schoolboy cadet with a .303 on the bus going home. That Australia was another era! It would NEVER happen today!

The Tasmanian massacre on 28 April 1996 changed it all in Australia. A new conservative government was elected on 02 April 1996 and the then Prime Minister wanted to be seen as strong.

A senior Commonwealth Law Enforcement offical had attended a United Nations Crime Congress in Cairo, Egypt the previous year where the Japanese delegation unsuccessfully floated the idea of banning semi-auto firearms in civilian hands, categorising firearms into A, B, C, D, E & H. 28 Day cooling off periods etc.

Immediately after the horrendous murders at Port Arthur, the official took the proposal to the government. Police Chiefs from all jurisdictions then met on 10 May 1996 and the laws were introduced across all states and territories. Over 500,000 registered firearms were mandatorily surrendered and crushed. Most shooters replaced theor semi-autos with other firearms.

While Australia has not had a mass shooting on a similar scale since Port Arthur, firearm crime has not abated. The crooks and drug dealers still have their illegal handguns, semi-auto weapons and sawn off shotguns.

The adage when guns are outlawed, only outlaws have guns is a very true one!
 
Acorn said:
Hi folks,

I just came across this forum. I look forward to reading all the posts!

I once owned a Springfield Armoury M1A rifle many years ago and loved it.

Sadly, all I have now is a paperweight and a reminder of just how lucky I was on the day it in broke, 02 Dec 88.

I originally bought my M1A in 1978/79. The serial number of my rifle was 010xxx. I really loved that rifle!

On the fateful day I broke my Springfield M1A, I was driving across the Nullarbor on my way home to Perth, Western Australia for Christmas leave. I was a soldier at the time and I had set out from Toowoomba in Queensland so was about 3 days into a 5 day journey.

Travelling West, just past Poochera in South Australia, I lost control of my vehicle and went off the road. My car went down an embankment and tumbled end over end 3 1/2 times! Whoa, what an experience! I remember that time seemed to slow down incredibly as my car rolled over and over. My car came to rest upside down and remarkably, I was without injury sans a few scratches.

Unfortunately my Springfield M1A didn’t survive. The action snapped through the middle (see pics). Missing my M1A and not being able to purchase another at the time, I ended up buying a used surplus TRW M14 on my return from leave. The TRW was a ripper rifle too!

Unfortunately from 1996 the average Australian was no longer able to possess semi-automatic rifles so my TRW M14 and Lithgow L1A1 SLR I used in competition had to go.

My go-to rifles now are a 78 year old Remington 03-A3 in 30-06 and a 107 year old Erfurt KAR98AZ Carbine in 7.92x57mm that was captured from the German Colonial troops defending the Telefunken Radio Station at Rabual in 1914.

To me, the world seems to be the craziest it has ever been during my lifetime. I understand things are pretty crazy in the US too. While AustralIans and many in countries across the globe never possessed entrenched rights to own firearms, those of you in the US are extremely privileged. Protect your 2A rights! If the United States ever falls to tyranny, ALL is lost!

Kind regards from way down South!
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum Acorn. I have a buddy in Sydney and another buddy who just happens to be there right now stuck in 14 day quarantine in some hotel.

Anyway, we all feel your pain and look forward to the day when you guys can have your guns back.
 
Bassbob said:
Welcome to the forum Acorn. I have a buddy in Sydney and another buddy who just happens to be there right now stuck in 14 day quarantine in some hotel.

Anyway, we all feel your pain and look forward to the day when you guys can have your guns back.
Click to expand...
Cheers Bassbob!

Yeah, we’ve have very few ‘beer flu’ cases in Australia. While we’ve been very lucky, some of our governments really have their hair on fire over it.

The poor blighters in Melbourne Victoria are in their 4th lock down! In a city of 5 million, there is only 40 active cases too!

Your mate in Sydney is lucky, the government there has it’s head on reasonably straight. Not as crazy as some other states!

Thanks for the warm welcome!
 
Acorn said:
Hi 10mmLife!

Live Free or Die, you must be from New Hampshire. I spent 4 months in Nashua, NH in 1986 doing EW equipment training and trials with a company called Sandars.

I loved it in New England, wonderful people!

Thanks for the warm welcome!
Click to expand...
I'm not to far from Nashua and I actually go to an indoor rental range there fairly often.

A lot has changed on the New Hampshire southern border since 1986 with a ton of new development and a redesigned highway system.
 
Acorn said:
Cheers Bassbob!

Yeah, we’ve have very few ‘beer flu’ cases in Australia. While we’ve been very lucky, some of our governments really have their hair on fire over it.

The poor blighters in Melbourne Victoria are in their 4th lock down! In a city of 5 million, there is only 40 active cases too!

Your mate in Sydney is lucky, the government there has it’s head on reasonably straight. Not as crazy as some other states!

Thanks for the warm welcome!
Click to expand...


He's an American military contractor. I haven't got a clue why he's in Australia, but it must be work related because he wouldn't tell me what it was. He's fine. He's watching old movies and drinking beer.

My Australian buddy who lives in Sydney is a masterful flatpicker ( Think Chet Atkins) who is an honorary Texan. He's pretty hard right but he has no interest in guns one way or another. Although he does always want to see pictures of the new ones I buy.
 
10mmLife said:
I'm not to far from Nashua and I actually go to an indoor rental range there fairly often.

A lot has changed on the New Hampshire southern border since 1986 with a ton of new development and a redesigned highway system.
Click to expand...
I’d love to return some day.

While there I visited a gun shop in a place called Hookset. Not sure if I spelt that correctly.

I was blown away as the place was like a supermarket with supermarket trolleys! Nothing like that in Oz.

I wanted to buy a Remington shotgun to bring home but being an ‘alien’ they wouldn’t sell it to me (Notwithstanding I was working on highly classified US signals equipment just down the road during the working week 🤦‍♂️). Well, rules is rules I guess.

I first saw snow in NH. You can keep it - too cold for me! 😄

All the best to you in NH. I loved the place!
 
Acorn said:
I’d love to return some day.

While there I visited a gun shop in a place called Hookset. Not sure if I spelt that correctly.

I was blown away as the place was like a supermarket with supermarket trolleys! Nothing like that in Oz.

I wanted to buy a Remington shotgun to bring home but being an ‘alien’ they wouldn’t sell it to me (Notwithstanding I was working on highly classified US signals equipment just down the road during the working week 🤦‍♂️). Well, rules is rules I guess.

I first saw snow in NH. You can keep it - too cold for me! 😄

All the best to you in NH. I loved the place!
Click to expand...
Riley's gunshop was the premier shop in Hooksett forever until they were sold and new management sunk the place.

A newer LGS sprung up I Hooksett called Shooters Outpost which is a firearms mega store with 2 stories of firearms and accessories. They even have a free to the public machine gun museum with firearms from all the major wars since WW1.

I'm actually a transplant to New Hampshire myself having grown up 10mins from Boston and living there most of my life.

I moved to NH for the freedom! 🦅
 
Bassbob said:
He's an American military contractor. I haven't got a clue why he's in Australia, but it must be work related because he wouldn't tell me what it was. He's fine. He's watching old movies and drinking beer.

My Australian buddy who lives in Sydney is a masterful flatpicker ( Think Chet Atkins) who is an honorary Texan. He's pretty hard right but he has no interest in guns one way or another. Although he does always want to see pictures of the new ones I buy.
Click to expand...
Yeah, we’re pretty tight with the US on military & security issues. Several joint US/AU facilities over here.

Hope your mate enjoys his stay. He’ll soon realise you can’t go wrong with Aussie beer, but just for the record, no one drinks Fosters over here!

I’ll have to look up what a flatpicker is and do a bit of research on Chet Atkins. I don’t know the gentleman.
 
10mmLife said:
Riley's gunshop was the premier shop in Hooksett forever until they were sold and new management sunk the place.

A newer LGS sprung up I Hooksett called Shooters Outpost which is a firearms mega store with 2 stories of firearms and accessories. They even have a free to the public machine gun museum with firearms from all the major wars since WW1.

I'm actually a transplant to New Hampshire myself having grown up 10mins from Boston and living there most of my life.

I moved to NH for the freedom! 🦅
Click to expand...
Wow, all the more reason to get my butt back over there one day! 👍👌😄

Yeah, good move moving to NH!

Must be late for you? It’s 10:16 am Monday morning here….
 
Acorn said:
Yeah, we’re pretty tight with the US on military & security issues. Several joint US/AU facilities over here.

Hope your mate enjoys his stay. He’ll soon realise you can’t go wrong with Aussie beer, but just for the record, no one drinks Fosters over here!

I’ll have to look up what a flatpicker is and do a bit of research on Chet Atkins. I don’t know the gentleman.
Click to expand...


I actually already knew that Fosters was NOT Australian for beer. :)

Basically it's bluegrassy, old country and western guitar playing.
 
Bassbob said:
I actually already knew that Fosters was NOT Australian for beer. :)

Basically it's bluegrassy, old country and western guitar playing.
Click to expand...
Yeah Bassbob, Fosters used to be popular in Oz up until the early 1970s.

Not since then…

When living in the US for a few months in ‘86 I remember seeing it for sale in the supermarkets.

Enjoyed chatting with you Bassbob! Hope you too have a great week ahead!

👍👌🇦🇺🦘🇦🇺🦘🇦🇺🦘
 
Acorn said:
Hi folks,

I just came across this forum. I look forward to reading all the posts!

I once owned a Springfield Armoury M1A rifle many years ago and loved it.

Sadly, all I have now is a paperweight and a reminder of just how lucky I was on the day it in broke, 02 Dec 88.

I originally bought my M1A in 1978/79. The serial number of my rifle was 010xxx. I really loved that rifle!

On the fateful day I broke my Springfield M1A, I was driving across the Nullarbor on my way home to Perth, Western Australia for Christmas leave. I was a soldier at the time and I had set out from Toowoomba in Queensland so was about 3 days into a 5 day journey.

Travelling West, just past Poochera in South Australia, I lost control of my vehicle and went off the road. My car went down an embankment and tumbled end over end 3 1/2 times! Whoa, what an experience! I remember that time seemed to slow down incredibly as my car rolled over and over. My car came to rest upside down and remarkably, I was without injury sans a few scratches.

Unfortunately my Springfield M1A didn’t survive. The action snapped through the middle (see pics). Missing my M1A and not being able to purchase another at the time, I ended up buying a used surplus TRW M14 on my return from leave. The TRW was a ripper rifle too!

Unfortunately from 1996 the average Australian was no longer able to possess semi-automatic rifles so my TRW M14 and Lithgow L1A1 SLR I used in competition had to go.

My go-to rifles now are a 78 year old Remington 03-A3 in 30-06 and a 107 year old Erfurt KAR98AZ Carbine in 7.92x57mm that was captured from the German Colonial troops defending the Telefunken Radio Station at Rabual in 1914.

To me, the world seems to be the craziest it has ever been during my lifetime. I understand things are pretty crazy in the US too. While AustralIans and many in countries across the globe never possessed entrenched rights to own firearms, those of you in the US are extremely privileged. Protect your 2A rights! If the United States ever falls to tyranny, ALL is lost!

Kind regards from way down South!
Click to expand...
Welcome!

dont be too alarmed about all the Seppo’s around here. The Yank Tanks mess with their bravado 😉

i love Australia. Been many a time to your country. Represented Bout 2 dozen wineries from across many areas in Australia .
Banrock Station was my favorite place to go
 
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