ejectors.........

[Evil Monkey]

You know what I learned today while surfing on the net?

Get this, I learned that the M1 Garand has.............A SPRING LOADED EJECTOR!!

This has confused me some what. I used to think that the only reason some rifles had a spring loaded ejector was because they didn't have a steel receiver or because the bolt didn't ride on a steel rail.

The Garand has a steel receiver doesn't it? Surely a fixed ejector could've been welded on or machined from the receiver, but a spring loaded ejector was chosen instead.

I want to know why the spring loaded ejector was chosen for the M1 Garand and why, if there's any more decisive information, do spring loaded ejectors get chosen over fixed ejectors?

 

[Jeremy2171]

Because of receiver configuration and there is nothing wrong with a spring loaded ejector?

 

[Red_SC]

Positive ejection if you hand cycle it? I don't know, but that would be my guess.

 

[.45Guy]

Less crap that could potentially bind a high speed rotating bolt?

 

[Omnivore]

The whole Garand family (M1 Garand, M-14, M1 Carbine) has what are called "plunger ejectors". The whole AR-15/M16 family also uses plunger ejectors. They're reliable, they're not subject to the high impact of a fixed ejector and they don't toss out the cases at hyper velocity like an AK. They also mean you don't have to cut a slot into the side of the bolt face. And yes, they will pitch out a loaded round when opening the action by hand.

I don't see any down side to them.

 

[GunTech]

Plunger ejectors can fail if they get dirty, rusty or get foreign material in them. They rely on spring pressure to eject the case, while fixed ejectors rely on bolt velocity. Fixed ejectors are generally much more reliable, but plunger ejectors don't require a slot in the bolt and are harder to engineer in a rotating bolt design. Plunger ejectors are normal in American semi-automatic military rifles, but there are plenty of examples of fixed ejectors: AKsand FALs to name a few. In fact, one finds fixed ejectors on most of the Semi's that have a reputation for reliabiliy.