Scary barrel blow up video..question for hunters and combat personnel...

[saturno_v]

A troubling video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRKP1OkR1fA&feature=related

According to the video author, the barrel explosion was due to a clog and not to improper ammo/reloads.

My question for the hunters and the warriors is: When you are in the field tracking game (or enemies) especially in deep wood areas what precaution you should and actually take to make sure something (a twig, some snow, anything dropping from a tree, mud, a small rock, etc...) is not ending up in your barrel bore with the nefarious consequences (or at minimum ruining the rifling) we all know?? It's not like you can check your barrel all the time before you take the shot when the occasion present itself...

I do not think the guy in the video had a properly plugged barrel on purpose...something ended up by chance where it shouldn't.

 

[R.W.Dale]

In the huntin context

I'll wager 98% as they pertain to rifles of these very infrequent events involve a fall that plugs the bbl with mud,snow,feces or whatever without the user taking time to double check for bore obstructions. Notice the weather and terrain these guys are in, perfect situation for what I describe to happen

Simply using your head and checking the rifle after such a situation occurs will give you two or three lifetimes worth of incident free field shooting

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Seen it. To me, the wierd part is around 0:30 to 0:35, where the guy is whispering, "Oh, mah Gawd.". Dude, you just discharged and blew up a high-powered rifle! Every deer in the township heard it let go. What are you whispering for?

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Muzzle awareness is a crucial responsibility that all those who operate firearms should accept. It is not difficult. Know where your muzzle is and where it is pointing at all times. Simple. All it takes is a little discipline.

If you maintain good muzzle awareness, then not only will nothing that shouldn't be shot get shot, but nothing will ever get in the bore without your knowledge.

In the military, you're taught how to keep the muzzle out of the dirt when you' hit the deck or low crawl, but it is really all a matter of common sense--muzzle = exit only. If something gets in the muzzle, you are wise to remove it before using the firearm, for reasons we are all well aware.

 

[lipadj46]

I love that video. Who reacts like that to a complete failure of a rifle? That guy acts like it happens to him every other time he shoots. He just tosses the rifle and goes over to see if his buddy has a shot. At times like that you need to seriously reflect on your safety precautions and thank God you still have a head on your shoulders.

 

[saturno_v]

Muzzle awareness is a crucial responsibility that all those who operate firearms should accept. It is not difficult. Know where your muzzle is and where it is pointing at all times. Simple. All it takes is a little discipline.

If you maintain good muzzle awareness, then not only will nothing that shouldn't be shot get shot, but nothing will ever get in the bore without your knowledge.

In the military, you're taught how to keep the muzzle out of the dirt when you' hit the deck or low crawl, but it is really all a matter of common sense--muzzle = exit only. If something gets in the muzzle, you are wise to remove it before using the firearm, for reasons we are all well aware.

What about passing through some thick brush with your rifle slinged on your shoulder?? I can imagine potential situations where something get inside your bore without noticing.

 

[coosbaycreep]

I don't know about on a regular rifle, but all the muzzleloader hunters I know put condoms over the end of their barrel when it's raining to keep their powder dry. Seems like it would work the same to keep snow and crap out of a rifle barrel too.

That'd really make it "safe" shooting.

 

[TMM]

i seem to remember Mythbusters doing some plugged-barrel tests and it took a lot to make a gun go boom in the wrong way. it's been a long time since i've seen it, but i don't remember anything insubstantial being able to damage a gun...

tmm

 

[MTMilitiaman]

What about passing through some thick brush with your rifle slinged on your shoulder?? I can imagine potential situations where something get inside your bore without noticing.

That is just a misuse of a rifle sling. True riflemen know that the sling is a shooting aid, not a carrying aid. Laziness is the only explanation for carrying a rifle slung in the field. The only time I sling my rifle is before or after legal shooting light, or when I am dragging something out. In that case, the rifle is carried Condition 3, that is, magazine loaded, chamber empty, safety on. And if I had been beating brush with the rifle slung, I would remove the bolt and check for daylight through the bore before bringing it into action again. That is the primary reason I don't carry it slung--it is too slow to safely bring into action, esp in such a case as when you have been beating the brush.

 

[saskboy]

What kind of rifle was that? If I wreaked my $1000 rifle I would say screw the elk and *** just happened! I wouldnt throw my expensive scope on the ground either. His friend didnt seem too worried about what just happened either.

 

[lipadj46]

What kind of rifle was that? If I wreaked my $1000 rifle I would say screw the elk and *** just happened! I wouldnt throw my expensive scope on the ground either

That's what I'm saying that guy was like, "damn barrel blew up again, hey chuck you got a shot?"

 

[esmith]

That is just a misuse of a rifle sling. True riflemen know that the sling is a shooting aid, not a carrying aid. Laziness is the only explanation for carrying a rifle slung in the field. The only time I sling my rifle is before or after legal shooting light, or when I am dragging something out. In that case, the rifle is carried Condition 3, that is, magazine loaded, chamber empty, safety on. And if I had been beating brush with the rifle slung, I would remove the bolt and check for daylight through the bore before bringing it into action again. That is the primary reason I don't carry it slung--it is too slow to safely bring into action, esp in such a case as when you have been beating the brush.

So slings aren't supposed to be used for carrying a rifle, at all. Ever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sling_(firearms)

In the context of firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness designed to allow an operator carry a firearm (usually a long gun such as a rifle, carbine, shotgun, or submachine gun) on his/her person and/or aid in greater hit probability with that firearm.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sling[2]

a usually looped line (as of strap, chain, or rope) used to hoist, lower, or carry something

http://hunting.about.com/cs/holsterinfo/a/aa_slings.htm

Slings make it much easier to carry a rifle or shotgun in the field, and can be invaluable for accurate rifle shooting in a pinch when you don't have a rest. But slings do have some pitfalls as well.

A lot of people seem to be at the consensus that it can be both used for improving accuracy of the shooter, and aiding the user to carry the weapon easier.

Sorry, we can't all be "True Riflemen"

 

[black_powder_Rob]

there is something fishy about that video...

 

[PedalBiker]

When out hunting I keep strips of electrical tape on my muzzle and extras on the stock. As long as the tape is intact I'm pretty sure the bore is clean, but at the end of every day and again in the morning I run a bore snake through it.

One nice thing about bolt action is the ease of checking the chamber and bore. Same with my pump shotguns. If there is any doubt I dump the shells and remove the barrel and take a look.

 

[1858rem]

the mythbusters test was on a shotgun i thought.....around 10000-14000psi. they may have used a rifle but i only *remember* the shotgun

 

[highorder]

i seem to remember Mythbusters doing some plugged-barrel tests and it took a lot to make a gun go boom in the wrong way. it's been a long time since i've seen it, but i don't remember anything insubstantial being able to damage a gun...

That was a 12 gauge, not a rifle at 60,000 psi. Thats at least 3 times to operating pressure, in a bore a fraction of the size.

 

[Hoxviii]

A second for using condoms. go down to the local health clinic and grab a bunch of free ones; put it over the muzzle with a rubber band or a piece of string and you're good to go. You can shoot straight through it, and you know you don't have any issues if it isn't broken.

I do this if it's snowing or raining

 

[MTMilitiaman]

So slings aren't supposed to be used for carrying a rifle, at all. Ever.

I don't know what you're insinuating, but I never said that. In fact, I even listed the occasions it is acceptable to carry the rifle slung--basically any time you don't need to bring the rifle swiftly into action.

When you're on patrol, the rifle may be slung, but not over the shoulder. It is carried low ready. I carry my hunting rifle in much the same manner while hunting. Slinging the rifle is only done when circumstances do not require the rifle to be brought to bear quickly, such as when both hands are occupied dragging an animal out, or when there is too little light to shoot.

No one with a serious appreciation of rifle craft carries the rifle slung and still expects to be taken seriously when it has to be used. It's not done in the military, and shouldn't be done in the hunting fields. If you're too weak or lazy to carry your rifle in a manner that allows you to employ it, and to maintain muzzle awareness, plop your butt down in a blind and read a magazine while you "hunt."

 

[1858rem]

i only use a sling to carry if im in open ground like walking back and fourth to the target or hunting a logging road.....id be worried about bumping/scratching my scope in any other situation far before i was worried about barrel blockage

 

[Kind of Blued]

Yikes.

I shoot in the mountains, a good 50 miles from a hospital. Something like that is my worst nightmare. I hope if I ever have a catastrophic failure, I come out that lucky.

 

[Killermonkey21]

In the military, we maintain strict muzzle discipline (supposed to anyway). I've never heard of something like this happening, unless it was a squib load.

And for the sling. A REGULAR sling, like the M16 was issued with, I agree. You never use that unless you're marching or what have you. If you're over seas you will see 99% of soldiers and marines (shooters) using a tac sling. it makes it easier to wear (adjustable) in body armor and it leaves your hands free. You can maintain strong hand on the rifle without all the weight on it.

I really don't know what to say to that rifle blow up though. Seriously. ***?

 

[dmazur]

I can't speak for combat, but I use a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle when hunting. It doesn't affect accuracy, and it doesn't act as a bore block. I carry a rifle slung enough of the day that I'm worried about accumulating water, as well as the mud issue already discussed. (It can rain 150"/year in parts of the PNW.)

In some hunting photos, you can see a black stripe on a stainless barrel. That's a piece of electrical tape.

(On another forum, there was a considerable discussion about whether blue tape can be seen by deer. I have no idea whether this is a problem or not, but I use black tape... )

 

[cal74]

Happened to my uncle probably 15-20 years ago. Heavy snow conditions and some must have froze. He wasn't hurt either, had the rifle re-barreled and he's stil using it.


It was a good lesson for a young hunter though (myself) since seeing that I've been paranoid about keeping my muzzle/bore free of any obstructions and also keep my muzzle taped over.

 

[NickEllis]

Another reason we always throw a finger cot (condom) over the muzzle, or tape it with masking tape. Just shoot right through it, it won't affect accuracy or muzzle velocity.

 

[saskboy]

+1 on the finger condoms, trojans are just a little on the big side for my rifle