Anyone ever blown up a rifle?

[Sheepdog1968]

I saw an AR blow up in a Loui Awerbuck class from an experienced shooter. Cause was ammo. I no longer buy cheap ammo. No one was hurt but really shook up the shooter and scared many of us. The deal he got was on export ammo to be sold outside USA that had been reimported in USA and was a good bargain. Of course he didn't know that other than just a good price.

 

[Conelrad]

Over the years I've run thousands of German, Portugese, and Czech 7.62 NATO thru select-fire G3's & FALS. Never a misfire, guess I'm lucky, but I still shoot the stuff on occasion.

I did blow up a gas tube on a factory Colt XM-177E2 shorty by running a full 30 round mag in one burst. I wasn't hurt in that exercise.

I was next to a 1919A4 Browning running French '06 in cloth belts. Gun went 'pop', top cover blew upright, the belt was torn. He cleared the gun, fired a few more, and it happened again. Wisely he pulled the whole lot for trash.

Another shooter asked him for it to pull the bullets, so he gave it all to him.

Later he (2nd guy) took the same ammo and tried to run an enbloc thru his Garand. The first shot shattered the stock, flung the op rod out, and really bloodied his hand. I asked him why the Hell was he shooting that crap when he saw it screw up in the other guy's MG, and he just blamed it on his inherent stinginess.

Saved a LOT of $$, didn't he?

 

[Ranger Roberts]

Not personally but I have seen it happen with a few rifles, a shotgun and a few handguns. 6 or 7 years ago I was duck hunting with a friend and a few guys he knew. I had shot my limit and I was waiting for the guys to catch up. Next thing I know I hear cursing that would have made a drill sergeant blush. I looked over and the guys shotgun barrel looked like Bugs Bunny had stuck his finger in the barrel. I think he got mud in the barrel but he swore he didn't and that it was a problem with his choke. Nobody was hurt physically but I'm pretty sure his ego took a beating.

I've seen a few handguns go kaboom at the range over the years. I'm pretty sure all but one of the incidents were double charged reloads. The one that wasn't was definitely a squib. The slide of the guy's Glock landed on my bench. It was an interesting day to say the least.

I saw an M4 go kaboom when I was in the service. Well I didn't personally see it happen but I saw the aftermath. The magwell was bulged out and the upper receiver looked like it took a direct hit from an RPG!

 

[HankB]

A buddy of mine started reloading for his Remington M700 in .270; he saw a max load of 4831 powder in the manual and assumed that would be OK, so he STARTED with the max load. Well . . . the manual was written using H4831, and DuPont had just introduced IMR4831, which is NOT repeat NOT the same as H4831 - it's significantly faster.

It took both of us, working together, to open the bolt. AND THEN HE FIRED ANOTHER SHOT!!

After helping him open the gun again, we dissected the problem - he was a bit put out when I explained about the different 4831s, and roundly cursed DuPont - deservedly, in my opinion - for introducing a powder with the same number as an old standard, but with major differences in performance.

There was no damage to the rifle - worked fine, headspace OK.

On another occasion, I was at the trap range when a guy blew up a Browning Citori - barrels were bent down from the receiver by more than 90 degrees, most of the chamber from the lower barrel was simply gone, and the sides of the receiver itself were bent outward. Never did figure out what happened there, as even a double charge of powder shouldn't have destroyed the shotgun that thoroughly. (I think he got some sort of compensation from Browning, but don't know the details.)

Other than some minor cuts and scrapes on his left forearm and a few nicks on his face (he WAS wearing safety glasses) he wasn't injured.