Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Have you seen a modern Rifle action blown up???

I'm speaking of the action, not a plugged barrel.

Personally, I have not ever heard of a Remington, Savage, Ruger, Model 70 Winchester ACTION blown up.

representing several of the makers, I've defended some suits based on "blowups".....yet to see one that wasn't an ammunition issue or a barrel obstruction, in my personal experience. Small sample, though.

I wasn't there when it happened, but a guy I know blew up a 700 action at the private range of a company here in Montana.

This guy was (and maybe still is) very fond of hot handloading. He had a varmint rifle made on a 700 action for some super-super wildcat he invented, and after a few hundred rounds it blew up one day while he was testing some loads. The scope was blown off the top of the action and headed backwards, luckily just past his ear, and hit the side of a steel building about 30 feet behind him. The dent it still there.

It's possible that part of the problem might have been an eroded throat (which tends to make pressures higher and erratic), but it may have just been metal fatigue. The best modern actions and steels will hold together basically indefinitely when loads are kept to under 65,000 psi, but if we abuse the action by constantly firing loads in the 70,000+ range, then bad things can happen.

Steelhead had a lovely video 'round here a year or two back of a Savage letting go.

Might have been the load........

i've heard several places that a .308 Win cartridge in a .25-06 will do it

Mr. keith;
I'm not sure if you would consider this a modern action or not, but it was a Browning B78 in .22-250 before this happened when a .250-3000 cartridge was fired in it.




In the 2nd photo one can see the threads were wrecked in the action, but interestingly not on the barrel, it looked fine.

The chap never found all of the hammer, the extractor went south as well and while the cocking lever was broken it was still there.

I can't for the life of me recall what shape the butt stock was in, but I believe the fore end was cracked.

Remarkably the chap was OK which we all thought was amazing.

All the best to you in 2010.

Dwayne

I wasn't there for it but a range I used to use north of Houston had a (IIRC) Sako 25-06 blown to pieces on a "plaque" on the wall due to a 308 Win being let off. It was not pretty...

I was visiting a gunsmith friend who showed me a Ruger No. 1 .25-06 that some guy shot a .308 in. Outside of cracking the forend, it didn't visibly damage the gun, which I found pretty amazing.

Shame what was done to that B78, they are out of production now. That's the first time I've ever heard of a high wall coming unglued.

Mr. tex_n_cal;
Yes it's the only one I've run across as well.

A good friend had one in a .25-06 that I shot and played with quite a lot and I really liked it.

I don't have photos of it, but I did take apart a 1950's vintage Husqvarna in .270 that had gone sideways as well. I was only able to salvage the safety and the bolt shroud off of that wreck. It was something to see as well.

In that instance the chap doesn't know what took place to this day, but suspected it was a faulty handload.

That was a shame too, as I have a soft spot for the older 98 type Huskys.

All the best in 2010 to you and yours.

Regards,
Dwayne

You mean like this?



Barrel was great for knocking the snot out of fish......

Scott;
I hope this finds you well and you had an OK Christmas.

I'm glad to see the ear plugs on the right side of the first photo, safety first right?

Kind of interesting that the barrel survived so well isn't it? The bolt as well looks like it came out OK?

All the best to you in 2010 Scott.

Dwayne

I saw that you crazy bastid.

I can't remember seeing a blown up Ruger action - obstruction or not. Ever.

I would assume one exists but when these things come up - I can't remember seeing one on a M77 in any form.

I sure would like to see where the bullet went in the #1 that had the 308 shot in it !
...tj3006

People often refer to "Metal Fatigue" in firearms.
Has anyone had the damage evaluated by someone that knows
what they are talking about?.
This is a scary thing to people such as myself that shoot the
older ones, some over 100 years.
Take Care!

A couple mo's before Dave Gentry passed, I was in his shop passing the afternoon and talking actions. He was a collector of blown actions and had a real interest in how they handle escaping gas, etc. (He had an experimental mind and made his own Mauser 98 actions).

While there, he showed me the latest that was sent to him for his collection, an M700 in, IIRC, 300 RUM. Apparently some factory ammo was accidentally loaded too hot and released for sale... the action blew and seriously wounded the shooter, nearly killing him.

Dave told me the two actions he thinks that handle escaping gas best are the Mauser 98 and Savage 110, as well as the Wby Mk V, with the Savage being the strongest, safest action out there. Go figure.

I'm curious as to how he got the round chambered...

A guy I stalked with had a Tikka 6.5x55 literally "detonate" when he pulled the trigger. The wooden stock was in bits, the bottom metal and magazine (actually plastic) where destroyed, the action bulged, and the bolt had a lug sheer off..I didn't actually see it happen, but just afterwards, I took the guy down to meet an ambulance, and then saw the mess his face was in when I visted him in hospital later....

Steelie,

Whats the story behind that rifle in the picture?

Anyone injured?

Regards,

Peter