358 OOPS Wildcat

[Greg Nolan]

In my endeavors to test out loads for my new 338 Win., 350 Rem and 416 Rem I got in a hurry at the range and after setting up for the 350 to chrono it I (for some unknown reason) decided to shoot the 338 first. I went down range and set up the target and came back and visited with another shooter until it was time to shoot. I must say it put the bullet within 2 " of center at 100 yards. I present to you the new 358 OOPS Wildcat. I actually named it something a little more colorful but for the forum OOPS will work.
This is what a 350 Rem looks like when shot out of a 338. It was a 200 gr. .358 Barnes TSX.View attachment 358 OOPS 001.JPGView attachment 358 OOPS 002.JPG
I kept looking for the neck in the chamber until I realized it was still attached to the case, just blown out. There were pressure signs on the primer and an imprint of the ejector hole but not that bad. This could have been real bad :shock: The left is the 350 Rem Mag, center is the OOPS and the right is a 338 Win mag.
Greg

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Wow!! It's really a good thing that you didn't get hurt. My buddy actually did the same thing but heshot 7mm mag out of a 300 mag. That's why I keep the other ammo and rifles completely away for the bench when I'm shooting.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I definitely need to follow your plan more closely. Complete separation.

 

[Elkman]

Greg

You ran a .358 diameter bullet down a .338 hole. guess that shows how much pressure a modern firearm will take. Have you shot the rifle since? Have you had someone take a close look at the barrel ? I am thinking you are "really" lucky not just lucky. :roll: :roll:

 

[JD338]

Greg,

Glad you are ok, that could hav been really ugly! Swaging a .358 monolithic down a .338 pipe is interesting. Any damage to the 338 barrel?

JD338

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Oh to have seen a super slow motion video of the barrel during that shot!

 

[DrMike]

Man alive! That is some case! Glad you weren't hurt, Greg.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Yes it could have been tragic. I believe my saving graces were a really long jump to the lands to allow the pressure some extra room to expand and the pressure grooves on the TSX.

 

[Jerry 919]

This can also happen touching off a .270 Win. in a 7MM Rem. Mag..........I'm told.

Jerry 919
Bend, Oregon

 

[Guest]

I can't imagine the pressure generated by swaging down that solid copper Barnes slug - by about 5.6%, no less! It's a good thing you were shooting a short action round in that long action chamber. I bet that's the primary thing that saved your bacon. Glad to hear all turned out well. I think everyone is destined to have one "Oh, CRAP!" moment at the range. I've had mine, and it changed how I do things at the loading bench.

 

[corbin9191]

I am glad you are ok. I bet by squeezing that big bullet through that .338 tube it is really shining and clean.

 

[R Flowers]

Thanks for posting and thank goodness you did not get hurt.

I actually saw my buddy shoot three rounds of 7BR ammmo in a 6.5x308 during a IHMSA pistol championship. He was shooting shootoff targets and could not hit even close, his shots were all high. He could not figure out what was happening until he looked at one of the ejected cases and found it was blackened and cracked. Again, a .284 diameter bullet down a .264 barrel. And again, a much shorter case so powder capacity was lowered.

We thought the gun was ok, but it never would shoot worth a darn after that. He wound up rebarreling that XP-100 soon after.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I havn't shot the rifle yet since. That was the first round ever fired through a brand new rifle. It's a Mossberg 4x4. I'm hoping the pressure grooves saved the barrel from permanent problems.
Greg

 

[corbin9191]

Let us know how she shoots when you get time.

 

[Guest]

I havn't shot the rifle yet since. That was the first round ever fired through a brand new rifle. It's a Mossberg 4x4. I'm hoping the pressure grooves saved the barrel from permanent problems.
Greg

This might add a completely different wrinkle to the discussion about the 338RCM, huh?

 

[skinner313]

This is for Jerry919 i actually did that at the range one day. I was shooting my 7 mag, i asked my buddy to hand me another shell and he grabbed one of his .270's by accident.It fireformed the shell alright, it split wide open about an 1/8 inch from the rim,half way around the case 1/2 an inch towards the neck.The bullet keyholed the target 6 inches high. Wish i kept the spent brass.

 

[SJB358]

Greg, glad your okay buddy! Scotty

 

[FOTIS]

Yes it could have been tragic. I believe my saving graces were a really long jump to the lands to allow the pressure some extra room to expand and the pressure grooves on the TSX.

yup!

 

[elkhuntinfool]

Glad no one got hurt.