Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Bolt Rifle Blows UP On Hunter

A 30 year old man hunting on the state game reserve in North La. today had the bolt of his rifle blown into his face while deer hunting.. I knew his father when I was growing up there. I do not know the young man and details are sketchy at this time..

Prayers on the way for the injured and his family

Sako SS ?

Casey

I looked at a lot of Sako and Tikka blow up pics and all that I saw were barrel blow ups.

My guess would be a Mexican Mauser, Weatherby or a Blaser.

The photos of the rifle in Utah showed the front of the receiver split wide open--it's a wonder the bolt didn't hit the shooter in the face.


Casey

Weatherby!!!If your going to make a guess at least try to make a educated one!!!.

Please post details when you have them.

I got a call, years ago, from a friend of a man near Tooele, Utah � a hunter but not a handloader � who'd had a factory load spit the bolt of his factory rifle back into his face as he lay prone, sighting-in just before opening day.

The bolt had entered his face just below his right eye, had gone down through his jaw and neck, had broken his collar bone, and had come to rest in his chest. Fortunately, he'd survived that horrible trauma. The friend called me to ask where the friend's lawyer should send the rifle, the ammo, the brass, etc, for forensic analysis.

I referred him to the H P White Laboratory and heard no more, directly, about the matter. From other sources, I learned later that the ammo was too hot and that the rifle was probably inherently inadequate to handle 'em indefinitely.

All the more reason for
� loading my own ammo � very carefully �
and
� keeping my loads obviously mild.

I found out that he just purchased the rifle for this season, but I don't know if he purchased the rifle new or used, I don't believe that he is a hand loader. He is in serious condition and was air lifted to Shreveport.
I will post more details as soon as I have them

Amen!

Prayers sent!!!

I met someone who had a Perazzi blow up in his face. He told me they would not fix the shotgun but offered to replace it for a fee. Now you buy a nice shotgun and it blows up, and you have to pay for another one.

prayers sent.

What kind of rifle was it? What condition was it in? Was it an old war rifle, or something?

Ditto from THW...

Had a guy here a few years ago put 43 or thereabouts grains of WW296 in his .30-06 Ruger M77. Broke the stock, extractor, and mostly out through the magazine well. Got a few pieces of brass in his face, and his glasses. Bolt was frozen shut, and it wound up as a show and tell for the 4-H Shooting Sports program. Don't know if any one tried to get it open.

Scary stuff. If it was a Weatherby, there is starting to be a pattern.

I was under the impression that Weatherbies, with their extra bolt lugs, were among the safest bolt guns ever made. What pattern are you referring to?

I'm curious as well.

While I've seen pic's of other rifles "blown up" I have read of at least two instances of Weatherby's having their bolt blown out the back with dire consequences. I think the issue is that while Weatherby's lugs add up in theory to alot of strength, they are in fact seldom all in contact and can set up a dominoe effect in a overload situation.