Jim Watson
Member
I think the handle as safety lug is meant to "trip" the bolt coming out of a blowup.
Bad day at the rifle range
- Thread starter Glockula
- Start date
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25-20 WCF
Member
Apparently none of them own an older Sierra Manual. H-110 data was listed for the .45-70 for years.
The M116 bolt is missing the gas baffles, and the handle looks cracked. A terrible accident, we don’t have enough information to do more than make a few WAGs. I feel for the unfortunate shooter....
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Mowgli Terry
Member
One example of serious KB was described in another forum. Pilgrim had been told that AAC 5744 was a substitute for black power. As the story went he was firing a double max load in a Sharps replica. Gun finally let go. Trying to second guess one of these events will make you nuts. On a bet I'd go with massive amounts of a fast powder. Look to the most simple answer that covers the most bases. I expect to see shortly a long post explaining with pictures how the phlogistons ran amok.
RedlegRick
Member
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- 728
A few years back (07?08?), at my club we had a relatively new member kaboom not one, but two Taurus .357s within a one month period. New reloader due to the ammo shortage, but he apparently lacked the common sense to check his loads before seating bullets. No major injuries, minor lacerations and possibly stained shorts, but he was first restricted to .22s or factory only loads until he grenaded his second revolver and was politely asked not to return again.
While not a reloader myself, I do occasionally work with a friend who does, and he's meticulous about visually inspecting each case before going onto the next step.
I'm with the 'wrong powder' bunch, either that or he mixed different powders together.
While not a reloader myself, I do occasionally work with a friend who does, and he's meticulous about visually inspecting each case before going onto the next step.
I'm with the 'wrong powder' bunch, either that or he mixed different powders together.
someguy2800
Member
Wrong powder is the most logical conclusion but I don't want to be too quick to judge. The firearms manufactures love to blame everyone whenever handloads are involved but we don't even know if they were handloads. Could have been a safe and sane load but the cases had been loaded to many times and had case head separation. Could have been factory loads and there was just a bad piece of brass that the case head blew apart on. Remember also that the WSM savage actions are different than the standard 110 actions. They use a larger thread OD on the barrel. Maybe there is a design or material problem with the WSM actions that causes a small percentage to fail with no warning.
If the bullet didn't fly out the barrel, but fell to the ground, it seems that a previous round(S) may have gotten stuck in the bore due to lack of powder in the cartridge...perhaps more than one. The next shot had nowhere to go, so blew up the rifle.
HISTORY WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION, BUT WITH A HANDGUN:
(I once had a S&W .357 mag Model 27 for repair that had five bullets (reloaded jacketed bullets) in the barrel, the 5th of which was stuck between the barrel and cylinder, such that the action wouldn't open. The sixth was in the cylinder. I removed the barrel and bored the five slugs with a small hole, then heated the barrel carefully to drain some of the lead out of the rounds, then after adding lube, pushed the bullets out. There was a slight ring in the bore, about 2/3rds down the barrel, which the owner said didn't seem to affect the accuracy. I probably wouldn't have fired the handgun with that barrel, but it was not my handgun.
I also pulled the 6th bullet out of the remaining cartridge and it was full of powder. Apparently one row of 5 cartridges in the loading block had no powder in them and were all "fired". If the cylinder wasn't jammed by the 5th, the shooter the sixth would have caused a catastrophic explosion and the shooter would certainly have been injured.)
HISTORY WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION, BUT WITH A HANDGUN:
(I once had a S&W .357 mag Model 27 for repair that had five bullets (reloaded jacketed bullets) in the barrel, the 5th of which was stuck between the barrel and cylinder, such that the action wouldn't open. The sixth was in the cylinder. I removed the barrel and bored the five slugs with a small hole, then heated the barrel carefully to drain some of the lead out of the rounds, then after adding lube, pushed the bullets out. There was a slight ring in the bore, about 2/3rds down the barrel, which the owner said didn't seem to affect the accuracy. I probably wouldn't have fired the handgun with that barrel, but it was not my handgun.
I also pulled the 6th bullet out of the remaining cartridge and it was full of powder. Apparently one row of 5 cartridges in the loading block had no powder in them and were all "fired". If the cylinder wasn't jammed by the 5th, the shooter the sixth would have caused a catastrophic explosion and the shooter would certainly have been injured.)
someguy2800
Member
I'm trying to find it but I watched a video once where they purposely fired a squib in a 357 revolver and then fired another round behind it with the gun mounted on a stand. I would never have believed it if I didn't see it but the gun did not blow up. Here are two other examples.
https://forums.g503.com/viewtopic.php?t=246267
https://www.range365.com/super-squib
Nature Boy
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I saw this first hand when I was in Army AIT.
Fellow soldier was cleaning his rifle after a range session. Two wrongs here: 1) he was going in from the muzzle with the cleaning rod. 2) he failed to properly clear his rifle.
He managed to hit the trigger with the cleaning rod in the barrel and there was a muffled BANG. The guy was an arms length from me. There was no explosion. Everyone that heard it knew instantly what had happened when they saw the guy standing there, rifle in hand, cleaning rod stuck in the barrel, sheepish look on his face.
The action was seized, cleaning rod welded to the barrel, but no blow-up, just a little smoke
The biggest damage it did was to shorten a few Army careers, including the offending soldier's.
Fellow soldier was cleaning his rifle after a range session. Two wrongs here: 1) he was going in from the muzzle with the cleaning rod. 2) he failed to properly clear his rifle.
He managed to hit the trigger with the cleaning rod in the barrel and there was a muffled BANG. The guy was an arms length from me. There was no explosion. Everyone that heard it knew instantly what had happened when they saw the guy standing there, rifle in hand, cleaning rod stuck in the barrel, sheepish look on his face.
The action was seized, cleaning rod welded to the barrel, but no blow-up, just a little smoke
The biggest damage it did was to shorten a few Army careers, including the offending soldier's.
Mowgli Terry
Member
Most anybody that has done any trading with revolvers leaned to look for "dog knots" (AKA ring) in the barrel.
someguy2800
Member
amazing
Nature Boy
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I could derail this thread for at least another page with first hand accounts of negligent discharge stories from my military years.
IIRC, there was a thread here where a someone posted (as a warning and reminder to others) that he accidentally grabbed a bottle of pistol powder that looked similar to his go-to rifle powder, and his rifle was blown to smithereens. Pressure with a fast powder can get very high - easily enough to blow a rifle up - even though the total Area Under the Curve is less than that of a load with the same amount of rifle load.
cheygriz
member
Unless and until we have an examination from a forensics lab, we'll never know for sure.
Create your own thread. Think of it as a public service announcement.
Maybe it bounced off a beam and came back across the gun/scene-of-disaster on its way to the OP. Looks like there was plenty of energy available for that to happen.
OP
OP
Glockula
Member
The event was to my left. That would be his right. It makes more sense that way I believe .
OP
OP
Glockula
Member
I was about 3 feet away at 4:00 or so almost directly facing the shooter when the rifle exploded. The bolt hit me dead center about 5 inches below my solar plexus. Definitely sore. Lol .
sourdough44
Member
One could start with an examination of his remaining ammo, then maybe his reloading bench and/or any notes.
This one seems like a serious Kaboom, much more than just a little overcharge.
denton
Member
One other possibility: Reduced load of slow burning powder.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Ouch! So is that a left-handed bolt, or was the ejection port facing you?
Zerodefect
member
I've seen squibs destroy a gun, but never send a barrel down range and destroy anyone's hand.
Going with pistol powder on this one.
Going with pistol powder on this one.
OP
OP
Glockula
Member
It is a right handed bolt. Ejection port facing me. He had to leave another rifle at the range which was also right handed. The owner packed it up so he can come back for it when he is ready.
OP
OP
Glockula
Member
The state police took everything as mentioned before. I doubt they will look at It that hard but I would love for them to and get the conclusion they come to.
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