- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,344
- 3,185
From Nosler's face book page
Even veterans make mistakes
- Thread starter FOTIS
- Start date
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,213
Oh, yeah, that would get your attention! One misstep, and BOOM!
Some folks, not just old guys, are born not necessarely gun wise/cautions. if a shell fits, it's good to go!!
Example; a fellow showed up in a hunting camp with a rifle he got from another. It had been rebarreled/rechambered to a caliber not known to the owner. He had with him a cigar-box (remember them?) with an assortment of cartridges in it. He tried several, finding a couple that would chamber with the closed bolt. Doing this in the presence of most of the other hunters in camp. I asked to see his rifle, finding no caliber stamping on the new barrel. I suggested he use my extra rifle, that was more than adequate for the deer. He killed his deer. The outfitter took the rifle and the box of shells and locked it up until the hunter was done and ready to leave.
I have wondered if that guy is still alive.
Example; a fellow showed up in a hunting camp with a rifle he got from another. It had been rebarreled/rechambered to a caliber not known to the owner. He had with him a cigar-box (remember them?) with an assortment of cartridges in it. He tried several, finding a couple that would chamber with the closed bolt. Doing this in the presence of most of the other hunters in camp. I asked to see his rifle, finding no caliber stamping on the new barrel. I suggested he use my extra rifle, that was more than adequate for the deer. He killed his deer. The outfitter took the rifle and the box of shells and locked it up until the hunter was done and ready to leave.
I have wondered if that guy is still alive.
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,342
- 8,903
Wow, that was some serious pressure!
Glad the shooter and bystanders are ok.
JD338
Glad the shooter and bystanders are ok.
JD338
RiverRider
Handloader
- Dec 9, 2008
- 1,450
- 102
I've always thought of myself as being super careful, but even the most cautious among us can be distracted. I was shooting some handloads for .222 and .223 at the range one Friday afternoon and there were a number of the benchresters there practicing for a match that weekend. The benchresters normally shoot from the positions that are adjacent to a large covered area where they can clean rifles and load their ammo, and I normally shoot at the other end of the line because I can unload all my gear more easily. Anyway, a competitor from another area was set up and shooting at "my" end of the firing line and I found him to be a friendly fellow...downright chatty, in fact. I should have been on guard but obviously I was not. I ended up firing a .222 Rem cartridge in my .223 Rem rifle.
The case in the middle is the result of this mishap. While the experience of gas and debris being blown into my face was not pleasant and the destruction of the extractor in my rifle was an inconvenience, there were three, no---four things to be learned on that day:
1. AVOID DISTRACTIONS!
2. Eye protection works
3. The shape of the former .222 Rem case tells a story about the sequence of events during firing and ignition. Considering the fact that the rifle is a Remington 700, I have to wonder whether a CRF Model 70 would have handled the mishap with less consequence...I think so.
4. AVOID DISTRACTIONS!
I have taken stock of the different rifle calibers I shoot since the incident, and what I did appears to be the most serious faux pas I can commit at present. One thing for sure, though: every time I look at what's sitting on my shooting bench at the range and I see the ammo boxes sitting there, I remember that experience. I am just glad that the consequences were relatively minor. The next time could be much worse, so I am committed to making sure there IS NO next time!
The case in the middle is the result of this mishap. While the experience of gas and debris being blown into my face was not pleasant and the destruction of the extractor in my rifle was an inconvenience, there were three, no---four things to be learned on that day:
1. AVOID DISTRACTIONS!
2. Eye protection works
3. The shape of the former .222 Rem case tells a story about the sequence of events during firing and ignition. Considering the fact that the rifle is a Remington 700, I have to wonder whether a CRF Model 70 would have handled the mishap with less consequence...I think so.
4. AVOID DISTRACTIONS!
I have taken stock of the different rifle calibers I shoot since the incident, and what I did appears to be the most serious faux pas I can commit at present. One thing for sure, though: every time I look at what's sitting on my shooting bench at the range and I see the ammo boxes sitting there, I remember that experience. I am just glad that the consequences were relatively minor. The next time could be much worse, so I am committed to making sure there IS NO next time!
- Thread starter
- #8
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,344
- 3,185
BK":1srmh1jy said:
Kurt...
You color the cases same as the McMIllan stock?
gerry
Ammo Smith
- Mar 1, 2007
- 6,908
- 1,791
I know a guy that fired a 30-06 in a 300 WM, he got away with it with just a blown case and primer but it scared him. RR, one reason I went with a Rem 700 is it is one of the stongest and safest actions there is right now. The Model 70 rated pretty poorly in this regard (blown primers) from the research I did.
Dr. Vette
Handloader
- Apr 16, 2012
- 1,480
- 365
Almost shot a 7mm Wby in my 7mm Rem Mag this fall, but of course the bolt would not close. Usually I move ammo off the table when I switch rifles but was going round robin with a couple of them while barrels cooled.
Needless to say I've gone back to clearing the bench of other ammo when shooting. And, that's as close as I've gotten to making an oops.
Needless to say I've gone back to clearing the bench of other ammo when shooting. And, that's as close as I've gotten to making an oops.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,213
HTDUCK":13nkfdfw said:
That could have made for an interesting weekend. :shock:
Wow, I am ultra paranoid when shooting my 270 and 7WSM's. They are both identical rifles so I really make sure the rifles are separated. I do try and use Nickel plated cases for the 270WSM and brass for the 7. Still trying to find some more nickel for the 270!
Glad the shooter wasn't hurt too bad in the original post. What kinda rifle was it?
Glad the shooter wasn't hurt too bad in the original post. What kinda rifle was it?
RiverRider
Handloader
- Dec 9, 2008
- 1,450
- 102
gerry":1ysd4tbq said:
I don't feel like I was ever in danger of a ka-boom, gerry, but if you look at the case it's fairly obvious what went on:
- the .222 cartridge slammed all the way forward in the chamber
- ignition then took place and the bullet was released
- the primer was blown out of the primer pocket, and at great velocity based on the debris it became...but this mitigated any chance for the case to rupture
- I believe that the primer destroyed the extractor (it was MANGLED!)
In the case of firing a .222 in a .223 chamber, I think a CRF Model 70 would have handled it a bit better because the cartridge would have been held in place by the extractor. The neck of the .222 case would have been blown out and probably would have cracked, but who knows? I do think the primer would have remained in the primer pocket and I think damage would have been nil. Based on these ideas, I think the CRF 70 would have fared better---not because of any superiority over the 700 in terms of strength but rather because of the details of this particular mismatch. I recognize that the 700 has a reputation for being one of the strongest and safest actions out there.
RiverRider
Handloader
- Dec 9, 2008
- 1,450
- 102
SJB358":1bzyqyuu said:
Looks like an A-Bolt to me...
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,213
SJB358":3dgn6xg1 said:
I don't know what it was, but I'm fairly certain of what it is! Junk. A teaching aid in a hunter safety course.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
The blown up rifle appears to be a Browning A-Bolt.
When I was in my 20's (a long time ago), I chambered and fired a .308 Win in a .270 Win. This was in an H&R Model 300 Mauser, really nice rifle if you remember the model. I welded the bolt shut and gas blew into my face through the bolt race. Fortunately, I wear glasses and they got pocked by primer metal fragments but my cornea's didn't.
The .308, 165 Partition ringed the rifle throat but once I pounded the bolt open, everything functioned fine. A tribute to the FN Mauser action that it was built on. Even the accuracy did not fall off much with the ringed barrel which I had replaced.
I learned the lesson right there and then to put one box of ammo and a matching rifle (only one) on the bench at a time. I have not repeated the stupid mistake since in over 40 years, whew lucky and strong rifle action!!!
When I was in my 20's (a long time ago), I chambered and fired a .308 Win in a .270 Win. This was in an H&R Model 300 Mauser, really nice rifle if you remember the model. I welded the bolt shut and gas blew into my face through the bolt race. Fortunately, I wear glasses and they got pocked by primer metal fragments but my cornea's didn't.
The .308, 165 Partition ringed the rifle throat but once I pounded the bolt open, everything functioned fine. A tribute to the FN Mauser action that it was built on. Even the accuracy did not fall off much with the ringed barrel which I had replaced.
I learned the lesson right there and then to put one box of ammo and a matching rifle (only one) on the bench at a time. I have not repeated the stupid mistake since in over 40 years, whew lucky and strong rifle action!!!
Wincheringen
Handloader
- Jan 10, 2012
- 931
- 1
You can't be a veteran until you've blown something up. I'm not a veteran yet.
RiverRider
Handloader
- Dec 9, 2008
- 1,450
- 102
I'll remain a rookie then, thank you very much.
:mrgreen:
Unless, of course, my adventure qualifies as a blow up. I don't think it does, but I definitely broke something. So if you just break something but don't blow anything up, what would be your status?
:mrgreen:
Unless, of course, my adventure qualifies as a blow up. I don't think it does, but I definitely broke something. So if you just break something but don't blow anything up, what would be your status?
Wincheringen
Handloader
- Jan 10, 2012
- 931
- 1
Private First Class, Maggot Level 2. 
