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Joined: Aug 2003
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491 |
I see handgun anecdotes here, and centerfire rifles……I can't be the only one to have managed the simple feat of blowing up a rimfire? 
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,972 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,972 Likes: 10 |
I'd appreciate as many images as possible here, and perhaps permission to download the same as examples in our Hunter Education Classes. Keep them coming troops.
1Minute
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
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gnoahhh; Good day to you sir, I trust that your Friday the 13th has been without incident thus far. While I'm cognizant you've clearly stated guns that I've blown up, hopefully I can be forgiven for a posting these photos and details of one that is in my possession but I was not present at it's demise. ![[Linked Image]](http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/DSCN15092.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/DSCN15072.jpg) It was a B78 chambered in .22-250, which at the time belonged to a now passed on single shot rifle enthusiast and hobby gunsmith. As I inherited it from his estate the information I received was second hand, but I was able to view all the parts that were able to be found that day. The fore end was shattered, as was the butt stock. The barrel was loose and had moved somewhat forward - we unscrewed it by hand with no effort. Strangely it looked OK? The cocking lever/trigger guard was broken at the pivot points. The drop block was visibly damaged as was the extractor. The hammer was nowhere to be found. The best guess was that the gentleman had somehow managed to chamber a .250 round in the rifle as he had both at the range that day and ammunition for them on the bench. Thanks for the sobering reading your thread has provided sir and all the best to you this weekend. May we all go the remainder of our shooting lives without another such incident. Dwayne afternoon, Dwayne - I recall a year or two back someone was parting out a modern Highwall on Gunbroker, which had been blown up. I want to say that one was a .25-06, however. Many of the parts were actually still usable.  Pretty fair trick to blow one, given the strength of a High Wall. In my (nearest miss) case I learned that 1) headspace gauges were invented for a reason, and 2) before shooting a vintage action, one should inspect for missing features...such as bolt lugs  I will say, I never have heard of a Ruger #1 blown up, though I am sure someone has done it at one time or another.
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,850 Likes: 8
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,850 Likes: 8 |
I see handgun anecdotes here, and centerfire rifles……I can't be the only one to have managed the simple feat of blowing up a rimfire? I've never blown up a rimfire but a friend gave me an old Mossberg target rifle that had a 12 inch long split down the side of the barrel about 6 inches forward of the receiver. I've no idea how the original owner managed to do that to that heavy a barrel. The fellow I got it from claimed it was given to him that way. I ended up getting a take off barrel from Jack First and used it for years as a squirrel gun.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,365
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,365 |
Back in the 90's we tried to blow up a 6.5 Jap for a hunter safety course, only junk rifle I had laying around at the time. Loaded the case full with red dot. Tired her off to a tired and with a 200 foot string we touched her off. After the dust cleared and tire stopped spinning around we walked up and could not believe what we seen. Gun was still in one piece, extractor was missing, stock was cracked and we could not open the bolt up, tried with a dead blow hammer to the point we bent the bolt handle. Tried to remove the barrel but that was not coming off either. Got to hand it to the Japs they sure could make a strong action. I do have a video of it but don't have a camera to watch it anymore, if anyone wants to upload it on here I'll send them the video.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26,524
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26,524 |
I'd appreciate as many images as possible here, and perhaps permission to download the same as examples in our Hunter Education Classes. Keep them coming troops. You can download mine I posted earlier The damaged there was caused by a ruptured primer venting back through the boxlock.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
I see handgun anecdotes here, and centerfire rifles……I can't be the only one to have managed the simple feat of blowing up a rimfire? I actually had a complete cylinder split with an old H&R Sportsman 22lr. About the 5th round in a cylinder of 9 and there was a completely different sound. Sure enough, the cylinder had a crack the entire length of the cylinder, through and through. I have no idea why.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 23,453
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 23,453 |
I see handgun anecdotes here, and centerfire rifles……I can't be the only one to have managed the simple feat of blowing up a rimfire? I actually had a complete cylinder split with an old H&R Sportsman 22lr. About the 5th round in a cylinder of 9 and there was a completely different sound. Sure enough, the cylinder had a crack the entire length of the cylinder, through and through. I have no idea why. Obviously, it was due to your overpressure reloads. 
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
I should have known not to fire long RIFLE ammo in handgun.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491 |
I've got some 22 Long Revolver ammo if you need some. It's kind of rare, so it's a bit pricey but it (probably) won't blow up your guns. 
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,423
Campfire Kahuna Emeritus & Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Kahuna Emeritus & Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,423 |
Might I state that the rifle was built by fools who knew very little about firearms? Anyway, that is my opinion.
I DO like the .22LRs from that era, but knowing what a clown the owner was takes away a bit of their aura. In your opinion (lawyer hedge in place) didn't Kimber of Oregon fold because of a nose candy problem? Great to hear from you, my friend. I never suspected a cocaine problem. But then, I've been very close to organizations that were up to their ears in drugs and I was blissfully unaware all the time (don't ask) In my opinion (lawyer's hedge), My Warne had a girlfriend problem and that really didn't sit well with me. His wife and children were simply darling and (in my opinion  ) they did not deserve the shoddy treatment. I guess I'm just too straight-laced and stupid to understand stuff like that. In 50++ years of marriage, I have never cheated on my wife, not once ... but then, she is one hell of a rifle shot Blessings, Steve
"God Loves Each Of Us As If There Were Only One Of Us"
Saint Augustine of Hippo - AD 397
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Joined: May 2003
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,437 Likes: 1 |
I was working up loads at the range with my super duper field loading set, while at the same time, composing paragraphs in my head for an article I was fighting with.
Brand spanking new Lilja barrel in 22BR, on a Euro 98 sporter action of indeterminate, non-military lineage.
Shot a .261, my best group ever in my whole effing life, called that good and went on to the next bullet I wanted to try.
All the time, a voice in my head is writing paragraphs. So, I forgot to take the plunge rod out of the barrel after I measured the bullet for throat.
Loaded up a mild charge, seated the new bullet, closed the action, and fired.
Destroyed the action. Had to cut off two inches of the barrel, there was a crack in the chamber at the shoulder. The brass was pretty much melted. Had a little cut on my right hand where the extractor went by on its way to parts unknown.
I never did find that darn rod.
It was a heck of a way to torture test the 98's safety lug.
I eventually found another 98 action, and rebuilt the rifle cannibalizing what was salvageable. Even saved the stock, which got split pretty well. Shoots in the fours.
Lesson: DON'T THINK ABOUT OTHER STUFF WHILE WORKING UP LOADS, and DON'T BRING THE BULLET FEELER ROD TO THE RANGE.
Up hills slow,
Down hills fast
Tonnage first and
Safety last.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491 |
I guess I'm just too straight-laced and stupid to understand stuff like that. In 50++ years of marriage, I have never cheated on my wife, not once ... but then, she is one hell of a rifle shot CMU……………..crack me up! Obviously, stupid, you're not!
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 23,453
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 23,453 |
Might I state that the rifle was built by fools who knew very little about firearms? Anyway, that is my opinion.
I DO like the .22LRs from that era, but knowing what a clown the owner was takes away a bit of their aura. In your opinion (lawyer hedge in place) didn't Kimber of Oregon fold because of a nose candy problem? Great to hear from you, my friend. I never suspected a cocaine problem. But then, I've been very close to organizations that were up to their ears in drugs and I was blissfully unaware all the time (don't ask) In my opinion (lawyer's hedge), My Warne had a girlfriend problem and that really didn't sit well with me. His wife and children were simply darling and (in my opinion ) they did not deserve the shoddy treatment. I guess I'm just too straight-laced and stupid to understand stuff like that. In 50++ years of marriage, I have never cheated on my wife, not once ... but then, she is one hell of a rifle shot Blessings, Steve I have it on very good authority that the girlfriend (and stripper) problem was a definitive, as was his "candy" habit. Take that fwiw.
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,660 Likes: 1 |
None, so far, not even a seriously stuck bolt or any issue with any handgun of which I load several thousand a year in 9mm & 45 ACP.
Been reloading since 1974.
MM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,423
Campfire Kahuna Emeritus & Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Kahuna Emeritus & Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,423 |
I blew up the first Kimber 6PPC every made. It's serial number was 6PPC-1. I was sent to the range with the rifle and five boxes of Sako ammo. In my stupidity, I didn't tie the rifle to a tire and fire it by lanyard. I fired it from the shoulder and it literally blew up. The receiver split at the top,the barrel landed about thirty yards downrange, the scope hopped up in the air and hit my head, the bolt stayed in the receiver, but the cocking piece literally blew up ... parts of it left in my right hand still. The worst part was that the receiver had a gas relief hole in the bottom of the action, but nobody had thought to drill the heavy laminated stock so that the gas could actually escape. When the gas hit the laminated wood, it opened up like a duckfoot. When the stock closed back up, a bunch of the skin of my left hand was squished and inside of the stock. When the round went off, my face burned and I could not see. My face hurt and my left hand was on fire. The stock was stuck to my left hand. My glasses were like sandblasted by steel and brass and there was blood flowing from my forehead and down my face. Somehow, I got my glasses off and the blood out of my eyes. At that point in time, Greg Warne and three potential investors showed up to witness the firing of Greg's newest wunderkind. When Greg saw me ... bleeding and helpless ... he blanched and suggested that the group retire to a nicer place. I croaked, "Could one of you please take a screwdriver and open the laminations, so I can get my hand out of this stock?" They all looked blankly at me, got in Greg's fancy leased automobile and drove off. Typical rich yuppie pukes. I finally got the stock off my hand, the bleeding stopped and the rifle pieces gathered up. I took the sh1t back to Kimber of Oregon and dumped it on Greg's desk. That was the last shot I fired for Kimber. Reason for the blowup was simple. There were no gunsmiths at Kimber. When Clymer called to ask if the 6PPC reamer was to be "target" (meaning turned neck) or sporter (not turned neck), the secretary said, "Well, Kimber makes accurate rifles, to send us a target reamer, you silly " So, I put a non-turned cartridge in a chamber that was intended for a turned case neck. The neck had no expansion room and the bullet became a solid bore obstruction. Can you spell D.E.T.O.N.A.T.I.O.N ???? I'm lucky the blowup didn't kill me. The bolt could easily have blown back between my eyes and into my brain. Might I state that the rifle was built by fools who knew very little about firearms? Anyway, that is my opinion. Blessings, Steve And I thought your blog was a good read! Dang brother, you got some stories to tell. Thanks for sharing that one. John, my brother, The last blog, the one posted yesterday, WAS a good read that was straight from the heart ... it was about as well as I've ever written. Having said that, blowing up the first Kimber 6PPC was a bit of a trip. The looks on the faces of Greg's "investors" was priceless. Prying the laminated stock off my left had was maybe not so priceless I still have lots of metal in my right hand. And my face was made a little more ugly No matter. My blessings to you, Mary and your incredible kids, Your brother Steve
"God Loves Each Of Us As If There Were Only One Of Us"
Saint Augustine of Hippo - AD 397
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 12,158 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 12,158 Likes: 2 |
tex n cal; Good afternoon to you as well my cyber friend, I trust that despite this being Friday the 13th you had a decent day. More than once I compared the No 1 which used to reside in our safe with the B78 action and indeed the No 1 is quite a bit more robust. I blew one case in the No 1 - long story of powder going off on me - and despite a lot of smoke appearing from the seams around the block not a bit went back into my face. Based on a hunch and not much more, I'd guess that the barrel may come forward on a No 1 before the block comes back - but again that's a guess on my part and emphatically an engineer I'm not. Having all the lugs present and accounted for on any action is definitely desirable and doubly so on something a bit different like an SMLE. Under the heading of whatever doesn't kill us and all that I suppose? All the best to you this weekend tex n cal. Dwayne
The most important stuff in life isn't "stuff"
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 17,145 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 17,145 Likes: 2 |
I had to stalk the rifle I blew up. It didn't want to be destroyed. It was sitting on a rifle rest under the range canopy. It looked to be sleeping. I crept up on it slowly, hiding behind the roof pillars to avoid being seen.. Perfectly told.
If something on the internet makes you angry the odds are you're being manipulated
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,213 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,213 Likes: 26 |
Have never blown up any firearms, though some should have blown. Have probably come closest with Ruger No. 1's, but discovered through "experimentation" (not always intentional) that they will indeed take an awful lot, and it's a myth that the No. 1's lever will start to stick before a typical bolt action ties up.
The closest I've been to a firearm that really blew was on a prairie dog hunt about 3-4 years ago. One of my friends was a retired guy with a wildcat 6mm rifle built on a post-1963 Winchester Model 70 action. Being on a fixed income, he used each case as long as possible, full-length-sizing only when necessary.
On this shoot some cases were sticking in the chamber, and he'd bump them out by sliding a cleaning rod down the muzzle. After one shot he forgot to remove the rod, and then next round blew the barrel downrange, and blew the scope backward off the rifle, because the top half of the receiver ring came off.
The barrel traveled about 15-20 yards, with both the bullet and cleaning rod still inside. The rod was stuck so hard we couldn't remove it.
The scope hit him HARD in the left eye. Don't know if his sight in that eye could have been saved if we hadn't been two hours from the nearest hospital, but by the time another guy and I drove him there, and the small hospital decided they should send him to a bigger hospital, it was too late. But it could have been a lot worse, especially since he's right-handed and right-eyed.
One of the other guys on the shoot is an engineer who owns a company that makes firearms accessories. He did some calculating and came up with a rough estimate of at least 250,000 PSI.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,067
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,067 |
Been there done that. I was loading ammo late one night after work and grabbed a can of imr4227 instead of another powder for the 222. I then proceded to load 24 grains of it in cases for my dads Remington 788 in .222 that was given to him by a buddy of his when he got out of the service.
One shot at the range the next day and I quickly found that I had to beat the bolt of that rifle open with a sledge hammer. The bolt and case each split into two pieces. Pieces of copper were even welded to the back side of the barrel.
Almost a year later I FINALLY found a bolt on ebay with a buy it now of 110 dollars. I think that I almost tore my shoulder out of it's socket trying to be the first to hit buy it now. A trip to the gunsmith and that gun with the stock barrel still shoots well under an inch at 100 yards. In fact I think that I'm going to take the old bushnell sportview off of that rifle and put a nicer scope on it. After all I put it through I think that I owe it something nice and shiny, right?
The strange thing is that the "weak" bolt on that rifle didn't even break off!
Last edited by 79inpa; 03/13/15.
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