Subject FeNebe Detects To Mr, Bigelow From UM. Grant F. Browning Goddard Reference January 31, 1951 Date February 9, 1951 Attached is our to you a customer's you for of memo examination invoice of No. T-3858, covering a prepaid 16 Gauge gun, No. X28927, carrier latch and cartridge Standard the express which shipment was sent This gun was sent in to us because the customer claimed it hung up after first shot. The gun was very dirty, Red disassembled it and cleaned it at which time it was noted that the cartridge stop was bent and that one of the carrier latch had cracked through, as well to stop. as the holes being the up, hole oversized. In order to show you the exact condition the gun was received in, we did not make any adjustments to the parts; however, after cleaning up the gun and testing it, Red could not get it to hang up by shooting but could by hand operation. When operating by hand, the shell hung up on the cartridge stop. This is the first example the Shop has encountered where the stamped carrier latch had cracked through one of the holes. Would appreciate your returning the gun as soon as possible after you have inspected it, If you would like to retain the carrier latch and cartridge stop in the gun, that will be satisfactory and we Will replace with new parts. Regarding your memo of January I think that the staff is very seems unusual or a malfunction fect. 31, concerning evaluation of defect problems, conscientious in reporting to me anything that that may seem to be developing into a major de- Concerning latch problem, the stamped carrier after discussing this with the staff, we feel that, even though as previously anticipated by Mitch when he was here and by Harry that we might run into trouble with this stamped part, as yet, evidence of it developing into a major defect has not materialized, as far as our experience has been concerned, to the point where we could make special comment of it to you. For example, Ken, in the past two years, has received only one comment from the trade expressing dissatisfaction with the stamped carrier latch, [Ed has received none, Iuke, during the past two years, has received about fifteen requests from the trade for information as to how to adjust the carrier latch to prevent stealing of shells. In these few requests, no information was given as to whether the latch was stamped or milled. it is only natural that, over a period of time, complaints on every part would be received, which certainly wouldn't indicate that a major defect was involved. In the Shop, it has always been a more or less routine procedure for a gunsmith, in working over a gun, to make any small adjustments deemed necessary but not called for to make the gun function properly. For example, if he feels the front end of the stamped carrier latch does not protrude far enough into the receiver, he automatically makes this adjustment of proper angulation without making a notation that he did so on the gun work card.