how well does Marlin 336 hold up to catastrophic failure?

[Sheepdog1968]

I ask becuase I was taking a rifle class recently with my Marlin 336 recently and someone's AR rifle had a catastrophic failure. It was very unnerving. My understanding is that military rifles are designed to try and keep the shooter safe. It made we wonder about my lever action. Just curious if any of you know. Thanks.


Details about the AR failure:
Outside of the shooters hand stinging quite badly, he was ok though quite shaken. It was an experienced shooter (I've taken 4 or 5 classes with him) using a good quality AR (I don't know the brand) and factory ammo (I don't know the brand. And no, it wasn't reloads). Both the upper and lower are ruined and bit of the bolt was missing. The shooter didn't feel a squib in the round prior. Plenty of photos were taken and shooter was going to contact ammo manufacturer and AR manufacturer. I will likely know more in six months to a year when I next see either the shooter or instructor. No bullet was found in the barrel.

 

[rcmodel]

They handle it pretty well actually.

In most all lever-actions, the weakest link is the thin web in the receiver between the barrel threads and the mag-tube hole.

In a severe over-load situation, the web will crack or break, loosening the barrel from the receiver.

It ruins the gun, but usually doesn't injure the shooter as far as I have seen reported.


The other thing is, lever-actions like yours are chambered in much lower pressure calibers then the 5.56/.223.

So total case failure releasing gas into the action and dissembling it is almost unheard of on them.

rc

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Thanks RC. I'd rather have to replace a rifle than a bodypart.

 

[briansmithwins]

Well designed firearms tend to fail away from the user and generally don't hurt the shooter if they blow.

That said, all it takes is a grain of powder or sliver of metal and you'll be making friends with your eye surgeon.

Wear your eye protection!

BSW

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I would have to question what caused the failure. A semi-automatic weapon is more likely to malfunction than a bolt or lever weapon in my opinion. I cannot imagine a situation where a normal round could cause a receiver or chamber to explode and I don't believe a .223 case could be double charged as happens in pistol rounds. My philosophy is not to wander into the world of "what if" and instead stay in the world of prudent practices.

 

[Slamfire]

From my picture notes this was a 45/70 guide rifle. That is all I know.

The Marlin action has shooter protection features for gas release, but since these things are not high pressure actions, and my 30-30 is never loaded that hot, I have no idea where the gas really goes.

Catastrophic failure is an unfortunate event and no matter what the mechanism, pieces will be flying about. A design can protect the shooter only to a certain level, once the structural capacity of the mechanism is exceeded and parts come off, what happens after that is by chance.

I think that if the bolt remains in the Marlin, with the chamber far away from the face and the receiver is being a milled block, the shooter's face will be less damaged than his hand.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I bet human failure was the reason over mechanical failure. A picture may be worth a thousand words but without proper supporting information a picture is worthless. Reminds me of the picture of the exploded revolver that made the e-mail rounds some years ago warning of imported ammunition. The truth was that the shooter had fired a double load in a hand loaded cartridge.......

 

[rcmodel]

Yep!
A 45-70 case full of Bullseye pistol powder would give you that result every time.

That is not just a case failure blow-up.

That was a pipe-bomb created by a very careless reloader using a case full of the wrong powder.

rc

 

[Liberty1776]

and not to be picky, but by definition, nothing holds up to a catastrophic failure...(sorry, had to say it. That's why my older brother thumped me sooo much...)

 

[788Ham]

Heck of a nice Marlin thrown into the scrap heap. No mention of how this occurred , wouldn't want my name associated with it either!

 

[243winxb]

338 marlin express

This was a 338 marlin express with a 200 gr. projectile.
Shooter received 5 stitches on right hand.no other injuries. load was 36 grains of lil'gun.the bolt and locking block held. leupold scope has dissapeared,probably in orbit.

Removed link, quit working. Blocked? More KabOOm's here > http://www.photobucket.com/kabooom

 

[Salmoneye]

Link does not work...