Marlin XT-22 Magnum destroyed by malfunction

[Bull Nutria]

My friend shot 2 gators with the rifle this am , on the 3rd gator the rifle literally blew up. the stock split down the centerline, the bolt was damaged, the mag tube is bent under the bolt. it appears that the brass from the CCI Hollow point may still be in the chamber. the bullet is in the barrel. Rifle is the SS model with the nutmeg laminated stock. Bummer.

I emailed Marlin but have not heard back yet??

What say you?

Bull

 

[possumbelly220]

Bull, if the bullet is still in the barrel it sounds like something else might have been in the barrel too. Perhaps your friend got a little dirt or mud in the end of it. That can be easy to do on a gator hunt. More pictures might help.

 

[Slamfire]

Rimfires have been known to slamfire out of battery due to impacts on the case rims. And if the bolt was not fully in battery, and something in the mechanism allowed the firing pin to hit the rim, the weapon would have fired out of battery.

There are those who think the cartridge case is strong and the action is weak. You hear them chirping all the time about "increased bolt thrust" due to lubricated cases and how the case is supposed to grip the pores of the chamber. All total nonsense. These rimfire cases, incidentally, are all lubricated with a wax lube, or the better stuff is greased.



And as this incident shows, the cartridge case is a gas seal. It is weak and it has to be supported by the chamber and locking mechanism, or it will blow. And when it blows, things can get very unpredictable.

 

[Bwana John]

My guess is the rifle was 40% under the water, pointing down when the trigger was pulled.

 

[LoonWulf]

with what little info we have, I'd agree with an obstruction, and the bottom of the rim blowing out.

 

[Bull Nutria]

well I wasn't there, the 2 trusted adult friends in the boat said the rifle shot fine twice. bullets came out and killed gator on next gator it blew up!!
we will see what MARLIN SAYS???? I emailed them re this incident yesterday.

Bull

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I hope your friend wasn’t hurt.
I agree with the others that there was some sort of obstruction in the barrel, or the muzzle was in the water.
Playing with Gators is not like petting a cat. They tend to have bad dispositions and don’t like being played with.

 

[VoodooMountain]

I'm having a hard time figuring this out from the info given. Barrel obstructions can cause this but on a 22 wmr I'm not sure how there would be enough energy to destroy the bilt, barrel, tube, and crack a laminate stock.

There's no way this is a marlin issue though.

 

[alsaqr]

Barrel obstructions can cause this but on a 22 wmr I'm not sure how there would be enough energy to destroy the bilt, barrel, tube, and crack a laminate stock.

SAAMI say the operating pressure of the .22 magnum round is 24,000 psi. With a barrel obstruction: That's enough to destroy the rifle.

IMO: The shooter stuck the barrel of the rifle into the water. i've seen this happen with the .22 LR when guys were shooting at fish. Yep, the bullet stays in the bore.

 

[Scooter22]

He obviously didn't say the magic word first. Choot Em'.

 

[LoonWulf]

He obviously didn't say the magic word first. Choot Em'.

I have a box of Choot Emz!
dey chootz just fine......

 

[4v50 Gary]

If there was a barrel obstruction, that could happen. On the first gator that was killed, two bullet holes or one? If only one, one remained lodged in the bore. The third caused the damage. Or if there was water that the user failed to clear first, that could cause it too. Either way it's not Marlin's responsibility.

If however the bore was clear, then that would suggest that the ammunition manufacturer is responsible. I have heard of overloaded factory ammo that blew up a gun. Happened to my brother once.

 

[edwardware]

What say you?

Pictures or it didn't happen.

 

[Bull Nutria]

UPDATE: I EMAILED Marlin they sent me a non prepaid label to send the gun to Sportsworld Inc. in Tulsa, for inspection. I boxed it up an will send it today. we don't have anything to lose it is worthless now!

Stay tuned
Bull

 

[flightsimmer]

This brings up a question I have always wondered about.
On TV, why do they always seem to use a rifle instead of a hand gun on gators?

 

[Bull Nutria]

Gators have a small kill spot on the back of there boney head, the gator is squirming and jumping sometime. so a rifle is much more accurate. Some gator hunters do use handguns, but most use 22LR or 22 mag rifles. small gators less tan 7 foot are usually shot with 22LR larger gators need more powerful rounds 22 mag, or 223 or 3030, 243, etc.
large calibers can penetrate the skull and damage the hide so less is more in gator hunting!

Good question!

Bull

 

[flightsimmer]

Well, sometimes it looks awkward.

 

[LoonWulf]

wonder if it doesnt also keep finger out of the bitty bits.....

 

[Riomouse911]

I used to work in a pet store that sold Alligators (They were listed as endangered until 1987, so a buyer needed a Federal permit back then) and Spectacled Cayman (No permit was needed). These critters were cute and holdable as babies until they hit about 2 to 2.1/2 feet long, then a switch is flipped in their pea-brains and they're mean as hell. Once they hit that size they went to zoo's.

I'll third or fourth the obstructed barrel from being fired with the muzzle underwater. I've had a .22 mag case head rupture where the firing pin struck the rim and the head blew a hole through the brass and sent gasses/powder back through the Henry lever action...but no other damage. This sounds like the pressure spiked waaaay high as the bullet wasn't able to exit the muzzle and kaboom!

Choot safe.