Josh
Right you are... but there were several A-bolts that did similar things and they have been posted here. The one I was refering to had the barrel split in three directions and curl while doing so. I have seen two in hand and several pictured. None have been attributed to anything other than a bad batch of barrel steel (as far as I know).

JJHack had one blow up on a client in similar fashion in SE Ak on a brown bear hunt. Lots of barrel makers have had problems...
art

Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.