Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Powder mistake Blows Barrel Clear off 444 Marlin.

Another illustration of identification problems was reported in the February 2005 edition of GUNS MAGAZINE, in John Taffin's Campfire Tales. Two different reloaders had used Accurate Arms No. 7 powder instead of Alliant's Reloader 7 as called for in the loading manual's data! The loads were for a .45-70 Ruger No. 1, and a Lever Action in .444 Marlin. Alliant Reloader 7 is a perfectly good fit for both these straight walled rifle cartridges, but Accurate Arms No. 7 is a relatively fast burning pistol powder!

Again, fortunately, neither person was seriously hurt, but the .444 blew the barrel completely off the receiver of the Lever Action with the first shot. The Ruger did stay together, but it was sprung to the point of being scrap metal. The really sad and scary part of the .45-70 story, is the guy had previously blown apart a T/C Contender with the same load, and was quoted as saying he shot "several" rounds before the Ruger locked up!

Taffin reported that he ran the loads used in these situations through his 'Quick Load' computer program, which pegged the probable pressures at over 155,000 psi!! You know that .45-70 load had to have a ferocious blast and prodigious recoil!

What was the muzzle velocity ?
Mike

This is only to remind us Reloader 7 users that it is easy to be distracted in getting the correct powder when we see the big 7.This has happened to many times.


Jayco

Just a point I noticed when I saw the pictures for the exploded 45-70. The bolt was still in place though the barrel had exploded from the chamber forward blowing the barrel off and the receiver was peeled back exposing the front of the bolt completely. The brass case head had separated and was fused to the bolt face.
why is all that important?

Much has been written about how important and strong a front locking bolt is. If the 45-70 had been front locking the bolt would have fired back into the shooters face. The rear lock of the Marlin never released though the whole front of the rifle was blown away!
Just something for Marlin shooters to be think about and be gratful for.
Marlin makes very tough rifles.