Desert Ordinance DesertOrd desertord.com Desert Ordinance unsafe parts and false advertising Sparks Nevada

We bought a M60 7.62 NATO barrel and bolt pair from Desert Ordinance as a parts kit that was claimed to be in “excellent” condition, upon inspection by a number of gunsmiths, the pair did not pass headspace safety checks and was deemed unsafe to be used in any gun.

A set of Forster headspace gauges were used and the bolt would close on the barrel on a Field (MAX) gauge. In general, most firearms safety standards, organizations, gunsmiths, etc, do not advise using any barrel or bolt that will close on a Field gauge. It generally indicates unsafe chamber size and a possible catastrophic failure.

The seller was notified about the problem and a request for a refund or replacement was made.

The seller did not acknowledge or promise any refund or replacement, but did ask for additional money for “newer” parts and advised that it’s safe to use a bolt in a barrel that closes on a NOGO guage which was irrelevant to this case since the bolt closed on a Field/Max gauge and most experts in the field would contraindicate use.

I was very disappointed to hear that a company would have such poor communications and customer service especially on an issue over defective parts that may cause catastrophic damage or injury.