Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire model 70 explosion

That rear sight base looks strange for a winchester.

Usually flip up rear sights are dove tailed in the barrel
The taper of the chamber area into the barrel's length profile is also unusual looking for a winchester.




Rebarreled action like others have said in relation to 7mm rem mag not being made in pre 64,s

Someone mentioned barrel threads and torque also.


wrong caliber ammo for that 2nd round is the big suspect.


1st round went downrange with no hint of a squib.
Sound/ recoil wise 1st round was fine.
OP Said rifle has been used incident free for years.
No sign of bulge, bannana or side blow out in barrel.



Big question.

Where other rifles and calibers being used that day also.
And was everything on the bench or platform being used.

Shooter
1 rifle
1 caliber
On the bench at a time is a good rule to follow .

Where their several shooters and several rifles and calibers all sharing the bench.

Just speculating how the person mighta possibly chambered a different caliber.



Hope he recovers....

Front action screw too long, file back-side of starboard side lug until it cleared causing the lug to headspace on the front side of the front action screw? When it finally let go it pulls the screw and lug back through the feed ramp?

At about 11:30 on this pic, there looks to be the number 35. Maybe optical illusion.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/146621.jpg

Overtightening of a non-factory, replacement barrel is sometimes the cause of a cracked receiver ring on pre64 M70 actions. Have heard that the crack develops between the front of the receiver and the foremost of the two factory d&t holes on the receiver ring which would have been underneath the scope mount on this rifle. Appears to be where this one let go and a scenario that merits consideration.

I also find it odd that the stock snapped off at the rear grip. If the receiver / barrel failed with correct ammo, I'd think that would still not result in that level of carnage.

You have better eyes than me. I couldn’t make out squat.

I’d guess an ammo problem, that action flat blew apart due to a heck of a pressure spike. Out of battery or barrel obstruction would look a lot different. Wrong ammo or a bad round full of fast burning powder.

Almost like it fire while out of battery.

It appears the entire explosion was from the chamber back.

Could be anything but it appears (1) it's not an original Model 70 from the Winchester factory and (b) it's likely an ammo problem.

I would (1) take many more photographs, from many different angles, (2) see if the bore is clear, (3) check the fired case, and (4) get a competent gunsmith to look at it. If one of these steps shows you CLEARLY why it happened, then you know whom to sue. If none of them do, see a lawyer. The first consultation will be free and the lawyer will recommend a good lab to analyze it further.

I think there are a handful of questions you should take back to the family, that if can be answered, could narrow things down, rule things in / out, etc.

1. Was the problematic case recovered? If so, what does the headstamp say?

2. Examine the box of ammo. Specifically, check all the headstamps to ensure they're 7mm Rem Mag.

3. Also, if this is a brand new box of ammo, you said he fired a total of two rounds... are there 18 remaining (or 19)? 19 would obviously imply he picked up a stray round.

4. The rifle has been rebarreled. When and by whom was that done? Is the origin or manufacturer of the barrel known?

5. Check for obstructions in the barrel.

6. Maybe a dumb question but might want to validate that the rifle is in fact, a 7mm Rem Mag.

N O !!!

Send everything to the attorney who will no doubt be handling the young man's case, and log all the chain of custody. DON'T screw around with anything.

Looking at the pics.
And what you posted.
The exact area you are talking about forward scope base mount area on top of receiver.
That part of the front receiver is still attatched to the front of the one peice base.
It blew upwards 1st I bet and then the rest happened

In another pic the side of the peeled back receiver has rust in the threads and in other places along that line on its upperside
And the bottom of that area is bright and shiney from newly shreared metal.

Like a puzzle it all fits back together.


I think you might have nailed it dude.


Rifle was a ticking time bomb from a badly installed replacement barrel.
Mentions made in thread of threads and torque also.
Was just a matter of time....

And a guy lost an eye cause of it.

JFC.......

Did the first round land on target? Just wondering.

Could it have been a stuck firing pin? I in my youth had a Montgomery Ward 12 ga pump shotgun and was showing a friend how the shells cycle into the chamber and when I did, there was an explosion that sent material out the side of the chamber and into the ground and also some out the barrel. Turns out the firing pin was partially stuck out and fired the round prematurely.

Let us know what is found out down the line.
With it being a suspect customized rifle.
Federal is more than likely off the hook if that is the case.

Sucks that dude lost an eye.
Possibly due to a job not done right gawd knows how many yrs ago.

JMO....

I agree. It looks to me as the receiver failed as pointed out by spotshooter. I may not be seeing clearly but I see no shearing of the bolt lugs. So...the bottom lug fails but the upper lug holds preventing the bolt from imbedding itself in the shooters face, and that's a positive. But the receiver becomes shrapnel...negative. I could surely be wrong, though.

Good eye. I dont see the 5 but it certainly looks like a 3.

I think the 3 is a G

I'm waiting for a picture showing missile contrails.

Wouldn't a pre-'64 Winchester 70 barrel have the rear sight mounted via a dovetailed barrel boss?

After the speculations offered here, and given the region that let loose, I'm guessing maybe a shorter 30 or + caliber round that would chamber but have difficultly running the barrel. Have seen a pic in the past of a 308 round exploding a 270. I've also heard of 30 caliber slug actually making it through a 270, but there was still accompanying damage.

Do put something up please if definitive facts surface.